Yi woman from deep mountains sews prosperous life

Had Shen Xiaoying not run away from a remote village in Southwest China's Sichuan province more than 30 years ago, she would have married one of her cousins -- a child betrothal arranged by her parents -- and probably spent the rest of her life in the deep mountains.

The woman, from the Yi ethnic group, trekked several days from her village, 3,000 meters above sea level, down the mountain to town at the age of 16.

"Life in isolation was so hard that I told myself I had to move off the mountain," said Shen, now 49.

She was a dishwasher and a cleaner before opening an embroidery clothing shop in the city of Xichang of Liangshan Yi autonomous prefecture, some 200 km away from her home. The shop, a three-story building, brings an annual income of 3 million yuan (about $428,400).

China is aiming to eradicate absolute poverty this year. Liangshan, home to 178,000 impoverished people, is one of the poorest regions in the country.

Yi women attach much importance to their clothes. A traditional Yi costume usually consists of a long pleated skirt, an upper garment with decorative patterns and headwear used to wrap long hair, as well as silver accessories.