This paper presents the teaching and learning experiences of a Chinese literacy teacher in narrative form. The participant's story is presented in his own voice, as constructed from interview transcripts. Challenges and struggles faced by the participant include limited professional autonomy in a hierarchal school system, awareness of conflict between educational theory and classroom practices, and lack of social and institutional support for teachers' professional development initiatives. This narrative is situated in China, but the challenges faced by the participant (Hao-Ying) are similar to my own experiences (as a teacher in Pakistan and Canada) and may strike a chord with other literacy teachers. (Contains 1 figure and 2 endnotes.)