The young boy was shocked when he learned Zhang finished the knitting with only four fingers.

"Since then, he never ran away from home and went to school on time every day," she told China Daily. "Sometimes he studies until midnight, trying to make up for what he had missed."

"Her mother cried again because of her great happiness," she said. "I was also very happy I was useful to society and could help others."

From 2001, she began to keep a journal to record what she did to help others, and has written more than one million words in 34 diaries.

"I hoped to compile these educational experiences into a book that may provide some help for those parents who are anxious to educate their children," she said. "Some of my relatives and friends told me I will not be able to solve all their problems and asked me to stay at home because of my old age and my bad physical condition. But I want to do something to make my life more meaningful and improve society."