China shopkeeper, called 'street light auntie', hasn't switched off shop's lights in 13 years. Here's why

Trust in Sun Meihua runs so deep that some neighbours even leave their only house keys with her when they are away, confident that they are in safe hands.

In the old town of Changsha, located in central China’s Hunan province, a modest grocery shop has quietly transformed into a beacon of safety and compassion for the local community. For the past 13 years, 60-year-old Sun Meihua, the shop’s owner, kept its lights on every night—not for business, but to ensure that women walking home late at night felt safe.

Sun opened her shop in 2012. Within her first month of operation, a few young women mentioned to her that the glow from the light outside her shop made them feel more secure after finishing work late. That single piece of feedback changed everything. From that moment on, Sun resolved never to turn the light off at night again.

“I just never turned it off again after they told me that,” she said, as quoted by the South China Morning Post.

Locals soon began referring to her affectionately as the “street light auntie”, a nickname that now echoes through the neighbourhood with admiration.

But Sun’s nightly vigil extended well beyond the glow of the shop’s exterior light. She adjusted her shop’s closing time to 2am to accommodate those passing by late into the night. On occasion, she has even walked home with girls who expressed fear about making the journey alone.

Her concern for community welfare was not limited to women’s safety. In a thoughtful gesture for the elderly and children in the area, Sun brought her landline telephone from her home into the shop, allowing those without mobile phones to contact their families—free of charge.

The phone, she noted, often breaks due to frequent use. Still, she replaces it annually without hesitation. “The phone breaks easily, but I change it every year,” she told local reporters.

Sun and her husband have lived in the same neighbourhood for over two decades. During difficult times in the past, they received help from fellow residents. Sun now views her actions as a way of returning that kindness.

“We were once helped, so now we give back,” she said.

Trust in Sun runs so deep that some neighbours even leave their only house keys with her when they are away, confident that they are in safe hands.

Her quiet dedication has resonated across social media platforms in China, where many praised her as a shining example of everyday kindness. Her acts—though seemingly small—have left a lasting impact on the lives of those around her.

“She doesn’t just light up the street, she lights up our hearts,” one online commenter wrote.