_{^{Each household in the Xihaigu region built their own cistern to trap rainwater, which is rare and precious.}}

_{^{Both men and women leave the villages in the Xihaigu region for distant places in search of employment, with the children often left in the care of their grandparents.}}

_{^{The murky water kept outdoors is used for household chores, but in desperate times, it is also life-saving drinking water.}}

^{Every kid goes to school armed with a bottle of drinking water, the purity level of which is an indication of a family's economic status.}

(Since 2004, EO's senior photographer Luo Jian has been working on “China Corner”, a photo project that focuses on overlooked communities impacted by China's urbanization process. Different themes under this project will be featured in Photo Essay once a week. Luo is a graduate from the China News Academy.)