Humans of China: "I’ve Smoked All My life. It Was One of the Only Pleasures We Had"

This article comes from Humans of China (WeChat ID: humans-of-china), which aims to document and tell the stories of the many varied people of this vast country, one individual at a time.

Life was extremely tough before. Farming was hard work and when the crop was ready it became even harder.

I made baskets from bamboo and they’d be filled with rice which I’d carry on my back and shoulders up the mountains. The two baskets balanced on each end of a bamboo pole could weigh up to 150kg altogether. They’d rub on my neck and shoulders. They’d rub and they would eventually make me bleed. It was painful but I didn’t have much choice.

Since the region opened up to tourists, life has become better but it’s still not great. The local government can make a lot of money from ticket sales but the local people still have to work hard performing for tourists and farming.

I’m 75 this year and I do enjoy chatting with people who visit us. They often travel a long way to learn about our culture and traditions. It has also given me a chance to do some things I enjoy like playing music and making things from what I find in the forests around us.

Like most men here I’ve smoked all my life. As well as drinking homemade rice wine it used to be one of the only pleasures we had.

This pipe I smoke with I made it myself. It’s pretty long and it took me quite a while to make it. I had to carve out the inside very slowly and very carefully without breaking it. Patience was needed and the patience paid off.

READ: "You Could Call Me An Antique"

Photo courtesy of Cameron Hack