'Raising bees is like raising children'

Pan Lichun has been raising honeybees all his life. The Yichun native doesn't have to worry about selling his produce, though, because his good reputation means people buy the honey before it's even been made.

Life is not entirely sweet, however. Fewer and fewer young people are choosing beekeeping as a career, and Pan is disappointed that there is no new generation to carry the torch forward.

The 63-year-old has two sons: One is a driver and the another works for a furniture company. Although Pan offered to pass on all the skills and secrets he's acquired over the years, neither son was moved by his entreaties.

Pan has a home in Yichun's downtown, but every summer he moves to the mountains where he lives alone, apart from his bees. Many years ago, he worked at a grain store, and beekeeping was just a hobby, but when he was made redundant in the 1980s, he became a full-time beekeeper and helped his family endure a lot of hard times.

"Raising bees is like raising children - care and patience are more important than anything else. Always remember to check the temperature and moisture levels, and whether they have enough food to eat and air to breath," he said.

Every year, he says it will be his last in the mountains, but he always returns the following spring.

Having almost given up hope of passing on his skills, Pan was delighted to engage two apprentices earlier this year, even though one is 50 and the another is 72.

"Better late than never, I guess ... I've discovered a new source of hope," he said.