A young Chinese woman who was forced to beg on the streets with her blind and poverty-stricken father at the age of seven has been admitted to university, sparking widespread attention online and a national discussion.
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In 2013, Zhang Yan, from Nanjiang county in Bazhong, Sichuan province, southwestern China, captured national attention when it was reported that she led her blind father, Zhang Shiming, begging on the streets for survival.
In 2010, her father injured one of his eyes on a rusty nail. Lacking the money for proper treatment, his condition worsened and the other eye also became infected.
The delay in medical treatment ultimately left him permanently blind.
After her father lost his vision, Zhang’s mother developed severe mental health problems. She later gave birth to a son who was diagnosed with an intellectual disability.
During this period, Zhang would often accompany her father to beg near Jiangbei Bus Station, where they encountered kind strangers.
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“I used to feel very inferior, constantly worried about the strange looks people gave us. But thankfully, my teachers and many classmates treated me kindly, which helped me face my difficulties with a positive mindset,” said Zhang.
