Actress Earns Fame for Volunteer Teaching in Bama Guangxi

A Chinese actress has found new fame -- not on the screen, but as a volunteer teacher in a poor mountain village.

Jiang Yiyan, a 32-year-old Chinese actress who starred in Nanking Nanking, a Chinese film about the Nanjing Massacre, has spent eight years since 2006 as a volunteer teacher in Bama county in south China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region.

Jiang's volunteer work remained unknown to the public until a documentary on her work went viral recently on microblog site Sina Weibo and messaging app WeChat.

The 17-minute film features an interview with Jiang and shows her experience as a part-time volunteer teacher at the school.

Though some criticized her for making a spectacle of her volunteer service, many praised her for her good deeds.

"At least she has brought change to the lives of the children. Eight years is a long time for any volunteer teacher. It is worth respect," said commenter "Qieyuananxin" on Sina Weibo.

Most rural schools in China's least developed areas lack teachers due to low pay and harsh living conditions. In the last few years, college graduates, white-collar workers and charity groups have been encouraged to work as volunteers in the schools.