(FILE)

Deng Xiaolan, a volunteer music teacher in a remote, poverty-stricken village, is in the spotlight of China's media for her selfless deeds.

Deng, 68, has traveled to Malan Village, north China's Hebei Province, to teach children there music more than 10 times a year since 2004. She has also donated money to help improve infrastructure in the village.

Born in the village, Deng sees Malan as her hometown. Since her retirement in 1998, Deng started to visit the village and found it was quite poor and access for vehicles was difficult. Since then, she has set aside two thirds of her retirement pension to help the villagers, and also collected donations to rebuild classrooms for the village's school and to help construct roads to the village.

Deng found the villagers didn't know how to sing, not to mention play instruments. With her expertise in that area, Deng now spends most of her time with the local children, teaching them how to sing and play various instruments. Children there have now formed an ensemble, and from time to time Deng takes them to Beijing to perform.