In tune with the times

"My parents lived and fought here when they were young, and they wanted the locals to live a happy life. I felt so saddened that the children here couldn't sing. So I thought if I had the chance, I must teach them to sing."

Deng began to travel between Beijing and the village since 2004 to teach the children music. She recalled that when she first arrived at the village's primary school, the school had four dilapidated single-floor houses and two teachers, and the children never had any music lessons.

She then collected instruments from her siblings and friends, including a violin, keyboard and accordion, and took them to the village, and also rebuilt the school houses by raising funds and using her own pension. As the children had no background in music, she had to teach them basic music theory, such as scales.

"I don't know what path they will set foot on in the future, or what obstacles they might encounter. Maybe they'll at times feel powerless and helpless, and music will be the best buddy for all their lives," she said.

Two years later, she established the Malan Band, the first members of which were six children from the village.

In 2008, she took the band to Beijing for the first time, hosting a recital at the city's Zhongshan Park. And in 2013, she hosted a children's music festival in the village, which became a recurring event where the children could showcase their singing and instrument skills.

Over the years, she had raised funds to build a three-story house named "the music castle" for the students to study music, and an outdoor stage for the music festival.