Tears streamed down the cheeks of 18-year-old Hu Haipeng and his mother when they heard he had finally been admitted to the Wuhan Conservatory of Music.
Hu is reportedly the first blind student to take part in the college entrance exam in central China's Hubei Province.
Hu's academic credit ranked him first among students applying for the conservatory. He was admitted to the academy on July 3.
Hu is congenitally blind but has shown musical talent from a young age.
"It's my mother who helped me go through the past 18 years," exclaimed Hu.
"Her eyes are like a navigation lamp, lighting up my way forward."
Hu's mum, Xiong Ziqiong, has been his companion in a 10-year music journey. No matter how busy she was, Xiong continued to accompany him to practice sessions.
"I believed that I could help my son grow up happily to be a useful person," Xiong said.
And Hu did not disappoint his dedicated mother. He studied hard and won the second prize in a Hong Kong national piano contest in 1997.
"My childhood dream was to study in the conservatory," Hu said.
Before this year's college entrance exam, Hu took part in a tutorial class at Wuhan Conservatory.
Teachers were extremely impressed by his determination and hard work. Piano teacher Jiang Zhenrui came up with a new method to teach Hu.
Instead of playing the piano, she lightly patted Hu's shoulders, helping him to feel the strength and rhythm of her fingers.
Hu got on well with his classmates who always extended a helping hand whenever he needed assistance.
"Love and care is always around me," Hu said.
In spite of his handicap, Hu seldom feels inferior to others. He is optimistic about his future.
(China Daily August 9, 2002)
