We continue to our series called Colors of China. Today we focus on a window cleaner who has witness the expanding of urban growth in Beijing.
"There was nothing outside the Third Ring road when I first came to Beijing. Most of the houses were bungalows. I’m Zhang Shimin, from Guangyuan, Sichuan Province. I get up at 5:30 every morning, then catch the bus to working site before 7:30. I go to the top of the building, get changed, and set up and check the safety equipment. Then it’s time to start work. I work at most 200 days per year. Earning 400 yuan per day, no more than 80,000 yuan per year. Of course I was scared but the money was good. You only get about 200 yuan per day, working on a construction site. That’s a big difference! I need to support three people back home, as well as my life here. It’s too hard to earn money, so I don’t want to go back homeand waste my money on the trip. I have not been back to see my family for four years. Beijing has been through huge changes in the past 20 years. Now there are skyscrapers all over the Third & Fourth Ring Road in Beijing. This business is fine for fearless young people, but as you grow older you start to loose your nerve. I will keep doing this until I’m exhausted," Window cleaner Zhang Shimin said.
From top to bottom, Mr Zhang’s 20 years hard work is a trail that echoes Beijing’s urban growth. How has the city has transformed from your perspective?