Saving lives from Xiangjiang waters

Changsha native Zhou Haiming has rescued locals from the river for years, but his efforts went largely unnoticed

Years ago, the dog days of summer in southern China meant spending a lot of time in the river. For many children growing up by the Xiangjiang River, the largest in Hunan province, it was more like a water park. However, those cool waters could be dangerous if they were not careful.

One summer day in 1975, Zhou Haiming went to the river in Changsha, capital city of Hunan, to meet his friends. Every week, the boys would swim in the wide and sluggish river. As a son of a local fisherman, Zhou was trained to be a swimmer, and his skills were put to the test that day.