On China's Mount Taihang there's a primary school with just two pupils. And the teacher of the duo recently caught the attention of the cyber-world.

 

 

Undated photo shows Mei Xiang teaches at Shimen Primary School in Henan Province.

 

Mei Xiang has been dubbed the most beautiful teacher on the mountain by netizens according to a Southern Metropolitan News report on Wednesday. Mei has been working at the school in a remote mountain village in central China's Henan Province for six years.

 

She started at 16 when Shimen Primary School was on the verge of closure because of a lack of teaching staff.

 

It was built because the nearest major school was too far away from the village. Many students have left for various reasons and only two remain. But Mei was still determined to help the villagers become literate and turned part of her home into a classroom after the actual school building collapsed.

 

 

 

According to a previous report by the Henan Business News this single young woman is determined to stay at the school as long as there is a single child to teach. But she's disappointed a number of admirers by announcing that her boyfriend is staying with her in the poor mountain village.

 

Mei Xiang's story was told on the Internet by a plasterer in Henan. "Cloud in Hometown" as he calls himself on the Internet went to Mount Taihang after reading the report to find the teacher who loved her job so much.

 

She was surprised to have a guest in the village and her living conditions moved "Cloud in Hometown". He then brought a group of seven netizens to visit her. With Mei's permission they posted photos of her on a forum and several online communities spotted the pictures.

 

"Cloud in Hometown" never thought his actions would disrupt Mei's life but as more netizens went to see her they blamed the local authority for failing to fund the school.

 

Villagers are leaving Mount Taihang as exploitation of the land continues and new roads connect them to cities.

 

Mei recently married but doesn't live with her husband because it's too far from the school. She feels guilty but says she'll stay until there is someone to replace her. "Helping children who live in the mountains learn is too important," she explains.

 

(China Daily February 1, 2007)