Time has proven his far-sightedness. Today, about 130 local families are earning at least 100,000 yuan a year by following the early pioneers' examples.

The village has formed its own production lines: Old grannies go to the mountains to search for wild herbs; some families specialize in raising chickens and rabbits, while others take care of the kiwi and fruit orchards.

Before the financial crisis, Zhao says all his rooms would be booked a week in advance even during the low season. With his wife and a few hired helpers, Zhao can easily cater to the customers: He only needs to make a phone call to get a chicken or rabbit, which respectively cost 40 and 50 yuan. The taste is beyond description for someone who has only eaten frozen supermarket meat.

My 4-year-old son, a picky eater, squeezed an entire thin pancake the size of a handkerchief into his mouth. He didn't choke, and he went on to finish five more.

If Li the 12th could entice the First Emperor in the old days, Shaanxi's farmers are still savvy enough to capture the heart and stomach of today's "little emperors".