'Queen of Snake-raising' recalls winding road to success

NANNING - Raising snakes has not only given Zhou Wenqian, 35, comfort and peace of mind, but also changed the course of her life.

Dubbed the "Queen of Snake-raising" in Dalu Village, Lingshan County in south China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, Zhou has found success with raising snakes since 2006. It is a key industry in the county, where about 1.7 million snakes are being raised.

The impoverished village is Zhou's hometown. She currently runs a wildly successful snake-raising farm in Lingshan, where she not only raises the scaly reptiles herself, but also teaches snake-raising skills to people across China hoping to break into the ophidian industry.

While serving as CEO of the Wenqian Snake-raising Base, Zhou is also raising over 15,000 snakes. She mostly sells the snakes to restaurants.

Though Zhou is now a millionaire, her success has been hard-won. Born and raised in a poor family, she dropped out of school to make money to support her three little brothers who continued their schooling. With an annual income of less than 10,000 yuan ($1,618), she was only making ends meet while living in a very small tile-roofed house with her husband.

About 10 years ago, she learned that pre-mature chicken eggs, which were produced by the chicken farm, are the best food for snakes, and that snake-raising could guarantee her a desirable income.

Zhou decided to try her hand at snake farming in 2006, but her entry into the industry didn't yield immediate success. When her snakes were ready to hit the market, almost all 1,000 snakes died due to insufficient sterilization.

After a tearful night, Zhou got up and started over, paying more attention to details, like how to prevent illnesses in snakes.

Then, in 2009, her husband was bit by a cobra they raised. Days of emergency treatments narrowly saved him from death.