Pic story: rural teacher sticks to position in China's Guizhou

Lu Chengwen (C) and his students play the game "drop-the-handkerchief" during a PE class at Yanjiao teaching point in Yanshan Township of Guiding County, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Sept. 6, 2023. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin) 

Yanjiao teaching point is a "micro primary school" located at a flat area among mountains in southwest China's Guizhou. Lu Chengwen is the only teacher here with 28 preschool and 6 grade one students.

In 2012, Lu, who had just graduated from the university, chose to teach at the remote Yanjiao teaching point. Preschool students, grown up from the mountainous village of the Miao ethnic group, could hardly speak Mandarin Chinese. In order to help his students learn Chinese characters and Mandarin Chinese, Lu taught them bilingually in Mandarin Chinese and his self-taught Miao language.

For his students, Lu is their teacher and caretaker. Besides literacy course, Lu has been teaching PE, art, and music all by himself, and also assisted in purchasing nutritious meals and ensuring students' safety.

Lu Chengwen selects the ingredients for students' nutritious meals at a market in Guiding County, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Sept. 7, 2023. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

Lu Chengwen writes a teaching plan in his office at Yanjiao teaching point in Yanshan Township of Guiding County, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Sept. 6, 2023. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

Lu Chengwen (1st R) demonstrates as students learn to shoot at the basket during a PE class at Yanjiao teaching point in Yanshan Township of Guiding County, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Sept. 6, 2023. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

Lu Chengwen (1st R) displays a handwriting work of a grade one student during a handwriting class at Yanjiao teaching point in Yanshan Township of Guiding County, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Sept. 7, 2023. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

Lu Chengwen (R) and the handyman Pan Delu carry back the ingredients for students' nutritious meals from a market in Guiding County, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Sept. 7, 2023. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

Lu Chengwen (2nd L), the handyman Pan Delu (1st L), and the students are on their way back after painting in the field in Yanshan Township of Guiding County, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Sept. 6, 2023. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

Lu Chengwen (1st R) visits the home of a student in Yanshan Township of Guiding County, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Sept. 6, 2023. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

Lu Chengwen (1st R) accompanies his students to return home in Yanshan Township of Guiding County, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Sept. 6, 2023. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

Lu Chengwen (1st R) teaches math to grade one students at Yanjiao teaching point in Yanshan Township of Guiding County, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Sept. 6, 2023. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

Lu Chengwen (1st R) teaches math to grade one students at Yanjiao teaching point in Yanshan Township of Guiding County, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Sept. 6, 2023. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

Lu Chengwen (1st L) instructs as the students line up during a PE class at Yanjiao teaching point in Yanshan Township of Guiding County, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Sept. 6, 2023. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

Lu Chengwen accompanies his students to return home in Yanshan Township of Guiding County, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Sept. 6, 2023. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

Lu Chengwen (2nd L) accompanies his students to return home in Yanshan Township of Guiding County, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Sept. 6, 2023. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

Lu Chengwen (1st R) instructs as students learn to shoot at the basket during a PE class at Yanjiao teaching point in Yanshan Township of Guiding County, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Sept. 6, 2023. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

This aerial photo taken on Sept. 7, 2023 shows Lu Chengwen and his students attending a national flag-raising ceremony at Yanjiao teaching point in Yanshan Township of Guiding County, southwest China's Guizhou Province. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

Lu Chengwen (1st R) and his students are on their way back after painting from life amid terraced fields in Yanshan Township of Guiding County, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Sept. 6, 2023. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

Lu Chengwen (1st R) helps as a student practices during a handwriting class for grade one students at Yanjiao teaching point in Yanshan Township of Guiding County, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Sept. 7, 2023. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

This aerial photo taken on Sept. 6, 2023 shows Lu Chengwen guiding his students to paint from life amid the terraced fields near the Yanjiao teaching point in Yanshan Township of Guiding County, southwest China's Guizhou Province. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

Lu Chengwen (C) iinstructs as a student learns to paint from life amid terraced fields in Yanshan Township of Guiding County, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Sept. 6, 2023. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

Lu Chengwen (3rd L) and his students play the game "eagle catching chickens" during a PE class at Yanjiao teaching point in Yanshan Township of Guiding County, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Sept. 6, 2023. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

Lu Chengwen (2nd R) and the handyman Pan Delu (1st R) distribute meals to students at Yanjiao teaching point in Yanshan Township of Guiding County, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Sept. 7, 2023. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

Lu Chengwen (1st L) soothes a preschool student at Yanjiao teaching point in Yanshan Township of Guiding County, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Sept. 6, 2023. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)