The new Wangjiang county headquarters in eastern China. Gilded in granite and glass, the government edifice will cost about $10 million in a county where residents earn an average of $639 a year. (David Pierson / Los Angeles Times)
The front gate of the new Wangjiang county headquarters soars above neighboring houses. (David Pierson / Los Angeles Times)
The Wangjiang county government has come under fire for building the headquarters, which rises over fertile land confiscated from farmers. (David Pierson / Los Angeles Times)
