Our reporter Xie Jiao
An old video has recently become a hot spot on the Internet: a beautiful woman wearing a prosthesis, dancing her waist rhythmically, showing a different kind of beauty.
She is Liao Zhi.
▲ Screenshot of Liao Zhi dancing video.
Liao Zhi, who was not in the spotlight, seemed more relaxed. Her movements are light, like an elf descending into the earth.
The elf is taking off his "legs". To be precise, she took off her prosthesis. After the impromptu dance, she wipes off the sweat of the skin wrapped in the prosthesis.
And dancing is not all of her. This weekend, five or six disabled families will join her to cook their own meals. She contacted a public kitchen in advance, which can accommodate everyone.
It is difficult to define this wizard with the traditional concept of roles.
——She was a teacher at a dance school in Deyang City. During the Wenchuan earthquake, she was buried in the rubble for nearly 30 hours, resulting in amputation of both calves;
-Two months after her amputation, she performed "Drumming" and re-entered the stage. In 2009, she launched a "Drumming" benefit performance to encourage disaster-stricken folks in her hometown;
——She used her savings to form a disabled art troupe, which was closed due to poor management;
——She was a volunteer in the Lushan earthquake in 2013;
——In January 2020, she traveled from Shanghai to Chongqing and from Chongqing to Beijing. She and her husband co-founded the "Morning Star Home" to provide one-on-one physical rehabilitation services for amputees.
From the stage to life, she sent out an invitation to dance together to the same people.
Dancing is the potential of life
In 2008, it was an unavoidable memory point.
On May 12, the Wenchuan earthquake caused the earth to fall apart. In the ruins, Liao Zhi lost his mother-in-law and his 10-month-old daughter Chong Chong... When he was rescued, his legs were already severely injured.
My heart hurts no more. Both her father and friends thought she was unfortunate, but she gradually showed surprising composure after the initial daze.
A friend recalled: In the hospital where the earthquake victims were everywhere, Liao Zhi was lying in an aisle. She lifted the blanket and said, "My leg was sawed."
Not many people can deal with the great changes they have experienced so calmly, and Liao Zhi seems to be able to.
Young and beautiful, she dyes the brightest nails and wears the most dazzling earrings. She kept smiling to the people around her, and kept radiating energy. In the rehabilitation hospital, she directed her patients to rehearse the program and laughed heartily from time to time.
But inwardly, she is sensitive. "I lost my closest relative and my husband became an ex-husband again. I always think that many people will think I can't stand up anymore. I hate this feeling."
The beloved dance salvaged her mind like a straw.
"Do you want to dance again?" Once, a director asked her solemnly.
"Yes!" she blurted out.
While fulfilling her dream, she is also struggling for her future path. The injury will heal and life will continue, but what about the skills to make a living? She must grit her teeth to figure out a way out of life.
In mid-June 2008, when she was receiving treatment in Chongqing, she began arduous rehearsals. At high temperatures, her wounds are still unstable, and there are even bone residues inside; without support, it is difficult for her to maintain her balance; after practicing for a while, the gauze covering the wound will be saturated with blood and sweat.
"I have eaten the unbearable suffering of ordinary people. When I really can't hold on, I look up and always feel that the insects are looking at me in the sky. I can't be the mother she doesn't want." Liao Zhi's tone was light.
This legless dance called "Encouragement" shocked everyone and inspired everyone. For more than 3 minutes, Liao Zhi flew on the drum again and again, playing the drums challenging fate again and again. This dance, this drumbeat, is the potential of life!
People stood up and applauded for her time and time again, and burst into tears for her time and time again.
Dance steps are light and timeless
After Yiwu became famous, Liao Zhi was involved in the controversy.
Countless invitations came in. She began to accept interviews from many media and entered one live broadcast room after another. After some visitors finished the program, they would also pay a certain amount of labor politely. This became a part of the life of Liao Zhi and his family during that time.
The public opinion on the Internet has gradually changed to various voices from the beginning of praise and concern. Some continued to cheer for her, and some blamed her for economic income. Some people even questioned her consumption disaster, consumption herself, and consumption wounds in the show.
"This is not what I expected." Liao Zhi now recalled the embarrassment encountered during that period and became relieved, but at the time, she was very nervous, puzzled and confused.
Unable to release the tense string, her way to find relief is to dance. In the name of dance, she solicited donations from many places. She began to perform charity performances and became one of countless ordinary volunteers.
On April 20, 2013, there was an earthquake in Lushan, Sichuan. The moment he heard the news, Liao Zhi's heart was stung. For 48 hours after the earthquake, she entered Longmen Township, the epicenter of the earthquake, as a volunteer, walking slowly wearing prosthetic limbs to pitch tents and distribute supplies to the victims.
Many netizens were moved by her and called her "the most beautiful volunteer".
Later, Liao Zhi was invited to visit and accompany the hospitalized victims of the Lushan earthquake. She saw an 11-year-old boy who had been silent after the operation because his left leg was amputated. Liao Zhi comforted him gently: "Look, auntie also has a prosthetic leg, and she has no problem walking at all. One of my legs is shorter than yours, and another leg may be similar to yours. You will definitely be able to stand in the future. Get up and walk like auntie."
The child's eyes rekindled.
Dance soul, from stage to life
Liao Zhi once thought that he would never fall in love again. But how can there be no surprises for such a lovely elf?
In 2013, Liao Zhi was participating in the recording of the TV dance competition "Dancing Out of My Life" in Shanghai. She needed a pair of prostheses that could wear high heels and looked around.
The man who received Liao Zhi was personable. His name is Charles, and he made a joke at first, and mistakenly regarded Liao Zhi's mother as a dance teacher who needed prosthetics. Because Liao Zhi had a sunny smile on his face and talked with people around him generously and politely, it was impossible to connect with the inherent impression of the prosthetic user.
After Liao Zhi and his mother left the company, that night, Charles searched all the reports about Liao Zhi and read her articles on social media.
Later, Liao Zhi became the spokesperson for a product of the company, and Charles also became Liao Zhi's exclusive prosthetic engineer. One has personal experience and the other has professional capabilities. They hope that one day more amputees in China can live their own wonderful lives.
These two young people who had their own reflections on life gradually fell in love. The understanding of life also began to influence each other.
Liao Zhi was the first to like prosthetic limbs that were close to the real legs, but Charles was different: "Was it beautiful to wrap the prosthesis in flesh-colored packaging? That's not beauty, it's pretending to be healthy for others. Instead of pretending to be one The image with legs is not as good as you are."
Charles believes that serving amputees is different from other industries. It is more useful to stimulate the amputees' own potential and help them build a healthy philosophy of life than to do 10,000 things for him.
Liao Zhi was furious at first: "When did I pretend that I have legs? This is the basic aesthetic. What is so good about the iron pipe on the shoes? I want to match all kinds of clothes, just pack them. It’s so versatile, it looks good."
"When one day you can feel that the packaging is beautiful, maybe you will be happier than you are now. You will see the beauty you have never seen before." Charles insisted.
One day, Liao Zhi offered to remove the outer packaging of the prosthesis and wear a short skirt to go to the streets. They skinned the prosthesis in excitement and walked down the street together. At first, Liao Zhi still looked around a little bit. As he walked, Liao Zhi suddenly felt free.
"When I no longer live in the aesthetic standards and judgments of others, I become a complete self." Liao Zhi said. She no longer cared about any critical eyes.
On January 31, 2014, the two got married. After marriage, Liao Zhi chose to bid farewell to the stage temporarily and returned to his family. Later, they ushered in two little lives together.
They actively organized gatherings of amputees and heard one story after another: There was an amputee who was promoted all the way in the company. No colleague around him knew that he was an amputee. He was worried that he would be treated as a “disabled” for charity and Poor, but their own ability and value are not recognized as they deserve; there are children who are euphemistically persuaded by the school due to amputation, and encounter uneven services in the prosthetic industry...
Listening to the unique story behind each amputee, they slowly build up strength in their hearts.
Morning star, rising in the future
From Shanghai to Chongqing, from Chongqing to Beijing, on January 11 this year, the "Morning Star Home" founded by Liao Zhi and his wife was born in Beijing.
"Morningstar is a minority group with physical disabilities in our minds. We are convinced that the world will become more beautiful and complete because Morningstar can freely bloom its own light, not be despised, respected, and create value."
Liao Zhi believes that, in fact, the information of the entire physical rehabilitation industry is still relatively closed to the outside world. For example, many amputees in foreign countries will use silicone sleeves. Silicone sleeves can help the amputee's residual limb feel lighter and fit when touching the receiving cavity, more convenient to put on and take off, and more convenient to clean. In China, only a very small number of amputees know about silicone sleeves, and even fewer people use silicone sleeves.
"There is no need to deliberately show motivation and strength, and no need to sell miserable sensationalism. I think that people with disabilities are like everyone else. Everyone has their own advantages and their own limitations." Liao Zhi's voice is sweet and calm. There is a sense of detachment.
"But after all, the general environment is not friendly enough for people with disabilities. After all, there are many specific difficulties, and many people find it difficult to get out. They are restricted in movement and need to have their own social interaction." Liao Zhi thought of many ways to make them communicate happily, bowling Competitions, dances and other styles can communicate more three-dimensionally.
Her happiness and ideas have driven many people. The park where the studio is located has spontaneously changed some steps into slopes. Although it is a small slope, it makes Liao Zhi feel warm.
Currently, Liao Zhi and his wife are providing advanced prosthetic technology and services to those in need in Beijing. From time to time, she also dances in a rhythmic dance to release the melody in her heart.
"I don't want to be an internet celebrity." Liao Zhi smiled lightly, "We need to see another world and see our own infinite possibilities."
(The Propaganda Department of the Mianzhu Municipal Party Committee provided key assistance for the writing of this article)