A woman who dedicated her life to helping others passed away on the last day of 2021 at the age of 82.

Xie Qingjie was born in 1939 in Southwest China's Chongqing. When she read the diary of Lei Feng, a role model of selflessness, modesty and dedication, she was deeply moved. She decided to learn from him and help those in need.

She bought a set of tools to offer free haircuts, starting her life-long journey of doing good deeds.

In 1981, Xie and her husband moved to Cangzhou in North China's Hebei province. From then on, she cut hair for people in the city's welfare house for free. Every four weeks, she would bring fruit and snacks to the elders and children there and trim their hair. She also helped to wash clothes and clean up.

Over the next 30 years, she spent every Chinese New Year's Eve in the welfare house with the elders and children instead of her family, making dumplings and talking with them. As time went by, her nickname changed from Aunt Xie to Grandma Xie.

Xie's family wasn't affluent, but she would lend a hand when she knew someone was in difficulty.

In 1964, she donated two months' salary of 50 yuan ($7.8) and food coupons worth 25 kilograms to Xingtai when it was struck by an earthquake. This was her first donation, and she kept up the practice for more than 50 years.

As her salary rose, her donations increased too. In 2013, she was awarded the National Lei Feng title. She donated her entire 20,000 yuan prize when she heard the news of the Ya'an earthquake. In 2021, she fulfilled her wish of donating one million yuan as China celebrated the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China.

Xie retired from the Cangzhou power supply bureau in 1990, but she applied to be a volunteer at the Beihuanqiao neighborhood committee in Yunhe district. She visited every household in the neighborhood, took notes of their difficulties and kept them in mind. She helped more than 100 disabled and laid-off people get new jobs.

During her life, she received more than 200 awards, including Good Samaritan in Cangzhou and Good Samaritan in China.

Xie's spirit has inspired the residents of Cangzhou. The power supply bureau, universities, schools and transport company in the city set up volunteer teams. Through her actions, a culture of doing good deeds has swept the entire city.