Yuechi village in East China's Jiangxi province may not be a popular tourist destination, but in education circles, it is well-known as the "Village of Professors", being home to more than 300 prominent professors and scholars.

Xiong Huashun, 83, retired principal of the neighboring Gangshang Primary School, is the one who has brought the educational glory of Yuechi back into the limelight. Xiong's family has been residing in the village for over 400 years.

"I knew it wouldn't be easy rediscovering the educational roots of my family, all vestiges of which were burnt down during the 1940s. But my family has always put education first – and this is what has driven me to keep pressing forward," Xiong said.

The old man is the 17th generation of the local Xiong family, and his efforts to restore his family glory started in 2012, when he began searching every corner of the countryside for information regarding his family's past.