She Heard Her Daughter Sing on the Hillside

In the past, elders valued boys over girls — boys went to school while girls stayed home to do farm and housework. Having experienced that inequality herself, she encouraged her own daughter to study hard, who now finished college and became a teacher.

Yang recalls a touching moment while farming on a hillside, hearing her daughter sing during a school celebration. Recognizing her voice, she was moved to tears, proud of her daughter’s confidence.

She also believes deeply in staying connected to the land. “If our fields are barren, our hearts will be too,” she says. Every year, she plants crops and teaches her children these skills so they’ll always know how to feed themselves when hard times come.

Though Yang hopes to return to village life when she grows old, she is content working at the Ninghang Batik Workshop — spending her days with other Miao women, making batik, sharing snacks and laughter.