Photo by Uni You
Note from Kuang:
There are several barbers near Ditan Park, with their booths ready early even on a weekend morning. Most of their clients are old people living nearby. Among them is this silver-haired man, whom I bought a haircut from for seven kuai.
地坛公园东门附近，有几个替人理发的小摊，很早便等在那里，过来光顾的大多是住在附近的老人。其中一位灰白头发的老人，理一次发只收费7块，多了不要。
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My name is Li Jianglun. My birthplace is in Shandong. We escaped from the famine in Shandong back then to Beijing when I was only four. I spent my whole life in Beijing after that and never went back. I’m now 78 years old.
Shandong saw a severe famine back then. We were desperate for food. We had no choice but to escape to other places. Members in the family escaped to different places. My maternal relatives fled to Dalian, while my paternal relatives fled to Dongbei.
There was no telecommunication back then, so we never heard from each other after we left. I have no idea where they live exactly, only know it’s some places in Dalian and Dongbei. How is their life going? I’ve wondered sometimes but there’s nowhere to get an answer.
After we left, the village government took over our house. We put a lock on the gate, and the government thought that meant we were never coming back, so they assigned the house to a veteran. We don’t own any land either because of the commune system. And all of our relatives went somewhere else. So there’s basically nothing for us back “home.” We never went back to Shandong afterwards.
People always get nostalgic and picture life decades ago with idealistic beauty. Sure life was much simpler back then, but it was such a hard time. We barely had time to take a breath. We worked all day long with an empty stomach. It was the same for almost everyone, no matter whether you were a peasant or working class in the city. Our minds were hungering for food, no mood for entertainment. A day with steamed corn buns and some pickles would be heaven for us.
When we were forced to escape for a better living, the majority chose Dongbei, because of the black soil there. As long as you can get your limbs moving, you can lead a starvation-free life. My mom had six younger brothers,most of them bound for Dongbei never to turn back.
Over a year after we escaped to Beijing, my mother passed away. People could die so easily so young back then. I wasn’t even six years old, so my father sent me to be raised by a couple living near Yuanmingyuan (the old Summer Palace). Back then the Yuanmingyuan area didn’t count as a part of Beijing city. It was only a village. I stayed with my adoptive parents for over a decade until I’d grown up enough to find a living for myself. I went to the city area and joined my older brother there. My adoptive parents passed away not long after I left.
Back then, my brother was my only remaining family member. We had no one to count on but each other. That of course hugely strengthened the bond between us. People nowadays rarely share such a bond anymore. Everyone is busy dealing with their own issues.
My wife has been gone for four years. I’m living on my own, with some goldfish, if you call them company. I live in a hutong near the Lama Temple. Been living there for over 50 years. I don’t see much change in that area. But the former Xuanwu district has been totally swept from the city, the Haidian district too. It only exists as the same name, but with a brand-new look.
I have two sons, both living in Beijing. They visit me sometimes, not that often. Sons are just naturally less emotionally sensitive than daughters.
My brother was gone years ago. He lived a long life though. He was over 80 years old when he passed away. So the only family I have now are my two sons, my sister-in-law and also two nephews. I barely get to see them though. As I said, everyone is so busy dealing with their own issues.
How did I start as a hairdresser? I apprenticed for three years after I was 13. I was assigned to a company as a hairdresser after my apprenticeship. The job lasted forever until I retired. I retired in 1992.
After that, I started a private salon at home, which lasted for a decade, and then I travelled around selling groceries. That lasted for several years before I started setting up a stall to give haircuts.
I’ve parked my stall near here for over a year. I used to do it somewhere else, but sometimes the city management officials shooed us away. But here is allowed. I’m providing a service to people. It shouldn’t be banned really.
I prefer living on my own to not feel like I’m being a burden to my sons. I’ve kept a Golden Retriever as company. He lived for 17 years. I took him in as a family member, which made his death so painful for me to accept. I decided not to keep dogs any more after losing him. I don’t want another heartbreak.
Now my companionship is fish and birds. I take a daily walk with the birds.
I only open business in the morning. In the afternoon, I stroll around or chat with neighbors. I take life leisurely.
Am I satisfied with my life? What’s there to be dissatisfied about? I live well with retirement pensions. I don’t need to worry about medical fees when I’m sick. It’s an all right life indeed.
I’m only one drop in the sea of people here. I don’t like talking about politics because that’s not something we have control of. It’s dangerous just to chat with politicians. But I like to keep an eye on foreign politics. That new American president, what’s his name again? He’s doing a terrible job as a president.
Edited by David Huntington
我名叫李江轮，今年78了。老家山东的，4、5岁那年就随家里逃荒，逃到了北京。算是北京人吧。
那会没有吃的，我们四处逃荒，亲戚都分开逃往不同的地方，我的大舅他们往大连，大爷他们往东北。那会不像现在，通讯这么好，各自逃荒之后就彻底断了联系，只知道在东北和大连，具体的位置不知道，过得怎么样，也不知道。
逃荒之后，那会村里的生产大队就把家里的房子收了。我们把房子锁上了，他们便以为我们不会回去了。把房子收了，后来给了一个复原军人住。地嘛也没什么地，亲戚也是逃荒的逃荒。所以老家什么都没有了，我们之后一次都没有回去过。
你们觉得那时候人们的生活挺有意思，有什么意思呢，就是傻干活，那时候人们就是傻干活，不管是工人呐还是农民呐，没空想什么玩乐，就想着填饱肚子。能吃上个窝窝头就着咸菜，不饿着，就很好很满足了。
那会逃荒，往东北逃的多，为什么呢，东北黑土地，多产，只要你勤快，饿不死。我们一大家7口人，往东北去的多。我妈是老大，下面有6个弟弟。
我妈走得早，逃荒到北京一年多之后她就走了。我那会儿还小，跟着养父养母。养父母家住在圆明园那边。那会圆明园还是村子，不算是北京城。我跟了养父母十几年，后来就来了北京城里，跟着我哥哥一起过。我养父母也走得早，我去城里没多久，他们就不在了。
我现在一个人住，我老伴走了4年了。我住雍和宫对面的胡同里，住了五十多年呐。要说多大的变化，我觉得没有，这一片相对还是没什么变化。玄武区海淀区，八大学院那些地方，变化大。我有俩儿子，也都在北京工作。偶尔来看看我，来得也少。儿子还是不如姑娘贴心。
我哥也不在了，走了好些年了。他算是活得挺高龄的，走的时候八十多了。所以我在北京，亲人就我俩儿子，还有我嫂子，也有侄儿，来往少。
怎么开始干理发这行的呢？我13岁开始当学徒学理发，学徒满三年之后，也就是56年，那会我16岁，就分配 了工作，就是干理发。这一干就是干了几十年，一直到92年退休。
退休之后在家里干发廊，开了10年。后来四处摆地摊，各地跑，杂七杂八的什么都卖。再后来，就是现在了，就推着个小车出摊理发，一直在这个公园，现在一年多了。干这个城管不管，反正是没找过我麻烦，这是为人民服务嘛。不过有些 公园是不让摆的。
我一个人住，不愿意跟着儿子，一个人落个清净。我之前养了一条狗，是条金毛。养了17年半，死了。伤心啊，养了十几年，跟家里一口人是差不多的。后来再也不养狗了，怕伤心。
我们就兄弟俩，那会互相依靠，感情自然不错。但是现在到了侄辈，就差很多了。现在的人，感情相比老一辈，淡薄很多。大家都有各自的事情要忙，能一年来走一次亲戚就不错了。
现在我养鱼，养鸟，没事出去溜溜鸟。
我出摊只出上午半天。下午就不干活了，跟街坊邻居唠唠嗑啦，自己出去走走，溜达溜达，日子挺清闲的。
对现在的生活满不满意？还有啥不满意的呀？有吃有喝，我每个月有4千多的退休金，生病了有医疗保险 ，这样也就算不错了。
我不喜欢谈政治，老百姓啊他就是老百姓。政治我们是没法参与的，跟政治家打交道很危险。不过我还挺喜欢看看关于外国政治的新闻，挺有意思。美国那个新总统，没什么大手段，没事就搞经济制裁那一套，他搞政治不行。
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Kuang is the founder of Beijing Lights. She would love to hear your thoughts about the column and is open to new collaborations. She can be reached at kuang@spittooncollective.com.