Yunnan postman helps bridge remote mountain villages

For 38 years, Sang Nancai, a postman in Chenggan township of Nujiang Lisu autonomous prefecture, Yunnan province, has traversed a rugged 486-kilometer postal route through some of China's most remote mountains, witnessing dramatic changes in the lives of local residents along the way.

Before dawn each day, Sang sorts and packs mail and sets off at 7 am on his motorcycle. When he first took the job in 1988, many villages along the route were inaccessible by road. Delivering mail meant trekking for five or six days at a time across steep cliffs, muddy slopes and rockfall-prone mountain paths.

Three people had quit the position before him.

He remembers telling his postmaster, "No matter what, I will see it through."

A letter he delivered in 1994 reinforced that commitment.

The envelope carried only a vague delivery address: "To Yang Yuying's mother in Chenggan township." Determined to complete the task, Sang spent a month visiting various villages and asking residents for clues before finally locating the recipient in Wangmaji village.

The elderly woman had not heard from her daughter in seven years. Moved to tears, she asked Sang to read the letter aloud and help write a reply.

That year's Kuoshi Festival, the most important traditional celebration for the Lisu ethnic group, brought an even happier ending: Yang returned home and reunited with her mother.

"At that moment, I realized I wasn't just delivering mail," Sang said. "I was carrying people's hopes and longing."

Over nearly four decades, he has traveled more than 400,000 km, worn out five motorcycles, gone through more than 160 mailbags and 560 pairs of rubber shoes, and delivered over 1.5 million pieces of mail without a single recorded loss or mistake.

But as a member of the Communist Party of China, Sang held the belief that his responsibilities went beyond delivering letters and parcels.

As road conditions improved and transportation became easier, Sang began thinking about how he could help local residents improve their livelihoods.

When local villager Yang Zhaocai wanted to start a business but could not afford a truck, Sang lent him his savings to buy one. The business gradually took off, allowing Yang to repay the loan, build a new home and improve his family's living conditions.

"I told him that if he ever had the chance, he should help others learn skills and improve their lives too," Sang said.

The changes along the postal route have been especially evident in recent years.

In the past, Sang's mailbag was filled mostly with letters, newspapers and money orders. Today, it carries parcels containing clothing, food items, household appliances and other consumer goods ordered online.

To Sang, the changing contents of his mailbag reflect the transformation of the once-isolated mountain villages.

"Years ago, people waited for letters from relatives working far away," he said. "Now they are shopping online and receiving goods from all over the country."

As a variety of products flowed into the mountains, Sang began wondering whether local specialties could also reach markets beyond the region.

He helped local residents sell agricultural products such as buckwheat, honey, walnuts and gastrodia through postal e-commerce platforms. He also taught villagers how to market their products online and use digital tools to expand their customer base.

"At first, I thought that even if someone could earn an extra 10 yuan ($1.5) a day, it was still an additional income," he said. "Now some households are earning several thousand yuan more each year by selling agricultural products online."

In recognition of his dedication, Sang has received numerous honors, including National Model Worker, National Outstanding Communist Party Member and National Model Individual for Ethnic Unity and Progress.

Yet he remains modest.

"These honors don't belong to me alone," he said.

"They belong to the countless postal workers who continue to serve in difficult conditions."

Now 55, Sang said he will continue riding the mountain route for as long as his health allows.

"As long as people need their mail delivered, I'll keep going," he said.

Contact the writers at yanyj@chinadaily.com.cn