The Deng ethnic group tucked away in the high forested mountains bordering Myanmar and India has about 1,600 members in Zayu County, Nyingchi, Tibet. Over the past half a century, they have moved on from slash-and-burning farming, living in caves, and keeping records by tying knots to a modern lifestyle.

Starting from the 1950s, the Deng people who had lived for most of their existence as hunter-gatherers began growing upland rice, highland barley, ragimillet, and other crops. As Zayu County is the only place suitable for growing kiwifruits in Tibet, some Deng families have been living a more prosperous life in recent years, which is a direct result of growing kiwifruits in their fields.