Students of the Mid-Cave Primary School, located in a povery-stricken village in southwest China's Guizhou province, play in the cave during break on November 14, 2007. [Photo: news.sohu.com]

A cave in a mountainous village in southwest China's Guizhou province is of special significance to local children, as it's the venue of their primary school.

The school, built back in 1984, is called the Mid-Cave Primary School, since it sits right in the middle one of the three caves in a big mountain of the area.

Everyday, eight diligent teachers at this unique yet environmentally-tough school teach their 186 students, who tramp over hill and dale to get their education. Some of the pupils spend even six hours each day traveling back and forth to their cave for knowledge.

The school is the only source of hope for children who live in the surrounding villages in the mountains of Shuitang Township, Ziyun county, an autonomous but poverty-stricken county inhabited by the Miao and Buyi ethnic groups.

However, the village folk still cannot help worrying how long the shabby school for their children will stay open although it has trudged all the way through its 23 years of hardship.