You Junke, a farmer in Dongjing Township, Yuhua District of Changsha, became popular not because he was rich enough to buy BMW cars, but because he discarded the chance and instead opted to raise a special fish - paddlefish (polyodon spathula in Latin).

You was the first in Hunan Province to successfully breed the rare paddlefish with his own funds and scientific research.

He was among the first farmers to make a fortune through his own efforts and sheer hard work; and his story has been covered by many local media outlets, which have painted him as a prime example of one of the farmers who have become rich independently in the building of the new socialist countryside.

Seven years ago, when You earned enough money to buy a BMW car, he hesitated: he needed to spend most of his money on the car. He had another idea, why not try to invest in the waters in front of his house?

In March 1999, he took the money intended for the car and bought 100 paddlefish fry for 360 yuan (US$46) each, from Xiantao, Hubei Province.

Since then, he has invested several hundred thousand yuan to set up a breeding farm and invited experts to provide him with guidance. He is the first person in Hunan Province to raise the rare fish from his own money.

It takes eight to 10 years for paddlefish to become sexually mature. Once maturity is reached, the fish have a baby every six years. Therefore, the fish are highly priced in the world market: each 20-cm-long paddlefish fry can be sold between US$20 and US$27.

You proved himself a capable breeder. He raised the 30-cm-long fish fry into fatty fish in seven years and formed a breed of mature fish.

In 2005, he wanted to examine the fish and cast the net for the first time in six years. He caught 98 fish with the smallest weighing three kilogrammes and the largest weighing six kilograms - the success rate of the breeding has reached 98 per cent, a rare record in China.

News of his success traveled fast, beckoning buyers from home and abroad.

His 98 paddlefish are mature male and female fish, which is rare for China's breeding sector.

Therefore, the breeding institute that sold him the fish fry six years ago offered 10,000 yuan (US$1,250) for each paddlefish.

You was quite ambitious. He had his own plan. He wanted to run the first paddlefish breeding research base funded by an individual in China, and provide more profitable products for farmers who raise fish in Hunan Province.

He has now contracted 3.3 hectares of water area in front of his house to raise paddlefish. He is raising local chickens and pigs of fine breed in the backyard of his house. He also runs a restaurant with local specialties. Everyday, people line up to taste the local produce.

"The fish are also raised as pets! Looking at them eating is enjoyable," You said.

They have a dustpan-shaped mouth and eat with their stomachs facing upwards. When they turn their stomachs upward, they look like air fighters rolling in the sky.

However, raising paddlefish is not an easy job because the fish are afraid of sunlight and have to eat at night. Usually, You and his wife will feed the fish at midnight.

"I paid more attention to raising the fish than my children," he said.

(China Daily 06/16/2006 page10)