Although the rituals of pasting couplets on the front door, donning a brand new set of clothes, and enjoying a New Year's dinner with family are customary for most Chinese citizens, Zhang Zhongquan has passed most of his New Year holidays in a far more frugal manner.

Life for his family of four in northern Fujian's Shengqian village has been difficult with the Zhangs' 30-acre plot of land often incapable of fully supporting the family. Living with his 83-year-old mother and two children who are both still in school, Zhongquan is the only member capable of working fulltime and consequently carries the burden of the family firmly on his shoulders.

Fortunately, Shengqian falls under the jurisdiction of Jian'ou city, which launched a fierce anti-poverty campaign in 2016. The scheme has alleviated poverty through offering funds, technology, and additional means of support to families like the Zhangs that find themselves in disadvantaged positions.

One key step to the Zhangs rising out of poverty has been diversifying the crops they grow. They have gained a net income of 40,000 yuan ($5,800) growing rice, corn, taro, bamboo and black fungus in 2016. In the most recent black fungus harvest season they made a profit of 20,000 yuan. The decision to plant the edible mushroom came on the advice of Ye Gonggui, the village's Party leader, an expert in cultivating black fungus.

The Zhangs stand as four individuals in a group of 5,534 Jian'ou residents who proudly ended lives of poverty at the end of 2016.

Zhang Zhongquan purchases Spring Festival supplies on Jan 26. [Photo by Zhang Guojun/Xinhua]

Zhang Zhongquan (first left) pastes Spring Festival couplet on Jan 27, Chinese New Year's Eve. [Photo/Xinhua]