Lives of people in Korla, NW China's Xinjiang (3)

Reyimjan Memet, a farmer of fragrant pears, prunes his fragrant pear tree in Korla, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, May 23, 2021. (People's Daily Online/Kou Jie)

Korla is dubbed as "Pear City" because of its fragrant pears, which is one of China's most popular fruits. Located on the northern edge of the Taklamakan Desert, Korla is an oasis city enjoying lots of sunshine and plenty of rainfall, creating perfect conditions for growing the fragrant pear. Korla's pear planting history can be traced back 2000 years ago to when Zhang Qian, an envoy from the Han Dynasty, first introduced this fruit to the region. Now, the pear planting business is a prosperous industry in Korla, which helps farmers increase their incomes and alleviate poverty.