Lyu Yuxia, commonly referred to as Yimeng Erjie (Yimeng Sister) on the Internet, is a post-1970s fruit farmer in Mengyin, a county in east China's Shandong Province. Lyu spends most of her time farming and caring for her family. Yet, beneath her weather-beaten cheeks lies a soul deeply in love with poetry. Her poems, primarily about nature and her daily life, have become hugely popular; in fact, she now has more than four million followers on social media. Her followers hail Lyu as a "field poet."
Poetry Enriches Rural Life
Lyu's father is the reason she loves poetry. He was a rural teacher, and he often read poems to Lyu when she was a child. Even though she loved studying, Lyu had to leave school to work in a cotton mill, in Tanbu (a town in Mengyin County), to help support her family. But she never stopped studying on her own. Each payday, Lyu would visit the secondhand book stalls, where she bought magazines, including DUZHE and Youth Digest. While she was busy during the work day, Lyu always used her leisure time to read and write poems.
Around 2002, Lyu lost her job due to the adjustment of the cotton mill. Lyu returned to Shuimingya, her hometown and a village in Mengyin County. Even though her life was filled with farm work and trivial chores, she always managed to find time to read and write poems. Sometimes, when inspiration hit, she scribbled verses on the ground. Each day, at nightfall, Lyu would slow down and immerse herself in reading and writing. "Poetry has been my lifelong interest. Even if no one understands me, I will persevere in my passion for it," she says.
In March 2023, while helping her neighbor pick toona sinensis (Chinese mahogany) leaves on the hill behind Shuimingya, Lyu was astonished by the beautiful scenery. She wrote an original poem, recorded the poem on video, and then shared it online. To her surprise, the video became a hit, with millions of views, within a few days.
Lyu wrote more poems, and shared them online, over the next few days. As she stood in the fields, or under the trees in the orchard, she described the beauty of nature, the hard work of the farmers, and the villagers' hopes for a better life. She depicted snow as "sugar and salt sprinkled by the heavens," the arrival of spring as "a declaration of blooming flowers and green willows," and farmers as "the masters of the land" and "the partners of nature." With her simple, lyrical words, she made rural life vivid, and lively, in her verses.
During the evening of February 16, 2026, Lyu made her stunning debut — on the stage of the Spring Festival Gala, for the Year of the Horse, broadcast by China Central Television (CCTV). She recited a poem about rain. "This is the spring rain, isn't it? No, it's not just rain. It's the nourishment for the soil, and the sustenance of all living things," she recited, with a smile. Her performance was down to earth, and it left people feeling close to nature.
After her performance, netizens posted many comments online, generally proclaiming Lyu had showcased the vibrant spirit, and new outlook, of farmers in the new era. Many also noted Lyu's poems allowed them to discover the beauty of rural life, and to feel warmth in daily life.
Technology Drives Rural Revitalization
Making a video is not an easy task, especially for a new hand like Lyu. Yet, she has immersed herself in writing scripts and filming and editing videos. The process takes a lot of time, but she never complains about the workload. She often stays up late, as she repeatedly revises and refines her scripts. Lyu wants to create the best work possible, and to offer the most valuable content to those who focus on her posts.
After her first post went viral, Lyu embraced her new role as a livestreamer. Although initially hesitant, she ultimately accepted the role, driven by her deep-seated longing to give back to her hometown, which nurtured her. She wanted to contribute to her hometown's renowned peach industry, so she studied e-commerce techniques, and she drew inspiration from other livestreamers.
In the summer of 2024, her efforts resulted in nearly 20,000 orders for Mengyin peaches, which boosted sales for her family, and for her fellow villagers. During the "618" shopping festival in 2025, she helped sell nearly 15,000 boxes of Mengyin peaches. She has also assisted in selling other local agricultural products, including millet, chestnut and muskmelon.
Lyu says digital empowerment is paving a new path for agriculture. To keep pace, she plans to continue learning skills, promoting the integration of technology and agriculture, and injecting new vitality into rural revitalization.
"Life is a process of experience. If there is no challenge in life, then create it," Lyu says. She mastered the skill of driving, and she acquired an agricultural drone pilot's license. Currently, she is studying English. From obscurity to celebrity, Lyu's story has inspired countless people. She proves that if you chase your dreams, life can be poetic everywhere.
Photos from Interviewee
(Women of China English Monthly May 2026)
Editor: Wang Shasha
