As one of the first pineers who volunteered to cultivate Xinjiang's Gobi desert in 1961, Lian Tianyou seems to have gone back to 50 years ago.

"Those days were really tough," Lian said. "I worked day and night and only ate one steamed bun every one or two days."

China Daily reporter Feng Xin takes you to follow Lian's story and find out how a desert became an oasis through a dripping technology.

Photo journalist: Feng Xin