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Zhu Xu'na holds a fan and performs on stage. [Photo/Tide News]

The 11th National Disabled People's Art Festival recently concluded in Wuhan, Hubei province, where Zhu Xu'na, a visually impaired performer from Haiyan county in Jiaxing, East China's Zhejiang province, won first prize in the opera category with her rendition of Xi Hu Chun Qiu (Spring and Autumn of West Lake).

On stage, Zhu held a fan decorated with lotus flowers, her graceful movements and emotional singing captivating the audience. Coordinated performers carrying lotus leaves and a symbolic boat created a vivid scene that blended seamlessly with her voice.

Zhu was born blind in 1984 due to congenital optic nerve atrophy. At age six, she gave her first stage performance with a Yueju Opera excerpt, earning second place in a local music contest. Growing up surrounded by Yueju Opera, she developed a deep love for the art.

Since 2000, Zhu has toured countries including Singapore and Malaysia with the Zhejiang Disabled People's Performing Art Troupe. She later studied vocal performance at Changchun University and has worked at the Haiyan Cultural Center since 2009, training and performing in opera.

Taking on Xi Hu Chun Qiu was a new challenge, as it required mastering the Hangzhou dialect and techniques distinct from Yueju Opera. She spent three months rehearsing intensively, often repeating lines dozens of times and practicing movements by touch.

Her dedication paid off with a national award. Zhu said she would continue pursuing opera and hopes to inspire others with disabilities to follow their dreams.