Ren Dabing blows a whistle to gather students and escort them to school in Wansen Village, Yajia Town, Songtao Miao Autonomous County, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Sept. 9, 2025. The Molao Youyi Primary School, located in Molao Village of central China's Hunan Province, which is bounded by the Huayuan River bordering the Wansen Village in southwest China's Guizhou Province, is jointly established and managed by Hunan and Guizhou provinces. Students from Wansen Village on the Guizhou side have to take a ferry across the Huayuan River for school. 

Ren Dabing, a rural teacher from Wansen Village, is currently the only Guizhou-born teacher at Molao Youyi Primary School. 

Since 2006, Ren has voluntarily taken on the responsibility of escorting students across the river to and from school. The ferry, initially a small wooden boat, has undergone several upgrades and is now a modern ferry boat. 

For 19 years, Ren has responsibly safeguarded the cross-provincial school commute of children along the Hunan-Guizhou provincial border with no reports of safety-related incidents. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin) 

Ren Dabing (2nd L) encounters his elementary school teacher, Long Lingang (2nd R), while escorting students on a cross-provincial trip to school in Biancheng Town of Huayuan County, central China's Hunan Province, Sept. 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin) 

Ren Dabing (2nd L) and his students are on their way home after school in Wansen Village, Yajia Town, Songtao Miao Autonomous County, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Sept. 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin) 

Ren Dabing gives a lesson at Molao Youyi Primary School in Biancheng Town of Huayuan County, central China's Hunan Province, Sept. 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin) 

An aerial drone photo shows Ren Dabing and his students crossing the river on their way home after school in Wansen Village, Yajia Town, Songtao Miao Autonomous County, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Sept. 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin) 

Ren Dabing (rear, R) instructs students playing the drum of the Miao ethnic group at Molao Youyi Primary School in Biancheng Town of Huayuan County, central China's Hunan Province, Sept. 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin) 

An aerial drone photo shows teachers and students gathering for dismissal at Molao Youyi Primary School in Biancheng Town of Huayuan County, central China's Hunan Province, Sept. 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin) 

Ren Dabing and his students are on their way home from Molao Youyi Primary School in Biancheng Town of Huayuan County, central China's Hunan Province, Sept. 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin) 

An aerial drone photo taken on Sept. 9, 2025 shows the Huayuan River between Wansen Village of Yajia Town, Songtao Miao Autonomous County, southwest China's Guizhou Province and Molao Village in Biancheng Town of Huayuan County, central China's Hunan Province. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin) 

Ren Dabing (2nd L) and his students are on their way home after school in Wansen Village, Yajia Town, Songtao Miao Autonomous County, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Sept. 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin) 

Ren Dabing gives a lesson at Molao Youyi Primary School in Biancheng Town of Huayuan County, central China's Hunan Province, Sept. 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin) 

Ren Dabing instructs students at Molao Youyi Primary School in Biancheng Town of Huayuan County, central China's Hunan Province, Sept. 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin) 

Ren Dabing (3rd L) and his students take a ferry boat to cross the Huayuan River between southwest China's Guizhou Province and central China's Hunan Province on their way to school, Sept. 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin) 

Ren Dabing (2nd R) and his students are on their way to school in Biancheng Town of Huayuan County, central China's Hunan Province, Sept. 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin) 

Ren Dabing (1st R) and his students are on their way to school in Wansen Village, Yajia Town, Songtao Miao Autonomous County, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Sept. 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin) 

Ren Dabing (1st R) and his students take a ferry boat on their way home after school in Wansen Village, Yajia Town, Songtao Miao Autonomous County, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Sept. 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

Source: Xinhua