Among a short video series of Nana’s Country Life, one episode which shows how to cook handmade maltose went viral on social media. Therein Nana and her Down syndrome daughter Yuanyuan demonstrated the process of making maltose in a rural house: planting wheat, fermenting glutinous rice with malt, and finally boiling down the maltose. Many funny life details were added in the video, reminding the audiences of their childhood.
So far, Nana's Country Life series has released a total of 28 videos, most of which are about preparing local delicacies.
到目前为止,“娜娜的乡村生活”系列共发布了28条不同内容的视频,题材多为本地乡村的美食制作。
“My niece brought up the idea of making videos. We just meant to share the wonderful country life in Ningbo with audiences.” Nana told Ningbo Evening News, “Yuanyuan was diagnosed with Down syndrome shortly after birth. I was really upset at first. But since she has come to us, we hope she could lead a happy life. Her grandmother and I taught her to take care of herself and sent her to special school for skill learning. She makes constant progress there. She is excellent in my eyes.” Nana further mentioned that everyone in her family treats Yuanyuan as a normal individual and takes her everywhere they go. By doing so, Yuanyuan is always confident and will never shy away when facing strangers. “The more support we provide, the more confident she will become.”
Nana’s Country Life has attracted over 300,000 fans on various social media platforms within three months since the release of its first video on April 23. The biggest share of the credit should, however, go to Ying Shanrong, Nana’s niece.
“Scenes and stories of short films are based mainly on the experiences of aunt Nana and Yuanyuan except for few details designed to enhance the storytelling. They present their real daily life. Other persons showing up in videos are also our family members or friends.” Shanrong said. For her, every video she shoots is an intimate gathering of family members and friends.
“Yuanyuan is an optimistic and lovely girl. In her eyes, the world is always warm and kind.” Shanrong recalled that aunt Nana and Yuanyuan once went out and received unfriendly stares, which provoked Nana’s anger. Yuanyuan smiled instead and consoled Nana, “Mom, they keep on looking at me because my new dress is beautiful, right?”
This anecdote was later integrated into the short film, ending up with Nana’s reflection: “I once thought that it may take a lifetime to cure my daughter. To my amazement, it is every smile of hers that heals me at the end.”
“Thanks to the circulation of our videos, we received blessings and support from netizens. Yuanyuan was described as an angel and a ray of sunshine; some netizens were reminded of their family members, while others were encouraged.” Nana shared with us a touching direct message received from social media:
Aunt, so envious about how Yuanyuan relies on you. I’m disabled, too. But my mom died in an accident and she used to love me as much as you did with Yuanyuan. You are as strong and kind as my mom. … No matter what occurs, don’t forget to smile. Nothing can stop us from becoming our own angels. …
Nana will continue to shoot videos about their country life and share the happiness and optimism of Yuanyuan, transferring her warmth and energy through the screen. “In recent days, we received numerous messages from families with Down syndrome children, asking for support or parenting experience. We have therefore established an online group for Down children and their families in the hope of providing a communication platform for mutual help.” Nana introduced.