Jamyang Dorje lives in a world of silence.

When his welding torch is lit, the current hisses and the steel quivers in the heat. He hears none of it. But his hands can "hear": the faint vibration of the welding rod along a seam is the sound he knows.

In 2026, the second "Red Qamdo, Striving for Progress" grassroots competition held its county-level semifinal in the modern-skills category in Chagyab County, Qamdo City, Xizang. At the venue, Jamyang Dorje, 44, who is deaf and unable to speak, bent over the workbench. His protective mask was down, revealing only the tight line of his mouth. He ran the bead and closed the arc in one fluid motion. To onlookers, he looked no different from the other competitors.

When the results were announced, he had placed second at the county level.

He raised his head and gave a thumbs-up, again and again—a simple gesture that told everyone: even in a silent world, through daily persistence and practice, he had welded his own light of striving.

Born into a farming family in Kargang Village, Chagyab Countyof Xizang, Jamyang Dorje is now 44 and was born unable to speak. His family was poor, and his parents farmed for a living. As a boy, he was mature beyond his years, with his brothers and sisters, helped support the impoverished household. At 18, he began learning welding from his older brother Luoga. He kept at it for eight years.

Unable to communicate in words, he had to learn every step with his eyes. The first time he used a welding torch, he didn't know he needed a protective mask and just stared straight at the weld. The intense light burned his corneas, and tears streamed down uncontrollably. His brother came to pull him away. He shook his head, rested for a moment, and picked up the torch again.

Eight years later, his seams were straight and his welds points even. Even several veteran welders in the town nodded in approval when they saw his work.

After mastering the trade, Jamyang Dorje spent years taking welding jobs in nearby towns. He was quick to help neighbors repair farm tools and reinforce sheds, coming whenever asked and never quibbling over payment. Over the years, he built a stable life with his skill.

Winning second place in the county-level welding semifinal filled him with excitement and gratitude. After returning with the award, his skill gained wider recognition. The jobs he took on expanded from his own village to several surrounding towns, and his income opportunities continued to broaden. Once introverted and insecure, he became more confident, cheerful and enterprising, showing through hard work and transformation what striving means.

After the competition, Jamyang Dorje carefully placed the certificate of honor in a cabinet. He saidin sign language, "This certificate is not for showing off. It is to remind me that a place once gave me a stage, and that I must live up to that stage with my welding sparks."

At that moment, the light of the welding sparks spoke for him—loud and clear.

Reporter: Wan Hui, Wen Kai

Translator: Ni Weijing

First Review: Zhi Xinghua

Second Review: Drakpa Wangchen

Third Review: Hu Rongguo