China is the home of many farmers and I tip my hat to them. They don’t always have all of the equipment they would like to have, yet they are able to provide for their families through their hard work. I often wonder how they stay positive about their careers, because a flood or drought could ruin all of their hard labor.
Since the farmers work hard, they need a good place to rest, so I wanted to show you what many of their homes look like. This first one is in a rural area of the Shandong Province, in the eastern section of China, where there are many very old chestnut trees (they export chestnuts around the world). I have seen bricks made in many places as I have traveled in China, so I am sure the framers want a good and inexpensive product for building their homes.
This next home is in the Shanxi Province, which is in the central section of China. Many different fruit trees and vegetables grown in this area. The terrain isn’t as flat as the picture above from the Shandong Province, so I am sure that leads to some agricultural challenges and opportunities. Additionally, they raise sheep in the area as well.
In the northern parts of the country, many farmers will sleep on a bed called a kang. The kang is a large concrete bed where the entire family may sleep in the winter. A fire is built under the kang and the hot coals will keep people warm all night long. I have never slept on a kang, but I am told they are a very effective way to stay warm in the bitter cold of northern China.