«Ten Years of Dumpling Donations: A Quest to Turn Dalian Mountain Children into Messengers of Love and Hope»

Chongqing, June 1 — Headline: A Decade of Dumpling Donations: A Commitment to Turn Dalian Mountain Children into «Messengers of Love and Hope»

Over 600 kilometers, a 9-hour drive, 500 Taiwanese pork dumplings were recently sent from Chongqing to an elementary school in Dalian Mountain, Sichuan.

These dumplings were provided free of charge by the owner of a Taiwanese restaurant and delivered to Lizhi Elementary School in Qianha Village, Liangshan, Sichuan Province (formerly Bo’ai Elementary School in Qianha Village). This tradition has remained unbroken for ten years.

«This is my promise to Dalian Mountain,» said the restaurant owner in a recent interview, skillfully wrapping dumplings and explaining that every piece the children taste is handmade by him. He never forgets them during the annual Dragon Boat Festival.

For long-distance transportation, he improved the preservation process by using vacuum sealing and low-temperature storage to ensure the taste and quality of the dumplings, which are classic Taiwanese pork dumplings. «Dumplings are not just food but also carriers of culture. I hope the children can feel the significance of traditional Chinese festivals,» he said.

The restaurant owner learned to cook at 17 and dedicated most of his life to the food industry. Fifteen years ago, he moved to Chongqing, and two years later, he opened «A Mou’s Shop» on Jiuxing Street, operating until the next morning. With a bowl of Taiwanese broth and a warm smile, he won the hearts of many customers.

While working, he learned about Lizhi Elementary School through employees on Jiuxing Street, leading to his connection with the children of Dalian Mountain.

Lizhi Elementary School is located on Dalian Mountain, with seven classrooms, currently 210 students—all from the Yi ethnic group—and 16 teachers.

He recalls his first visit to the school in 2017 when he left Chongqing at 6 a.m. with a car full of charity supplies. After entering Dalian Mountain, the journey took another 150 kilometers, totaling 14 hours due to roadblocks caused by sheep and landslides, making the trip arduous.

«When we arrived at the school entrance, the children were already dressed in ethnic costumes, waiting for us. Seeing their smiling faces at that moment made all the difficulties and fatigue of the journey disappear,» he remembers.

«Before, the children didn’t have a deep understanding of the Dragon Boat Festival. Now they know how to wrap simple dumplings and recognize the taste differences between Taiwanese and Sichuan-Chongqing dumplings,» says the principal of Lizhi Elementary School.

He has kept many thank-you videos from students on his phone. In the videos, students write in large letters, ‘Uncle Mou, we love you,’ and express gratitude for the dumplings he sends to their desks.

This charitable activity, now in its 10th year, is considered by him as «just a small act.» He hopes that when the children from Dalian Mountain grow up, they too can become «messengers of love and hope.» (End)