Ye Lianping, 91, from Ma’anshan City in east China’s Anhui Province, has been a teacher for nearly 40 years. /VCG Photo

Ye learned English when he worked for the US Embassy in China, and partnered with his colleagues to establish a night class helping people learn the English language. He began his teaching career at the school in 1978. /VCG Photo

Ye bid goodbye to his school in 1988 when he retired, but did not end his passion for teaching. He established a school for "left-behind children" whose parents had traveled to find work and continues to offer free tutoring in English. /VCG Photo

During summer breaks, Ye spent his pension organizing summer camps to help the children broaden their horizons. In 2013, he donated part of his pension to establish the Ye Lianping Scholarship with the help of local authorities. The scholarship financially helped eight students this year who were admitted to top universities in China. /VCG Photo

Despite his age, Ye is described as a candle that brightens students' hope. /VCG Photo