The stories that provided the highlights of 2015

Luo Wangshu: Dark days and traditional dances

Best story: The family of Nie Shubin has been fighting for 20 years to clear his name and have his conviction overturned. Nie was executed in 1995 at age 20 after being convicted of murder, but another man confessed to the crime 10 years later. A case review, originally scheduled for December, has been postponed for three months.

Best interview: My interviews with Nie's mother and lawyer.

Most interesting person: Drolkar, the only inheritor of an ancient Tibetan dance called xuan. Although communication was limited by the language barrier, the 84-year-old's sincerity, sign language, facial expressions and gestures made her the most interesting person I met last year. When the grandmother danced in an attempt to explain xuan to me, she seemed transformed from an elderly, wrinkled lady into a beauty from mysterious, ancient Tibet.

Most memorable reporting experience: A trip to Ngari Prefecture, the Tibet autonomous region. We traveled on bumpy roads for up to 14 hours a day. Although I was carsick, the beauty of the natural scenery took my breath away. Among the people I met was a bald, unassuming, middle-aged man who I assumed to be a local farmer. However, I later discovered that he was the Party chief of the county. Other people I met there, such as a former slave and some monks, were also fascinating.