Lingzhi mushrooms in Yangshe town, Zhangjiagang in East China's Jiangsu province bring enormous economic benefits to local farmers. [Photo/zjgonline.com.cn]

Chen Ke, a graduate of Nanjing University from the port city of Zhangjiagang, East China's Jiangsu province, started planting lingzhi mushrooms in 2009, and over the past 11 years, he has helped local residents find a path to common prosperity, according to a local news report on Sept 24.

Lingzhi mushrooms are red, kidney-shaped mushrooms which are highly prized for their health benefits and, as residents of Yangshe town have discovered, have enormous economic benefits.

Chen's lingzhi mushroom park is situated in a village in Yangshe town and covers an area of 25 mu (1.67 hectares). In 2011, the park brought in more than 2 million yuan ($299,200) in annual net income.

Chen also set up a farmer cooperative for lingzhi mushrooms which has greatly increased the competitiveness of local products and generated enormous economic returns for local farmers. In 2019, the cooperative earned more than 10 million yuan.

By using advanced technologies, Chen has also offered technical guidance to farmers in Hubei and Fujian, aiming to help them shake off poverty and achieve prosperity.