Yangjiang Disabled Persons Federation reports 3,858 visually impaired residents

Yangjiang Registered Vision-Impaired Population Reaches 3,858 as International Blind Persons Day Highlights Independent Livelihoods

Marking the 43rd International Blind Persons Day on October 15, the Yangjiang Disabled Persons Federation released registration figures showing 3,858 visually impaired individuals currently live within the city, according to a report by Yangjiang Daily.

Vocational Training and Local Massage Businesses Sustain Workers

At an orange-trimmed massage and tuina parlor along Juzi North Road in Jiangcheng District, 44-year-old shop owner Wei Lizhong oversees a team of four sightless employees. Originally from Rudong Town in Yangxi County, Wei lost his vision to illness around the age of seven. After attending primary school classes as a listening student, his education was cut short when middle schools barred audit students. He initially studied divination before switching to massage in 2007 through a Yangjiang Disabled Persons Federation training program, followed by advanced studies in Hunan and Henan provinces.

Wei opened his current massage shop in Yangjiang in 2018. He notes that the current economic climate for blind massage parlors remains challenging, occasionally requiring him to subsidize operations out of pocket. Despite the financial margins, the staff maintains steady routines. “Do not think about anything else, just live life wholeheartedly,” Wei says.

Among his staff is 33-year-old Li Xiangxiang, a native of Maoming who lost her sight to illness at age two and never attended school. Recalling her early years spent hiding in a bedroom to avoid visitors out of profound isolation and self-doubt, Li credits her relocation to Yangjiang in 2009 with changing her trajectory. Encouraged by family and guided by Wei, she endured grueling initial training that left her hands swollen before mastering the tactile pressure techniques required for professional massage. “The benefit of stepping out of the house is that it exposes you to people and events in society, at least allowing me to bid farewell to inferiority,” Li says.

Athletic Competition and AI Tools Expand Daily Horizons

Rong Jianwei, born in 2004 with congenital glaucoma, pursued a path spanning special education, provincial athletics, and digital content creation. After studying massage at a Guangzhou special vocational school, Rong joined the Guangdong Blind Judo Team in 2022. In May 2024, a training accident involving an eye rupture and subsequent illness forced his retirement from the provincial squad. Returning to massage work in Guangzhou, he continues competing independently, securing a silver medal in the men’s J1-81kg category and a bronze in the J1-81kg open absolute category at the 10th Provincial Games for Persons with Disabilities.

Outside of manual labor, Rong utilizes artificial intelligence tools such as Doubao and Yuanbao to assist with video editing on Douyin, relying on audio prompts to cut clips, alongside writing fiction about his peers. Similarly, 25-year-old 黄金巧, who lost her vision to optic neuropathy in 2022 and moved to Yangjiang to join Wei’s shop, manages everyday tasks using the “轻松无障碍” (Easy Accessibility) mobile application.

Persistent Infrastructure Obstacles Face Visually Impaired Commuters

While local residents and volunteers frequently offer assistance on streets and sidewalks, surveyed individuals report that urban infrastructure continues to present significant bottlenecks. Blind paths throughout Yangjiang frequently suffer from blockages caused by parked automobiles and temporary street stalls, while other tactile routes terminate abruptly at utility manhole covers or run directly into landscaped green belts. Without reliable, unobstructed pathways, sightless residents face persistent friction when attempting independent travel.