More recently, powered by China's poverty alleviation efforts, the city's transportation service has embraced a new round of upgrades. In 2017, a major railway connecting Lanzhou, Gansu's provincial capital, with the southwestern municipality of Chongqing, via Longnan and other cities, opened for service. Couriers like SF Express have also established branches in Longnan, speeding up the delivery of goods.

Due to the leap forward in development, Kou has seen the freight journey time from his hometown to Sichuan reduced to less than five hours. Meanwhile, locally grown Sichuan pepper is of higher quality thanks to government support, and supply is booming.

Once a local delight, the spice has now ventured abroad, gaining traction among foreign customers. Gao Zhidong, founder of another Sichuan pepper cooperative in Longnan, has not only succeeded in selling his products to hotpot heavyweight Haidilao but also tapped the German market.

When an industry offers hope, talented youths step in. Ouyang Shuzhi, a college graduate in e-commerce who is employed by Gao's cooperative, incorporated his expertise into its business strategies. Last year, a third of the cooperative's more than 30 million yuan ($4.32 million) in Sichuan pepper sales came from online platforms.

Niu Junping, deputy head of Wudu district, said: "Among various Sichuan peppers of prime quality across China, those grown in Wudu district stand out due to their prominent numbing properties, thus enjoying popularity. And with top yields, we play a crucial role in leading the domestic Sichuan pepper market."

At the height of summer, clumps of ripened berries hang from shrubs in a village in Longnan. Villager Wang Fuchao weaves in and out of the branches, racing to finish picking all the berries on over 500 Sichuan pepper trees before early August. He said Sichuan pepper can sell for more than 120 yuan a kilogram this year, and his total income will reach at least 40,000 yuan. After the harvest, he will seek work in other places, earning more money for his family.

In Longnan, the history of cultivating Sichuan pepper dates back about 1,000 years. Now, the industry is taking on a new look. The area planted with Sichuan pepper in Wudu district has reached 66,667 hectares, and the industry has helped 86,000 local residents cast off poverty.

Xinhua