Lady Luck: Yang Cai, Kindergarten Teacher

Renpin (人品) used to just mean “moral quality.” In recent years, though, gamers began using it to mean the kind of luck that resembles good karma: Do nice things and the universe will reward you with nice things. Yang Cai, a kindergarten teacher who enters Weibo contests on a daily basis, thinks her renpin is just normal. The rest of us might disagree, considering the number of tickets Yang has won to attend plays, movies and concerts for free. Let’s hear some tips from this lucky lady.

What tickets have you won in the last month?
I watched MI-4 several times, as well as Love in the Buff, which I watched three times. Other movies: Late Autumn and Eat Drink Man Woman II: Joyful Reunion. Then there was the Korean comedy play, the German DJ Paul Kalkbrenner at Tango and a xiangsheng show.

So you only enter contests for live music, theatre and films?
Because I really like movies, plays and xiangsheng, well, I did win a stuffed animal once. But people around me are winning phones, ovens and trips.

What was the last show or movie you paid to see?
I’ve never paid for any show. I only go if I’ve won tickets (or get them from a friend who’s won them).

Are there any downsides to your hobby?
Lucky draws are just another form of advertising. If you treat it like something more, then it’s not good for you.

Do you buy lottery tickets?
Never. I don’t think I have lottery winning luck.

Do you think it’s bad luck to talk about your good luck?
I do, but sometimes speaking about your honest feelings helps you to win stuff as well. If you forward a message on Weibo [to earn a chance to win] and speak from your heart, when people see it, they are likely to be touched or at least can feel your sincerity.

Do you usually win good seats?
They’re usually in the middle of the theaters. Not the worst seats in the house, but they don’t normally give away great seats.

What do you dream of winning?
Haha. An iPhone would be the best. Any model.

What’s the worst prize you’ve won?
A wig coupon. I was not interested in paying money to get a wig.

Click here to see the May issue of the Beijinger in full.