Tian Qun, president of Qiai Industry Association, a local organization made up of mugwort enterprises, farmers and researchers, said mugwort is part of everyday life in Qichun.

"Everyone uses mugwort, and many people's livelihoods are related to it," he said.

However, Tian said, it was not until 2013 that the herb was grown commercially on a large scale, gradually developing into an industry.

The revival of mugwort in Qichun, pushed by the local government, is expected to be a driving force in the county's economic development and help to lift residents out of poverty.

In May, the local government held a ceremony in Qichun to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the birth of Li Shizhen, one of the most famous pharmacists in ancient China, who was born in the county, to underline its determination to develop the TCM industry.

Although Qichun was an ideal place for growing mugwort, locals had not paid enough attention to the herb for many years, said Yu Lipeng, deputy chief of the county's publicity department.

In recent years the local government has been emphasizing mugwort's role in developing the county's TCM industry, a government priority, he said.