China's rapid growth over the past two decades has led to a dramatic transformation of its landscape. As towns and cities expand their boundaries and highways are built across the country, more and more farmland has been reclaimed and covered with concrete.
For different farmers whose land was taken away from them, development meant different things.
All too often, their fortunes were dependent on the integrity of local officials who came to seize their land for various purposes.
In many parts of the Pearl River Delta, where large stretches of fertile farmland have been turned into industrial estates, many villagers no longer need to work because they get regular pay-outs from the local government for giving up their land.
From time to time, however, disputes have arisen where local officials allegedly forced farmers to give up their land, but failed to pay adequate compensation or share the fruits of development with them.
In some localities, abuse and corruption have become so rampant that pent-up frustrations have occasionally flared up into violent and bloody confrontations.
The Land Contract Law, which came into effect yesterday, is a step towards addressing the problem.