Modern times have brought a sedentary grazing life for 88.13 percent of pastoral households innorthwest China's Qinghai Province, who have given up their traditional nomadic life style.

As one of the five largest pasturing regions in China, Qinghai boasts nearly 500 million mu (33.3 million hectares) of usable natural pasture.

In the past, over 90 percent of pastoral households in the province lived a nomadic life, until the implementation of the household contract system.

"The sedentary grazing lifestyle has brought great changes to the lives of the herdsmen, bringing modern household appliances, and solutions to problems such as access to medical treatment and education," said Nagwang Jiancuo, deputy head of the Qinghai provincial livestock department.

(People's Daily  March 20, 2004)