"It is my sole wish that they could sing, and find some happiness from music," Deng said.

Among more than 200 students taught by Deng, many left the mountainous village to receive university education, and more than 10 students are studying art at university or have entered a career in art education.

For the 2022 Winter Olympics opening ceremony, 44 children from Malan village and neighboring villages in Fuping county formed the Malan Flower Choir and sung the Olympic anthem in Greek.

"In the last 18 years of her life, our mother devoted most of her time and energy to music education for children in Malan village, which brought her joy and contentment," her daughter Liu Mingming and son Liu Jiwei wrote in the obituary.

"The Olympic anthem sung by the Malan Flower Choir at the Winter Olympics opening ceremony received widespread acclaim, which took her joy to another level. It is the greatest consolation to us that she passed away peacefully at the peak of her life."

Contact the writer at chengyuezhu@chinadaily.com.cn