The very first agricultural cooperative in Hubei province was established at Xishui in 1952, as impoverished peasants pooled their land and cattle to create one large farm. In the first year, the commune increased its production by one third.
The establishment of the agricultural cooperative at Xishui in 1952 marked a significant development in Hubei province, where impoverished farmers joined forces to form a large farm and achieve increased production by one-third in their initial year.