From unsung heroes to stars ... to IPR violators

With a black cap fitted snugly on his head, Wang Xu closed his eyes, clinched his fists and turned his head toward the sky to belt out the words to the song In the Spring. His partner Liu Gang strummed the guitar and joined in with his own powerful voice.

Their brief stage time at this year's Spring Festival Gala was easily the most inspired act of the night, but it paled in comparison to the viral Internet video that first gave them fame.

When I watched the video of the drunk and half-naked migrant worker duo performing in their cramped and messy apartment, it touched me so deeply it brought tears to my eyes.