After the Xiangyang village school was closed in 2017, Zhuang and his students were integrated into the township's central primary school.

He became the head teacher of grade-one students, teaching Chinese language and math.

"The teaching environment has greatly improved and I have more time and energy for my work," he says. "And I am glad to see my students studying in large and bright classrooms."

Since he started work, he has supported several students who could not afford fees, books or meals.

Now, in the central school, he is subsidizing lunch for two students. This costs about 300 yuan ($43.3) a month for each student.

Over the years, he has won many honors for his work. He was named a "national model of learning from Lei Feng", "the most beautiful teacher of Linjiang" and "excellent rural teacher" by the city.

Zhuang's decades of dedication also influenced his daughter, Zhuang Hewei.

"In my childhood, I always complained that my father was seldom around, because he went to work early and came back late," she says. "When I grew up, I gradually realized that, as a teacher, he considered his students to be the most important part of his life."

Following in her father's footsteps, Zhuang Hewei became a teacher at the same school after passing the recruitment exam in 2020.

"I hope I can become as excellent a teacher as my father and help more students seek a bright future," she says.

Contact the writer at zhouhuiying@chinadaily.com.cn