Most of the videos in China that go viral either has a naked woman or people having sex. That is why the video of an 11-year-old legless Jiangxi girl dancing ballet with her mother, posted in June, has become viral because of the lessons of perseverance and hope it gives viewers amid life’s tragedy.
Called China’s dancing angel, Jiang Zhangziyi, or Ziyi, is seen as an inspiration by Chinese netizens because of her ability to go beyond her disability. Proof of this is that in 2013, she joined a children’s dancing contest in Shangrao and won, reported RT.
The child with a missing front tooth danced her way into people’s heart when a video of her dancing in a ballet recital with her mother lifting Ziyi was viewed thousands of times in Weibo. Ziyi was six years old when she lost both her legs in a vehicular accident in October 2010 when her lower body was crushed.
The accident devastated her parents that Zhang Shuixiang, her mother, thought of committing suicide. But the little girl showed her parents she had determination to live a full life, so she learned to walk with what was left of her legs and how to dance. With Ye Xiaofang as their ballet teacher, the duo got free ballet lessons.
Whenever she sees her mother crying, Ziyi would comfort Shuixiang and tell her, “Please don’t be sad, otherwise I will hurt more.”
But it was a double challenge for Ziyi because of her disability. “It was difficult at first, and painful, but I like dancing. If you really want to do something, you just have to carry on,” she said. Ziyi, who was also born with a wonderful voice and sings beautifully, shared that she always dreamed of being a dancer, reported Shanghaiist.
A film has been made about Ziyi titled “Dream of Heaven.” It was premiered at the Shanghai International Film Festival and would be exhibited across China in summer.