The Face Of China

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Fare Game: A Taxi Driver Speaks

中文

Zhang Jie Yu 张建宇 is a 43 year old taxi driver from Beijing who has worked as a driver his whole adult life, having been interested in cars since he was a child. Here is his life on the road:

What is your solution to heavy traffic in Beijing?

All drivers need to calm down, stay in their traffic lanes, and obey traffic rules. If all drivers followed the rules, the traffic wouldn’t be so bad.

Who owns the taxi that you drive?

It belongs to a taxi company that I lease the car from. Every month, I must pay the company 6,500 RMB ($1,060). I also have to pay for fuel and maintenance, so the total cost is about 12,000 RMB ($1,960) per month.

Do you mind if I ask how much you earn each month?

My net income is between 3,000 and 5,000 RMB ($490-$815) per month.

Do you receive tips?

Sometimes, foreign passengers will tip me 5 RMB for good service and because I know a little English. The biggest tip I have received is 10 RMB ($1.60).

What happens to phones that are left in your taxi?

One night eight years ago, four phones from four different passengers were left in my taxi in one night. I called each passenger back and returned their phones. Some of them paid the cab fare for me to return their phone, while some did not. Nobody has left their phone in my taxi since.

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Down and Out in Beijing: The Story of a Migrant Beggar


Old Zhao in front of Propaganda nightclub in Wudaokou, Beijing

中文

“Old Zhao” is an elderly bearded beggar who spends his evenings working the streets of Wudaokou (五道口), in Beijing’s university district. After several years of plying his trade, Old Zhao, with the clinking of coins in his porcelain begging bowl, has become one of the most recognizable figures in the neighborhood. His story is a familiar one for tens of millions of working class Chinese people, even if his current choice of work is not.

For someone who has endured a lifetime of hardship and limited opportunities, he appears remarkably content with his current existence. We spoke with Old Zhao recently and found out what draws him to the indigent lifestyle.

How old are you? Where did you grow up?

I’m seventy years old. I was born in the village of Minquan, in Henan province.

Could you tell us about your early life?

I was a single child and grew up on a farm in Minquan. My mother was a cook and I learned how to cook from an early age. I picked crops on my family’s farm and also served as the village cook for the Production Team (Production Team was the basic accounting and farm production unit in the People’s Commune system that lasted from 1958 to 1984).

I got married at age twenty-four and had a son a couple years later. Now I have two grandchildren. We all lived and worked on the family farm, until three years ago, when I left. The farm has wheat, corn, and other crops. We have a self-constructed three-room house. We also have a backyard, with chickens, dogs, and pigs.

What do you think of Mao Zedong (Chairman Mao)?

He was the leader of the Revolution and the current leader of China is following in his example. I have nothing else to say.

Was life on your farm and in your community affected by the Cultural Revolution?

Not at all.

Did you attend school?

I attended one year of elementary school, but then dropped out to work on the farm. I can’t read and write. The only Chinese characters I understand are those for my name.

When did you first come to Beijing? Why did you decide to become a beggar?

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