China / China

Grief for drowned daughter for 14 years

(chinadaily.com.cn) Updated: 2010-11-06 14:59

Dai Chunyou, a 60-year-old man, makes an inspection tour of Niushan Island, Zhejiang province, Nov 4, 2010.

Dai is a resident of Shitang town of Wenling, Zhejiang province, which is four sea miles away from Niushan Island. In 1996, Dai’s daughter drowned while collecting trumpet shells on Niushan Island. Dai went to the island to grieve for his daughter and repaired his old house on it. When he was a teenager, he had followed his parents to plant trees there. Since then, only a lighthouse and the sound of the wind and surf have been his company in the 14 years he lived on the island alone. Every year Dai stays at his home in Shitang town for less than a month. His wife tries to persuade him to return to live at home, but he says he wants to accompany their daughter, who was buried on the island. Dai collects the rain for drinking. He feeds chickens and sheep, and plants vegetables. Dai guards the lighthouse and helps vessels and mariners who get in trouble, the local frontier sentry said.[Photo/Xinhua]