奇速英语

爱不等，孝莫迟：背着妈妈游中国

These days, photos of a 31-year-old man carrying his mother on his back at Tiananmen Square became popular on social media, drawing praise from millions around the country. The man was Xiao Ma, and he has been carrying his mother for years and documenting their travels through short videos posted on Douyin.

Xiao Ma was just eight years old when his mother was involved in a terrible car accident that caused her to be unable to move. His mother was later diagnosed with cerebral atrophy (脑萎缩), as a result of the car accident.

Growing up, he worked in the fields picking cotton, was an apprentice in various fields and opened his own restaurant in Xinjiang. Most of the money he made went towards his mother’s recovery, and his hard work seemed to pay off, as his mother was slowly able to leave the bed to sit in a wheelchair and even take a few small steps. However, a few years ago, Xiao Ma got the terrible news that his mother’s cerebral atrophy was progressing. That’s when he decided to make the best of the time he had left with her.

Instead of focusing on his business, Xiao Ma decided to sell his house and his car so he could take his mother on trips around China. They have visited several places in Xinjiang, including Tianshan Mountain and Tianchi Lake, as well as Beijing’s Tiananmen Square and the Great Wall. The elderly woman can no longer speak, but she always smiles when they travel, which brings joy to her loving son, who recalls how sad she used to be when confined to her bed.

“Love doesn’t wait, filial piety (孝道) is never late, and action is the best answer,” Xiao Ma said. “My mother carried me when I was a child, and now I carry her.”