Weekend Long Read: How Rock-and-Roll Saved a Remote Chinese School
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A gust of wind sweeps in, and in an instant, Haiga Elementary is swallowed by the mists coiling around the mountainside. When the fog recedes, thunderheads drift in, bringing a brief, drenching rain. When the sun breaks through, its rays illuminating the lush, green vines that cling to the grounds around the school.
Here on the slopes of Guizhou’s highest peak, a small school that was once on the brink of closure has found an unlikely savior: rock-and-roll. Music has not only rescued Haiga Elementary from obsolescence, but also nurtured successive generations of “left-behind” children, giving them a confidence and a stage that once seemed unimaginable — even if the path it offers out of poverty is a narrow one.
‘Left-behind’ children
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- 1964：
- Haiga Elementary School was founded.
- 2001：
- Zheng Long arrived as a new graduate to become principal at Haiga Elementary, coinciding with Beijing's national policy to consolidate small rural schools.
- 2010：
- Official data showed 98% of Haiga village households in poverty, with an average annual income of 1,600 yuan.
- By 2014：
- Haiga Elementary had only one official teacher and a dozen students; closure was imminent and Zheng Long was temporarily reassigned.
- 2015：
- China’s State Council issued a notice to discourage the closure of rural schools.
- 2016：
- Zheng Long returned to Haiga Elementary with four other teachers to rebuild the school into a full six-year elementary school.
- 2016：
- Gu Ya arrived at Haiga Elementary and began teaching multiple subjects and started the school's music club with Zheng’s support.
- 2018：
- Haiga Elementary’s first five-piece student band was formed.
- June 2019：
- Haiga Elementary had its first graduating class of sixth graders.
- June 2020：
- Gu Ya uploaded a video of five students performing 'A Song for You'; the video went viral online.
- Two days after June 2020 viral video：
- The band Misery reposted Haiga's student video on social media.
- July 2020：
- The band Misery visited Haiga Elementary for a joint rehearsal and concert.
- Shortly after July 2020：
- New Pants band followed, staging a benefit concert watched by 1.42 million people on Gu’s livestream.
- 2021：
- Haiga Youth were invited to perform at the Midi Music Festival in Jiangsu province.
- 2023：
- The student band performed 'Stubborn' on China’s nationally broadcast Spring Festival Gala.
- Summer 2025：
- Recently graduated sixth graders returned to practice; all five were accepted into an arts program at a middle school in Liupanshui.
- 2025：
- Four Haiga graduates were admitted into university, with sponsorship for tuition and living expenses.
- July 28, 2025：
- The farewell concert for the graduating band took place; Wen Sisi led the band for their final performance.
- 2025：
- A new school band is preparing for a charity show in Hainan province.
- 2025：
- 23 students graduated sixth grade, fewer than 10 enrolled in first grade, raising concerns about declining enrollment.
- As of 2025：
- The total student body is projected to fall below 60 within 3 to 5 years due to declining birthrate and more migrant worker parents taking their children to cities.
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