Photo by 程岩峰
Note from Kuang:
我在杨梅竹斜街闲逛的时候看到这家古玩店，店没有招牌，狭长昏暗的屋子里堆满了陶瓷古玩，还有一沓沓的旧书画。店主说话云南乡音很重，时不时蹦出一些文绉绉的词。店里收藏的每样东西，每张字画，只要你愿意花时间听，背后都有一个趣闻。
Luo owns a nameless antique shop tucked in Yangmeizhu Xiejie. This narrow and dimly lit shop is piled with an unbelievable collection of vintage things, and for each of them, Luo is ready with a lively story.
Luo Yuanling, 40s, from Yunnan
My mom gave me this name. It means “all good wishes come true.”
I’ve been a fan of antiques and vintage since six and became even more obsessed as time went by. As a teenager I apprenticed to an old local antique peddler. He taught me how to recognize antiques with real value, how to hunt for them, and where they might be buried.
I didn’t care the least bit about school, all my mind was on antiques. I would hide in a cave for half a day doing nothing but looking at an antique object. I was so bad at school that I didn’t get to continue after junior high, but started visiting here and there to collect antiques.
I’ve been to so many nowhere places for harvesting antiques—deep into the mountains and forests, to isolated temples and abbeys.
Often, all sorts of thoughts would come to me during those trips. Whenever I had thoughts, I made them into poems. I used to have pen and paper with me to write on. But I lost most of them. Now I just write poems and keep them recorded in my cell phone. I never try to write in rhymes. I think the rules just stop me from freely expressing my inner voice.
I’m a thinker. I always think about life. But I wasn’t born smart, so it usually takes me several hours to think something over, sometimes even days. Other people would rush to find a shelter when it rains, but I pretty much always do the opposite—standing in the rain to think. I would keep standing in the rain like a wooden stick until I think I’ve got the answer. Sometimes I don’t get the answer until my damp clothes are dry again.
I like getting wet in the rain. I think rain can clean people’s souls. There was that time in the mountains I spent a whole day in the rain watching how spiders maintain their webs.
Another time, I walked across a mountain on my way hunting for antiques, and there was this beautiful waterfall. I was suddenly struck by a wave of strong feelings. But I couldn’t put into words what exactly the feelings were. So I stopped and sat by the waterfall to think. I drank water from the falls when I was thirsty, caught fish when I was hungry, until several days later when I thought I’d gotten the answer.
All of my knowledge, I don’t get it from any teachers. Mountains, rivers, flowers, and trees, they are my teachers. They are what always make me think and give me enlightenment. When I see a majestic mountain, I get the idea that we should be as strong and persevering as mountains; when I see rivers and seas, I get the idea that we should be encompassing just like the ocean.
My shop has been here for over a decade. People who come in are from various walks of life, some are collectors, antique dealers, and archaeologists. The Palace Museum even bought two antiques from me for an exhibition.
Was there any client who left a deep impression? There was! I remember this guy, he was shabbily dressed and had an awful grimace, but I was very impressed by his rich knowledge about history. I therefore deeply believe that we should never judge a book from its cover. Sometimes behind an ugly face there’s a great soul.
I used to hold on to my stuff, I liked it all too much so I didn’t want to sell it. But after my dad passed away a few years ago, I awoke to the realization I can’t just live in my own fantasy, because life isn’t just about myself. I put my whole collection up for sale afterwards, in the hope to make enough money, get married, and take good care of my mom and my siblings.
I want to go back to my hometown once I find someone to marry, and start a small farm there. I want a wife. I don’t care if she’s good-looking or not; I don’t care if she doesn’t own a penny. All I want is to find someone that is caring and mannered. If she could have a skill of some kind, that’d be even better. That’s not too much to ask, right?
Edited by David Huntington
罗愿灵，40出头，云南人
我的名字是我妈取的，意思就是希望我的愿望都成真。
我六七岁开始就喜欢古玩，七八岁就很痴迷了，十几岁拜师，拜了一个村里的老师傅，教我怎么辨别东西好坏，怎样能淘到东西，哪里的地底下可能有宝物。
我经常爬到山洞，躲在里面一躲就是大半天，研究这些东西。我一点上学的心思都没有，成绩年年全校倒数第一，初中毕业之后就没读书了，开始东跑西跑各处收东西。
为了收东西，我哪里都跑过，深山老林，古寺道观。我在路途中，经常会有感悟，有感悟的时候我就写诗。十几年前没有手机，就随手把诗写在纸上，到现在都丢了找不到了。后来有了手机，有感悟就随时记下来，到现在存了几十首了。我写诗不追求什么韵律，那些规则都是捆绑心灵的翅膀的。
我这个人挺痴傻的，爱想问题，喜欢感悟人生。我脑袋不灵光，一个问题得琢磨几个小时，甚至得想好几天。有时候下雨了，别人都会想着赶紧找个地方躲雨，我呢，我不，我就站在原地，淋雨等到雨停，站在雨里思考问题，直到想明白了才走，不然就一直痴痴傻傻地站着，有时候站到身上淋湿的衣服都干了。
我很喜欢淋雨，我觉得雨能洗干净人的灵魂。我有一次坐在山里，看蜘蛛怎样在下雨的时候忙来忙去保护自己织的网，痴痴看了一整天。
还有一次也是去外面收东西，路过一个山里的瀑布，看到这个瀑布时我突然觉得有所感悟，是什么感悟我说不上来，不感悟出来又放不下。我就坐在瀑布边，坐在那里想，想了好几天。渴了就喝瀑布的水，饿了就从水里抓鱼吃，直到想明白才走。
我的知识和学问都是感悟出来的，不是学校的老师教我的。崇山峻岭，高山流水，花草树木才是我的老师，都让我对人生有感悟。我看到千年不变的高山，感悟出来人要像高山一样坚韧，看到黄河大海，感悟出来人要像大海一样博爱。
我开这个店开了十几年了，店里来的客户，有些是搞收藏的，有些做生意的，还有些是学考古的。故宫博物院有一次展的两件展品还是从我这买的呢。
要说有对什么客户印象特别深，还真有，我记得有一个客人穿得破破烂烂，长得也眼歪手斜的，可是跟他聊天发现他历史知识非常丰富，让我知道人不可貌相，有些丑陋的外表下是伟大的心灵。
我以前很多东西舍不得拿来卖，收的都是自己喜欢的东西，卖了心疼。前几年我老爸去世，我才醒悟过来，人不能只沉浸在自己的世界里，也要为别人而活。他去世之后开始把我收藏的东西都拿来卖，想着能赚钱娶老婆，照顾我妈，帮助兄弟姐妹，给他们带来幸福快乐。
如果找到老婆我就回云南老家，我们弄一个自己的庄园，一起种菜种点果树。我不在乎她长得好不好看，有没有钱，我希望她真诚，稳重，有一技之长更好，这要求不算高吧？
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.