Ahead of Teachers' Day, series based on rural education airs on small screen

With the approaching Teachers' Day which will fall on Sept 10, Sowers of Hope, a TV series focused on rural area education, began airing on Shanghai's Dragon Television and Beijing Satellite TV, as well as the streaming sites Mango TV and iQiyi, on Tuesday.

Adapted from real-life stories from various countryside schools in southwestern China, the drama revolves around An Yan, a junior high physics teacher portrayed by actress Tong Liya.

The protagonist prioritizes the health and education of her students, even at the cost of offending fellow faculty members. Her dedication and devotion have a contagious effect on Cong Junsheng, played by actor Yang Lei, a fellow physics teacher who is transferred from an urban school to assist with rural education.

During a preview screening held in Beijing on Monday, Tong, the actress who once worked as a dance teacher, said she drew inspiration from her early experiences, with the familiarity quickly allowing her to relate to the role.

Rao Jun, the playwright, said he spent over three years creating the script, with the procedure involving intensive research, interviews, and even spending months working at a rural school in Guizhou province to gain firsthand experience.