A rare glimpse into a corner of China society

[Baoxiaodao]

I know we investors are rather successful people in the society, but it does not mean we can ignore the other side of it. In the country where I was born, there was a enormous divide between the rich and poor. When we were talking about the macroeconomics, we should not forget those numbers and data represent real people in the world. By listening to the song, you can gain a rare glimpse in a society where huge changes have been happening.

 

This song was performed by two people who the media defined as "migrant workers". They migrated from the countryside to the city, doing work local people who has "HuKou" do not want to do. Their salary is minimal; job is risky, and when they stop working, they have no benefit, health insurance and pension. If you noticed, the reason that singer has perfect muscle is that he has to do very heavy labor work all year around. Even under those conditions, their salary are not guaranteed to be paid.

 

So when the lyrics say "If there is a day, I become old and nobody cares about me, please leave me in the old times;", it really means the worry that if those migrant workers can not work anymore, there will be no one to support them, to care about them when they get old. I think the singer says it all in the song.

 

I spent sometime translating the lyrics into English. Not perfect, but you can read it.

 

Song link: 

 

Lyrics:

 

In the Spring

 

Still remember the Spring many years ago,

when I still had the long hair.

No credit card, no girl friend and do not have home with 24 hour hot water.

But I was so happy, although I only have an old guitar.

On the street, under the bridge and in the field, singing the songs no one remembers.

If there is a day, I become old and nobody cares about me, please leave me in the old times;

If there is a day, I passed away and no one noticed, please bury me in the Spring(time).

 

Still remember those lonely springs, when I had no beard;

There was no Valentine's, no gifts, and I had not my little sweetheart;

But I do not think it is so bad, although I was only longing about love;

In the morning, the night and in the wind, singing the songs no one remembers;

If there is a day, I become old and nobody cares about me, please leave me in the old times;

If there is a day, I passed away and no one noticed, please bury me in the Spring, in the Spring.

 

Enjoy,

 

Fan

 

[twacowfca]

Thank you Fan for posting and for taking time to translate the touching lyrics.  May The Lord, the creator of the heavens and the earth, bless the People of China.

[20ppy]

thanks, real and pure! in the form before money descends.

[calonego]

Very touching... I've been through a pile of cities in China, their "haves" may not be as wealthy as American "haves", but the the life of a "not" in China would make the news if someone had a similar existence in America or Canada... The difference between a have and a have not over there is very shocking. You can measure health in decades of life expectancy and cleanliness in whether someone cleans themselves after an excrement (and if they do, by what method).

 

I've spent a lot of time in depressed parts of Canada and the US, there is very little similarity.

 

How did this get through?

They don't have YouTube... How do people comment on it if there is no YouTube in China?

 

The person that posted it is in HK...

[Baoxiaodao]

Very touching... I've been through a pile of cities in China, their "haves" may not be as wealthy as American "haves", but the the life of a "not" in China would make the news if someone had a similar existence in America or Canada... The difference between a have and a have not over there is very shocking. You can measure health in decades of life expectancy and cleanliness in whether someone cleans themselves after an excrement (and if they do, by what method).

 

I've spent a lot of time in depressed parts of Canada and the US, there is very little similarity.

 

How did this get through?

They don't have YouTube... How do people comment on it if there is no YouTube in China?

 

The person that posted it is in HK...

 

I am glad you liked it. This video was posted on other websites initially, and then Youtube. As long as the content is not against the government, those videos are free to be posted. We do have certain degree of freedom in the cyber space!

[calonego]

But you can't use YouTube.com in China (I think Facebook too).

At least I couldn't use youtube...

[Baoxiaodao]

But you can't use YouTube.com in China (I think Facebook too).

At least I couldn't use youtube...

 

We have Tudou and Youku, Chinese version of Youtube.

[elltel]

and one of them is listing soon, if I am not mistaken.

[Baoxiaodao]

If you want to see how good talents are screwed up by the Chinese elites, watch this same song, same singers on the biggest national stage, and compare it to the first link: