Nestled in the mountains of the Chinese mainland’s Guizhou and Guangxi provinces, Wuying Miao Village is home to 145 households split by a provincial border—104 in Guangxi and 41 in Guizhou. Yet when 13 young students gathered at their local school this Wednesday, the line on the map faded into the background as they celebrated International Children’s Day.
The village school may be small—it has only two classes, with 7 first graders and 6 second graders—but it offers a full curriculum. Alongside Chinese, math, art, and physical education, students learn essential health and safety skills. They also dive into local heritage through lusheng reed-pipe lessons and Miao folk singing, ensuring cultural traditions thrive.
International Children’s Day brought extra excitement. The children played cooperative games, painted murals reflecting village life, and performed traditional songs that echoed across the borderland. For villagers, the border exists only on a map, a testament to shared traditions and friendships that cross administrative lines.
These celebrations highlight how education in remote areas can foster unity and preserve cultural identity, even in communities split by administrative borders. In Wuying Miao Village, a small school truly brings big joy.
Reference(s):
Small school, big joy: United celebration in a borderland Miao village
cgtn.com
