While many of his university classmates were chasing white-collar dream jobs across China's bustling cities, Mao Yuanxiang took a radically different path: he put on a protective suit, ventured into the lush hills of the Jinggang Mountains and learned to live with the occasional sting of a bee.
The 26-year-old graduated from Jiangxi University of Science and Technology in 2021 with a degree in engineering cost management. Mao turned down a job opportunity in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, and returned to Tianhe township in Ji'an county, Jiangxi province, to raise bees with his family.
"For me, being close to nature feels more comfortable," he said.
Beekeeping was familiar territory. During school holidays, Mao followed his grandfather, who raised bees and goats to supplement the family's income, into the mountains. He watched him work the hives. They shared the freshly harvested honey. "I grew up around bees, so I was familiar with beekeeping and had a personal attachment to it," Mao said. "Tianhe has a long tradition of beekeeping, and I wanted to carry on that tradition and turn something I enjoyed into a career."
But a deep affection for his hometown could not solve the challenges facing the local beekeeping sector. Many local beekeepers operated independently, relying on traditional methods, which often made it difficult for them to sell their products at competitive prices. Mao and his father established the Huixiang farming cooperative in 2021, in a bid to address the fragmented nature of local beekeeping.
"When we were choosing a site, we basically went through all the villages in Tianhe township," he said. He also sought advice from experienced beekeepers, including those who had known his late grandfather.
Mao also sought assistance from researchers at Jiangxi Agricultural University's Bee Research Institute for improved honeybee strains, modern queen-rearing techniques and more standardized practices. His cooperative has also tested "smart hives" that can help monitor colonies remotely.
The new knowledge extends beyond Mao's own hives. The cooperative offers training programs in beekeeping and food safety, providing farmers with guidance on resolving issues with their colonies and enhancing their production techniques. It also purchases qualifying honey from members, manages the processing and packaging, and opens up sales channels to ensure broader market access. "We'll continue to work with universities on targeted training, improving our beekeeping methods," Mao said.
The operation grew from roughly 200 hives to more than 860 over a three-year period. The cooperative has brought together more than 120 beekeeping households, helping participating families increase their annual income by over 10,000 yuan ($1,497) on average.
But a bigger market also requires stricter standards. At the cooperative's testing room, honey is checked for moisture, enzyme activity, pesticide residues and sugar content. Mao once rejected a batch with an elevated sucrose level, despite knowing the supplier. "If their honey doesn't meet our standards, we won't purchase it," he said. "In the end, it's Tianhe's beekeepers who truly benefit from this brand."
Honey is just one part of his work. Members of the cooperative also grow vegetables on about 67 hectares of farmland.
In 2025, Mao was elected Party branch secretary of Tianhe. The additional responsibility has made his schedule even busier. His workday often starts around 8 am, addressing tasks such as road repairs, basketball court improvements, and residents' concerns. After these community responsibilities, he shifts his focus to farm work and helping fellow beekeepers. During the peak honey-harvesting seasons, his day can stretch long, sometimes not ending until around midnight.
Tianhe once relied heavily on mining, and an old cinema drew large audiences during the industry's peak. However, when the mines shut down a decade ago, the surrounding businesses declined, prompting the community to seek alternative sources of income. "The cinema was packed back then," Mao said. "We needed a transformation, shifting from underground resources to renewable under-forest ones."
Mao is now developing more honey-based products while planning to expand online and livestream sales. One locally developed product is a bottled honey drink: twist its specially designed cap, and honey drops into the lemon-flavored water below.
"The original idea was convenience," he added. "You just twist the cap and you can drink it."
There is still a long road ahead, Mao said. "I just want to blaze a trail of my own."
Editor：Zhou Jinmiao
