A female vendor uses her mobile phone as she waits for customers. (Photo : Reuters)
A migrant penned "The Vendor's Diary" to share how family life is in Beijing. Growing up very poor in Daxuying, Fuyang, he now works as a vendor in Beijing, where he and his family migrated to 17 years ago.
Even though they are not rich by any standard, their happiness knew no bounds. Yao documents his simple family life in his diary daily, which was ultimately published as a book in 2014, entitled "The Vendory's Diary."
He now lives with his wife and three children in a shabby house, but is still nevertheless happy. In his diary, he detailed how hardworking of a ginger and garlic vendor he is. His stall is at Tiantao Food Market in western Beijing's Xicheng District.
He serves all his customers with care and patience. On hours where there are not that many customers, he would write down his day on his diary.
According to him, even though life is difficult for ordinary people like his family, all his children are growing up to be good and happy people. His children are said to be lovers of life, who could cherish life in the Chinese capital, despite not having it all. The children also study hard. Yao's youngest boy learns martial arts and competes domestically and internationally, garnering numerous awards.
"For me, Beijing represents a holy land. Our family is like a little blade of grass growing by the foot of the city's walls. We look weak, but, in fact, we are full of vigor," Yao Qizhong wrote.
"If half of the (world's) population becomes frustrated after experiencing failure just once, one-fourth (of the population) becomes frustrated after experiencing failure twice, 15 percent (of the population) becomes frustrated after experiencing failure three times, I will be one of the remaining people who will still be fighting to fulfill their goals," an excerpt from his diary reads.
Yao has been documenting his life starting 2009. In 2003, the diary was published into a book, where Yao acknowledged and thanked his family, dedicating the book to them.
When the book was presented on 2014's Spring Festival, the wife obviously became emotional with pride and joy.
"When my husband was writing his diary, I often asked him, 'Why do you keep doing this? What (is the diary) for? Why are you spending so much time recording all of the hardships we have been through?' I never expected he would eventually get his diary published," Li recalls.
For Yao himself, the diary being published marks an achievement that he could treat as a "miracle." He said moving to Beijing transformed his life and he could not be more thankful.
"For me, the book marks a 'miracle' that I made happen. Many migrants who leave their hometowns in search of a better life in Beijing tend to complain about the difficulties they encounter in this big city," he says. "But for me, a person who did not even finish primary school, Beijing has been a place to develop a good life for me and my family.
