YICHANG, Hubei, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- Liu Danyang, an 11-year-old deafmute jumped with joy upon the news that he had been selected as one of the 10 universal dream kids by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and Xinhua News Agency.
"It's a great honor for me, and for all the Chinese children as well," Liu wrote on the paper with both pride and modest during an interview.
"He loves his life, silent as his world is, which I guess might impress judges most," said Zhu Zhifeng, deputy head of the Yichang Special Education School in central Hubei Province, which admitted Liu in 2003.
In 1998, Liu's parents, both deaf mutes, got divorced and left the five-month-old to his grandparents who lived a hard life with meager pension.
"Nevertheless, he was very caring and always ready to lend a hand to those going through a hard time," Zhu said.
On May 12th of 2008, Liu, with tears brimming his eyes, wrote a letter to console and cheer up his grieving peers in the quake-hit southwestern Sichuan Province.
"I know that many of you just lost your home, school and even beloved ones," he said in the letter. "But you must learn to be strong and most importantly, never lose your faith in life."
He also donated all his savings --- hundreds of coins totaling about 200 yuan (29.3 U.S. dollars)--- to help reconstruct their homeland.
Liu also extends his care to schoolmates equally suffering physical deformities. For example, he would considerately offer homesick boarders cookies his grandma made for him, and tactfully clear up squabbles between peers by telling a joke.
"He seems to have some kind of magic power to make everyone around him happy," said Qu Jun, one of Liu's teachers.
At school, Liu is widely known as an extraordinarily talented and diligent painter as well as an ardent environmentalist.
He has persisted in creating a figure sketch per day, and a theme painting every week in the past six years, during which his works constantly won him admiration.
Among the works he took the greatest pride in is "Run to the Light", a tribute to the 2008 Paralympics, which features a competition between blind runners. It won an award in Tokyo last November.
Liu has shown keen interest in environmental issues, and put his thoughts in not only the contents of his paintings, but also the way he draws.
"I often paint on the back of used paper, and won't throw away a pencil until it is too short to hold," he said.
In everyday life, Liu shops with reusable bags and never resorts to plastic ones. He even develops the habit of picking up litter wherever he goes.
The little painter became a public figure after he sent his painting named "We are together with Grandpa Hu" to President Hu Jintao, with a letter expressing his affection to his "dear Grandpa Hu" in 2007.
He was excited at President Hu's reply, which said, "Life will be getting better, and I will love you just like your grandma and grandpa."
In 2008, Liu Danyang was selected as one of the "National Top Ten Young Pioneers" of China.
"I have always dreamed of being a painter, who can bring people joy and strength with a brush," Liu Danyang said.
Special report: Global News Day for Children
Official Website of Global News Day for Children
