Mo Xiuyun is an English teacher at Duyun Experimental Middle School, in Duyun, a city in Qiannan Bouyei and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, in Southwest China's Guizhou Province. During the past two decades, Mo and her husband, Li Hongli, have dedicated themselves to their careers, and to public-welfare initiatives. They have set a great example for their sons, and their words and deeds have deeply influenced their children. In May, Mo's family was selected a National Most Beautiful Family.

'Good Family Tradition Is Greatest Treasure' 

Mo was born into an ethnic Bouyei family in Jigao, a village in Dushan, a county in Qiannan. Mo's father died when she was 6. Mo's mother reared Mo and her brothers and sisters on her own. Even though the family lived in poverty, her mother supported all of her children in their studies. Mo studied hard, and she was admitted to a normal college in the prefecture. She was the first college student from her village.

Mo and Li wed in 2001, and the couple lived a frugal life. They used part of their income to support their parents and siblings. They helped Mo's mother pay for her medical costs, and they transferred money to Li's parents, so they could buy fertilizer and seeds. They also helped their nephews and nieces pay their tuition fees. They tried their best to help their relatives and friends.

Li is a technical expert at Duyun Power Supply Bureau, under China Southern Power Grid. Li is passionate about inventing, and he spends his free time inventing things. He has applied for dozens of patents for the items he has invented. A technique for melting ice, invented by Li, played a role in the efforts to combat snow-related disasters, which affected southern China many years ago. He has been awarded the titles of provincial-level craftsman and role model worker.

Mo has a solid base of English knowledge and excellent English-teaching skills, and she works diligently. In 2016, she was named a prefecture-level backbone teacher. In 2021, she was named a city-level outstanding Party (Communist Party of China) member. "My husband has always supported me in work and life. On weekends, he often drives me a long way, to pay home visits to students who live in mountainous areas. I have encountered many difficulties in life. When I feel upset or helpless, he encourages me and gives me strength," says Mo.

Mo and Li think parents should set a good example for their children, and that good family traditions make up the greatest treasure of a family. The couple has attached great importance to educating their sons, Li Hanyao and Li Ziyao, and they have created a good atmosphere for them to grow up. They read books with their sons, to cultivate their good study habits. The couple also take their sons to visit their grandparents, who live in a village in Duyun. When they visit their parents, they help cook meals, and they do household chores, setting a good example of showing filial piety and love for the elderly. Influenced by their parents, Li Hanyao and Li Ziyao often help their grandparents complete their farm work.

Li Hanyao often spends time on weekends helping his mother's students complete their homework and review their lessons. He studies hard, and he is ready to help others. He was named a Good Teenager in the New Era of Guizhou Province in 2019. He is now a freshman at Hangzhou Dianzi University (in Hangzhou, a city in East China's Zhejiang Province). He plans to work as a volunteer teacher during his vacations in the future. 

Giving Warmth to Needy Children

Most of the students in Mo's school are from ethnic Bouyei or Miao families, and they live in mountainous areas. Mo has helped her students a lot, both in their studies and their lives. She hopes to give warmth to every student.

Mo and Feng Yanyan, a Chinese-Singaporean who lives in Duyun, have helped many needy students since 2009. "Mo and her husband are the most loving and extraordinary people I have met in the city during the past decade. They spend time, money and lots of efforts on caring for people around them," says Feng.

Mo cofounded a team of volunteers in July 2015. The team has donated money and goods to needy students. The volunteers have helped needy students complete their education, and they have helped seriously ill children pay for their medical expenses.

Mo's family has spent more than 100,000 yuan (US $14,286) assisting children in the prefecture's mountainous areas. The family has motivated more than 60 people to join the team. They have raised more than 700,000 yuan (US $100,000), and they have helped more than 100 children in need. 

Source: The Department of Family and Children's Affairs of the All-China Women's Federation

Photos Supplied by Interviewees 

(Women of China English Monthly October 2023 issue)