Emperor Cuckoo: Human interest in China

The deceased completely merge into nature
逝者完全融入自然  Shìzhě wánquán róngrù zìrán

Yesterday afternoon, at the Yong'an public cemetery (Tianjin), a number of people were gathered, and with soothing music in the background, one hundred deceased were buried, completely free of charge, in an environmentally-sound burial ceremony.  According to reports, since March 2010, when the free burial area opened, about 1100 deceased have been buried.  "This kind of burial protects the environment and conserves land, but also is a challenge to people's traditional concepts."  Zhang Xin, deputy director of China's Funeral and Burial Association, said that people need to accept and participate in "green burials," so the Association has to show its benefits, and that it is a better choice.
     A "green" casket will completely decompose in three months.
昨天上午，永安公墓内人头攒动，舒缓的音乐中，百名逝者落葬全免费环保墓区仪式正式举行。据了解，2010年3月开辟全免费墓区以来，截至目前，有1100位逝者落葬。“这种殡葬方式既环保又节省土地，但也较大地挑战了人们的传统观念。”中国殡葬协会公墓工作委员会副主任张昕表示，绿色殡葬需要市民的认可和参与，更需要殡葬从业人员提供有益的、更多方式的选择。
　　 环保骨灰盒仨月就降解。
Zuótiān shàngwǔ, Yǒng'ān Gōngmù nèiren tóu zǎn dòng, shūhuǎn de yīnyuè zhōng, bǎi míng shìzhě luò zàng quán miǎnfèi huán-bǎo mù qū yíshì zhèngshì jǔxíng. Jù liǎojiě, 2010 nián 3 yuè kāipì quán miǎnfèi mù qū yǐlái, jiézhì mùqián, yǒu 1100 wèi shìzhě luò zàng. “Zhèi zhǒng bìnzàng fāngshì jì huán-bǎo yòu jiéshěng tǔdì, dàn yě jiào dàdì tiǎozhànle rénmen de chuántǒng guānniàn.” Zhōngguó Bìnzàng Xiéhuì Gōngmù Gōngzuò Wěiyuánhuì fùzhǔrèn Zhāng Xīn biǎoshì, lǜsè bìnzàng xūyào shìmín de rènkě hé cānyù, gèng xūyào bìnzàng cóngyè rényuán tígōng yǒuyì de, gèngduō fāngshì de xuǎnzé.
　　Huán-bǎo gǔhuīhé sā yuè jiù jiàngjiě.

Source: 《城市快报》2012-04-05 第 05 版“两年1100人全免费绿色安葬” online

After parents divorced, child comes to Tianjin with her mother 
Wants to return to Shenyang to find father
13-year-old girl runs away from home

父母离异之后 孩子跟着母亲来津 想回沈阳找爹 13岁女孩离家出走
Fùmǔ líyì zhīhòu háizi gēnzhe mǔqin lái jīn 
Xiǎng huí Shěnyáng zhǎo diē 
13 suì nǚhái líjiāchūzǒu

Father won't take her, mother won't send her, what can the child do?
爸爸不接妈妈不送 孩子咋办?
Bàba bù jiē māma bù sòng háizi zhābàn?

A 13-year-old girl who ran away from home said she's from the northeast and came to Tianjin for fun without telling anyone, but now has no money to return home.  As the police verified her story, they discovered the girl was telling lies -- her mother lives in Tianjin, and all the girl wants to do is to go to Shenyang to find her father.
一个离家出走的13岁女孩自称来自东北，偷偷来津游玩，现在无钱回家。民警经过核实，却发现女孩在撒谎，她的母亲就在天津生活，她只是因为想去沈阳找父亲。
Yī gè líjiāchūzǒu de 13 suì nǚhái zìchēng láizì dōngběi, tōutōu lái jīn yóuwán, xiànzài wú qián huíjiā. Mínjǐng jīngguò héshí, què fāxiàn nǚhái zài sāhuǎng, tā de mǔqin jiù zài Tiānjīn shēnghuó, tā zhǐshì yīnwèi xiǎng qù Shěnyáng zhǎo fùqin.

Police: Picked up the girl roaming the streets
警方：街上“捡”到流浪女孩 
Jǐngfāng: jiēshang “jiǎn” dào liúlàng nǚhái 

Yesterday afternoon, at a Hexi branch police station, a short young girl in the company of two female police officers happily was playing around with the office equipment. Catching sight of strangers, the girl became guarded, and when asked, recited her story from memory, saying she had come by train to Tianjin from Shenyang without telling anyone.  She came to Tianjin to find a friend, but her friend had already gone to Shenyang, she also wants to go there, but hasn't any money, so all she can do is roam the streets.  In order to make her story believable, she said she'd spent all the money she had, passed the days in the Tianjin Book Building, and at night found a place to sleep wherever she could.
昨天上午，公安河西分局大营门派出所的办公室内，一名身材不高的女孩在两名女警的陪同下，高兴地摆弄着室内的办公用品。见到了陌生人的女孩很警惕，有人询问，她立即背书似的说是偷偷从沈阳坐火车来天津的。来天津只为了见一个好朋友，现在朋友已经去沈阳了，她也想回去，可身上没有钱了，只能在外面流浪。为了让人相信，女孩还说，带在身上的钱都花光了，白天到图书大厦滞留，晚上则随便找个地方睡觉。
Zuótiān shàngwǔ, gōng'ān Héxī fēnjú dà yíng mén pàichūsuǒ de bàngōngshì nèi, yī̠ míng shēncái bù gāo de nǚhái zài liǎng míng nǚjǐng de péitóng xià, gāoxìng de bǎinongzhe shìnèi de bàngōng yòngpǐn. Jiàndàole mòshēngrén de nǚhái hěn jǐngtì, yǒurén xúnwèn, tā lìjí bèishū shìde shuōshì tōutōu cóng Shěnyáng zuò huǒchē lái Tiānjīn de. Lái Tiānjīn zhǐwèile jiàn yī gè hǎo péngyou, xiànzài péngyou yǐjing qù Shěnyáng le, tā yě xiǎng huíqu, kě shēnshang méiyǒu qián le, zhǐnéng zài wàimian liúlàng. Wèile ràngrén xiāngxìn, nǚhái hái shuō, dài zàishēn shàng de qián dōu huāguāng le, báitiān dào Túshū Dàshà zhìliú, wǎnshang zé suíbiàn zhǎo ge dìfang shuìjiào

But her clothing is neat and clean, her complexion is rosy, and she wasn't carrying any of things that street people usually do.  When anyone challenged her story, she said she had come to Tianjin because her schoolmate was sick and had gone to Tianjin for treatment, so she came to Tianjin to visit her, and now hasn't any money to return to Shenyang.  Police officers say they got a report about her on the afternoon of the 14th.  In order to help the girl quickly find her family, the police had no choice but to bring her to the police station.   Two female officers were assigned to look after her, and she got to know them a little, and finally the girl told them the name of her school and her full name. The officers quickly got in touch with the school in Panshi city (Jilin) and spoke to the school and her teacher, and the teacher said that this girl first arrived at fourth grade, attended for one semester only, and didn't return; she's heard that the parents had divorced and the girl had gone away with her mother to another city to attend school.
可她衣服整洁，脸色红润，身边也没有流浪儿童常有的必需物品等。面对众人的质疑，女孩又说是一个同学生病来津治疗，她来天津看望，现在没钱回沈阳了。大营门派出所民警表示，他们是14日下午接到的居民报警。为了尽快让女孩找到家人，民警也只好暂时将女孩带回派出所。派出所专门安排了两名女警照顾女孩，和女警熟悉点了，女孩这才说出自己的学校和父亲的姓名。民警赶忙和当地派出所以及女孩所说的磐石市的一所学校取得联系，并找到了女孩所在班级的老师，老师告诉民警，这个孩子在四年级时只上了一个学期就不来了，听说是孩子的父母离婚，孩子随母亲到外地上学了。
Kě tā yīfu zhěngjié, liǎnsè hóngrùn, shēnbiān yě méiyǒu liúlàng értóng chángyǒu de bìxū wùpǐn děng. Miànduì zhòngrén de zhìyí, nǚhái yòu shuōshì yī gè tóngxué shēngbìng lái jīn zhìliáo, tā lái Tiānjīn kànwàng, xiànzài méiqián huí Shěnyáng le. Dà yíng mén pàichūsuǒ mínjǐng biǎoshì, tāmen shì 14 rì xiàwǔ jiēdào de jūmín bàojǐng. Wèile jǐnkuài ràng nǚhái zhǎodào jiārén, mínjǐng yě zhị̌hǎo zànshí jiāng nǚhái dàihuí pàichūsuǒ. Pàichūsuǒ zhuānmén ānpáile liǎng míng nǚjǐng zhàogu nǚhái, hé nǚjǐng shúxī diǎn le, nǚhái zhè cái shuōchū zìjǐ de xuéxiào hé fùqin de xìngmíng. Mínjǐng gǎnmáng hé dāngdì pàichūsuǒ yǐjí nǚhái suǒ shuō de Pánshí shì de yī suǒ xuéxiào qǔdé liánxì, bìng zhǎodàole nǚhái suǒzài bānjí de lǎoshī, lǎoshī gàosu mínjǐng, zhège háizi zài sì-niánjí shí zhǐ shàngle yī gè xuéqī jiù bù lái le, tīngshuō shì háizi de fùmǔ líhūn, háizi suí mǔqin dào wàidì shàngxué le.

Father:  Very busy at work, don't have time to take her in.
父亲：工作太忙没时间去接 
Fùqin: gōngzuò tài máng méi shíjiān qù jiē 

Mother: Daughter has run away from home many times 
母亲：孩子曾多次离家出走 
Mǔqin: háizi céng duōcì líjiāchūzǒu 

Source: 《每日新报》2012-03-16 第B9版 "爸爸不接妈妈不送 孩子咋办?"  online

I won't increase the burden on society
不给社会增加负担  Bù gěi shèhuì zēngjiā fùdān

February 14, Fu Wanxiang at the stand where he sells baked pears and baked sweet potatoes; at his side, his son lends a hand.
2月14日，伏万祥在摊位上销售烤梨、烤红薯，他的儿子在一旁帮忙。
2 yuè 14 rì, Fú Wànxiáng zài tānwèi shàng xiāoshòu kǎo lí, kǎo hóngshǔ, tā de érzi zài yī̠páng bāngmáng

Recently in Nanjing, the story of the nearly ninety-year-old "Baked pears Grandpa," Fu Wanxiang, who insists on "earning his own living," has found an enthusiastic following on the web, and has given rise to a passionate ripple effect, with several thousand online users discussing it, encouraging everyone to patronize the old man's business, and expressing how moved they are and how much they admire him.
近日，南京年近九旬“烤梨爷爷”伏万祥坚持自食其力的故事被热心网友发到网上，引起热烈反响，数千网友积极评论，呼吁大家照顾老人的生意并抒发自己的感动和敬佩。
Jìnrì, Nánjīng nián jìn jiǔ xún “kǎo lí yéye” Fú Wànxiáng jiānchí zìshíqílì de gùshi bèi rèxīn wǎngyǒu fā dào wǎng shàng, yị̌nqǐ rèliè fạ̌nxiǎng, shù qiān wǎngyǒu jījí pínglùn, hūyù dàjiā zhàogu lǎorén de shēngyi bìng shūfā zìjǐ de gǎndòng hé jìngpèi.

Fu Wanxiang is 89 years, after he retired he began selling baked pears and baked sweet potatoes in his neighborhood, and he did that for about 30 years; he says: "As long as I can move, I will persist in relying on myself, I won't increase the burden on society."
伏万祥老人今年89岁了，自退休后就在家门口卖烤梨和烤红薯，一干就是近30年，他说：“只要还干得动，我就坚持靠自己，不给社会增加负担。”
Fú Wànxiáng lǎorén jīnnián 89 suì le, zì tuìxiū hòu jiù zàijiā ménkǒu mài kǎo lí hé kǎo hóngshǔ, yī̠ gān jiùshì jìn 30 nián, tā shuō: “Zhǐyào hái gān de dòng, wǒ jiù jiānchí kào zìjǐ, bù gěi shèhuì zēngjiā fùdān.”

Fu Wanxiang's household is poor, his wife is paralyzed and bedridden, his son is mentally disabled, and the family is squeezed into a small, dilapidated shack.  The old man runs his stand mainly to earn extra money for family expenses; he says, "I can still move about, manage the books, give small change, my mind is clear -- so I should go out and earn a living."
伏万祥家境贫寒，老伴瘫痪在床，儿子的头脑有残疾（智障），一家人挤在狭小破旧的小屋里。老人摆摊挣钱主要是为了贴补家用，他说：“我现在还能活动、算账、找零钱，脑子也不糊涂，既然这样就要出来做活。”
Fú Wànxiáng jiājìng pínhán, lǎobàn tānhuàn zài chuáng, érzi de tóunǎo yǒu cánjí (zhì zhàng), yī̠jiārén jǐzài xiáxiǎo pòjiù de xiǎowū lǐ. Lǎorén bǎi tān zhèngqián zhǔyào shì wéile tiēbǔ jiāyòng, tā shuō: “Wǒ xiànzài hái néng huódòng, suàn zhàng, zhǎo língqián, nǎozi yě bù hútu, jìrán zhèyàng jiù yào chūlai zuòhuó.”

Source: 《城市快报》2012-02-15 第1版 :"年近九旬自食其力烤梨爷爷感动网友(图)"  online

Married 69 years, they celebrate Valentine's Day for the first time 
结婚69年老夫妻头回过情人节  Jiéhūn 69 nián, lǎo fūqī tóuhuí guo Qíngrén Jié

To love is to show love 
示爱就是爱 Shì'ài jiùshì ài 


Source: 《每日新报》2012-02-14 第04版："结婚69年老夫妻首过情人节" online

She has no illnesses and can easily get around 
Her six children all are in their eighties 
身体没病腿脚灵活 六名子女全过八十
Shēntǐ méi bìng tuị̌jiǎo línghuó   Liù míng zị̌nǚ quán guò bāshí

Liu Guozhen, who lives in a small town near the reservoir in Jixian county, is more than 100 years old, and for many years her longevity and good health have been admired by the local people.
家住蓟县于桥水库边的村民刘国珍老人已年过百岁。老人长寿，身体倍儿棒，早已成为村里的佳话。
Jiā zhù Jìxiàn yú Qiáo Shuǐkù biān de cūnmín Liú Guózhēn lǎorén yǐ niánguo bǎisuì. Lǎorén chángshòu, shēntǐ bèir bàng, zạ̌oyǐ chéngwéi cūnli de jiāhuà.

In Jixian's Longhuyu town, Yange village, Liu Guozhen is a household name as a famous elderly person.  The reporter visited Liu Guozhen at her second son's home -- her head still is full of black hair.  Liu Guozhen enthusiastically spoke with the reporter, and often smiled.  As she spoke, her responses were quick and agile, her eyes and ears are very good, and she had no trouble having a conversation with the reporter.  When Liu Guozhen was 101 years old, she unfortunately fell down and broke her pelvis, but now her health has been completely restored, and she can use her arms and legs.  Liu Guozhen's daughter-in-law Wang Suzhen took out the family's residence card, and it clearly showed Liu Guozhen's birthdate to be March 1905, so this year Liu Guozhen is 107 years old!
在蓟县西龙虎峪镇燕各庄村，刘国珍老人早已成为家喻户晓的长寿明星。记者在老人二儿子的家中见到了刘国珍老人，她头上还有不少黑发。刘国珍非常热情地和记者聊天，不时露出笑脸。谈话间，老人反应灵敏，耳聪目明，和记者交流起来没有任何障碍。刘国珍101岁时出门溜达，不小心摔了一跤，导致盆骨骨裂，但老人现在已经完全康复，四肢灵活。刘国珍的二儿媳王素珍拿出家中的户口本和身份证，上面都显示刘国珍出生于1905年3月，即刘国珍老人今年已经107岁了！
Zài Jìxiàn Xīlónghǔyù zhèn Yàngè zhuāng cūn, Liú Guózhēn lǎorén zạ̌oyǐ chéngwéi jiāyùhùxiǎo de chángshòu míngxīng. Jìzhě zài lǎorén èr érzi de jiāzhōng jiàndàole Liú Guózhēn lǎorén, tā tóushàng hái yǒu bùshǎo hēifà. Liú Guózhēn fēicháng rèqíng de hé jìzhě liáotiān, bùshí lùchū xiàoliǎn. Tánhuà jiān, lǎorén fǎnyìng língmǐn, ěrcōngmùmíng, hé jìzhě jiāoliú qǐlai méiyǒu rènhé zhàng'ài. Liú Guózhēn 101 suìshí chūmén liūda, bù xiǎoxīn shuāile yī jiāo, dǎozhì pén gǔ gǔ liè, dàn lǎorén xiànzài yǐjing wánquán kāngfù, sìzhī línghuó. Liú Guózhēn de èr érxí Wáng Sùzhēn ná chūjiā zhòngdì hùkọ̌uběn hé shēnfènzhèng, shàngmian dōu xiǎnshì Liú Guózhēn chūshēng yú 1905 nián 3 yuè, jí Liú Guózhēn lǎorén jīnnián yǐjing 107 suì le!

During the Spring Festival, the housekeeper who looks after her returned home to celebrate the new year, and Wang Suzhen, who this year is 79 years old, was busy paying special attention to the old lady.  Wang Suzhen said the old lady's health always is good, the family sends for the doctor every year to examine her, and so far she hasn't had any illness and her health is vigorous.  Before Liu Guozhen turned 100, she could still feed the chickens, weed the garden, do light farmwork and keep up with paper-cutting as a hobby, and in her free time she would wander over to visit her children and grandchildren at their homes.
正值春节，一直照顾老人的保姆回家过年了，今年79岁的王素珍在家里忙前忙后，专门照顾老人。王素珍说，老人身体一直很好，家人每年都请医生到家里为老人体检， 到目前为止没有任何疾病，身体也很灵活。据介绍，刘国珍在100岁以前，还能自己喂鸡、拔草，做一些简单的农活，剪纸也是老人的爱好，闲暇时就溜达到同村的子孙家串门。
Zhèngzhí Chūnjié, yī̠zhí zhàogu lǎorén de bạ̌omǔ huíjiā guònián le, jīnnián 79 suì de Wáng Sùzhēn zài jiālǐ máng qián máng hòu, zhuānmén zhàogu lǎorén. Wáng Sùzhēn shuō, lǎorén shēntǐ yī̠zhí hěn hǎo, jiārén měi nián dōu qǐng yīshēng dàojiā lǐ wèi lǎorén tị̌jiǎn, dào mùqián wéizhǐ méiyǒu rènhé jíbìng, shēntǐ yě hěn línghuó. Jù jièshào, Liú Guózhēn zài 100 suì yǐqián, hái néng zìjǐ wèi jī, bácǎo, zuò yī̠xiē jiǎndān de nónghuó, jiạ̌nzhǐ yěshì lǎorén de àihào, xiánxiá shí jiù liū dádào tóng cūn de zǐsūn jiā chuànmén.

Liu Guozhen, who was born at the end of the Qing dynasty, had a hard life, her feet were bound, she suffered from starvation, the Japanese destroyed her village, yet she has a bright and cheerful personality, doesn't like to dwell on trivial things, and doesn't often get angry with her family.   These days, the old lady watches television and listens to Beijing opera at home, and the younger members of the family often come by to chat with her. 
刘国珍出生在晚晴时期，一生吃过不少苦，裹过小脚，挨过饿，日本鬼子还扫荡过村里，但刘国珍性格开朗，不爱计较，很少跟家人发火。如今，老人每天在家看电视听戏，小辈也常常到家里陪老人聊天。
Liú Guózhēn chūshēng zài wǎn Qíng shíqī, yī̠shēng chīguo bùshǎo kǔ, guǒguo xiạ̌ojiǎo, áiguò è, Rìběn guǐzi hái sǎodàngguo cūnli, dàn Liú Guózhēn xìnggé kāilǎng, bù ài jìjiào, hěn shǎo gēn jiārén fāhuǒ. Rújīn, lǎorén měitiān zàijiā kàn diànshì tīng xì, xiǎobèi yě chángcháng dàojiā lǐ péi lǎorén liáotiān.

Liu Guozhen's granddaughter explained that the old lady and the family keep the same schedule of work and rest, she has a balanced diet, and likes to eat vegetables.  She has a bowl of porridge three times a day, and sometimes has meatballs in soup, or eggs, and she loves to eat fruit, which she has every day, she chews the pulp and drinks the juice.  As she was talking, she took a tangerine, peeled it herself and ate it.  Wang Suzhen said that before she turned 100, Liu Guozhen liked to smoke a pipe and drink a little rice wine, but after 100 years old, the family was worred this would affect her health, so they helped her give up smoking and drinking.
刘国珍的孙女介绍说，老人和家人保持一样的生活作息，每天饮食均衡，肉类、水果、蔬菜都爱吃。刘国珍一日三餐喝碗小米粥，有时吃点汆丸子、柴鸡蛋，老人还很爱吃水果，每天都吃，把水果嚼烂后喝些汁。正说着，刘国珍拿了一个橘子，自己剥了吃。王素珍说，刘国珍100岁前喜欢抽烟袋、喝点高粱酒，满100岁后，家里人担心影响老人身体健康，这才帮老人戒了烟酒。
Liú Guózhēn de sūnnǚ jièshào shuō, lǎorén hé jiārén bǎochí yị̄yàng de shēnghuó zuòxī, měitiān yǐnshí jūnhéng, ròulèi, shuị̌guǒ, shūcài dōu ài chī. Liú Guózhēn yị̄rìsāncān hē wǎn xiǎomǐzhōu, yǒushí chī diǎn cuānwánzi, chái jīdàn, lǎorén hái hěn ài chī shuị̌guǒ, měitiān dōu chī, bǎ shuị̌guǒ jiáolàn hòu hē xiē zhī. Zhèng shuōzháo, Liú Guózhēn ná le yī gè júzi, zìjǐ bāole chī. Wáng Sùzhēn shuō, Liú Guózhēn 100 suì qián xǐhuan chōuyān dài, hē diǎn gāoliangjiǔ, mǎn 100 suì hòu, jiālǐ rén dānxīn yị̌ngxiǎng lǎorén shēntǐ jiànkāng, zhè cái bāng lǎorén jièle yān-jiǔ.

On Liu Guozhen's wall at home she has hung pictures from her birthdays over the years, including one of her and her husband when both were 80 years old, and her vitality can be seen.  Every year in March, she and her descendants have a "longevity" dinner, and family from Sichuan, Tangshan and Tianjin come and celebrate it with her.  Five generations of family members sit together happily. 
刘国珍家的墙上，挂满了老人各年寿宴时的照片，其中有一张刘国珍和老伴的合影，两位老人当时80多岁了，但精神看上去很好。每一年的3月，刘国珍的儿孙们都要为她举行隆重的寿宴，甚至她在四川、唐山、天津市区的子孙们都回来参加。一家人五世同堂，围坐在刘国珍身边其乐融融。
Liú Guózhēn jiā de qiáng shàng, guàmǎnle lǎorén gè niánshòu yàn shí de zhàopiàn, qízhōng yǒu yī zhāng Liú Guózhēn hé lǎobàn de héyǐng, liǎng wèi lǎorén dāngshí 80 duō suì le, dàn jīngshén kàn shàngqu hěn hǎo. Měi yī nián de 3 yuè, Liú Guózhēn de érsūnmen dōu yào wèi tā jǔxíng lóngzhòng de shòu yàn, shènzhì tā zài Sìchuān, Tángshān, Tiānjīn shìqū de zǐsūnmen dōu huílai cānjiā. Yī̠jiārén wǔshìtóngtáng, wéizuò zài Liú Guózhēn shēnbiān qílèróngróng.

Liu Guozhen's family all are healthy; her husband died at eighty.  Now her six children are in their eighties, all are in good health and look like they are in their sixties; not only do they take care of themselves, they often go and help look after Liu Guozhen.
刘国珍一家人的身体都很好，她的老伴在80多岁时去世。如今，老人的六名子女都80多岁了，不仅全部健在，身体还十分硬朗，步入耄耋之年的儿女们看上去只有六十多岁的模样，不但能照顾好自己，还常常过来帮忙照顾刘国珍。Liú Guózhēn yī̠jiārén de shēntǐ dōu hěn hǎo, tā de lǎobàn zài 80 duō suì shí qùshì. Rújīn, lǎorén de liù míng zị̌nǚ dōu 80 duō suì le, bùjǐn quánbù jiànzài, shēntǐ hái shífēn yìnglang, bùrù màodiézhīnián de ér-nǚmen kàn shàngqu zhị̌yǒu liùshí duō suì de múyàng, bụ̀dàn néng zhàogu hǎo zìjǐ, hái chángcháng guòlai bāngmáng zhàogu Liú Guózhēn.
Source: 《每日新报》2012-01-27   "蓟县老太107岁 健康长寿成佳话" online

This year will be the happiest
今年最高兴 Jīnnián zuì gāoxìng

Photo:  Su Jinna and her two daughters, Ke'ai and Kexin [names changed] having fun together 
苏金娜与女儿可爱、可心（化名）一起玩耍。Sū Jīnna yǔ nǚ'ér Kě'ài, Kěxīn (huàmíng) yī̠qǐ wánshuǎ.

At the end of 2007, when her twin daughters were born with cerebral palsy, Su Jinna's ordinary and peaceful life was shattered.  She accepted reality, made the decision to sell her marital home, and did everything in her power to take care of the children.  Over the years, Su Jinna has never given up taking care of the children.  Today, the kids have just passed their fourth birthday and have reached the standards for healthy children, and can be said to be a miracle of medical science.  With the 2012 Spring Festival close at hand, this will be their happiest and most relaxed new year in the past five years.   

2007年年底，两个双胞胎脑瘫女儿的出生打破了苏金娜平凡而宁静的生活。她接受了现实，决定卖掉婚房，尽一切努力给孩子最好的治疗。几年来，苏金娜始终没有放弃对孩子的治疗。现在，两个孩子刚过完4岁生日，并且都已经基本达到健康孩子的水准，可以说创造了医学上的奇迹。2012年春节马上就要到了，这是他们一家5年来最轻松、最高兴的一个新年。
2007 nián niándǐ, liǎng gè shuāngbāotāi nǎo tān nǚ'ér de chūshēng dǎpòle Sū Jīnna píngfán ér níngjìng de shēnghuó. Tā jiēshòule xiànshí, juédìng màidiào hūn fáng, jìn yị̄qiè nǔlì gěi háizi zuìhǎo de zhìliáo. Jǐ nián lái, Sū Jīnna shǐzhōng méiyǒu fàngqì duì háizi de zhìliáo. Xiànzài, liǎng gè háizi gāng guo wán 4 suì shēngri, bìngqiě dōu yǐjing jīběn dádào jiànkāng háizi de shuị̌zhǔn, kẹ̌yǐ shuō chuàngzàole yīxué shàng de qíjì. 2012 nián Chūnjié mǎshàng jiùyào dàoliǎo, zhè shì tāmen yījiā 5 niánlái zuì qīngsōng, zuì gāoxìng de yī gè xīnnián.

Source: 《渤海早报》 2012-01-19 第17版: "一家过新年 今年最高兴" online

In a sea of people  
在人海中 Zài rénhǎi zhōng

On January 8, in the waiting room at the Beijing train station, a mother peels a tangerine for her child.  On that day, China's Spring Festival travel season began, and during this period many children set out on a journey, and in a boundless sea of people experience their own Spring Festival travel season.
1月8日，在北京站的候车室里，母亲正在给孩子剥橘子。当日，中国的交通运输开始进入春运时段，很多孩子也在这一时间里踏上旅途，在茫茫人海中经历自己的春运生活。 
1 yuè 8 rì, zài Běijīng zhàn de hòuchēshì lǐ, mǔqin zhèngzài gěi háizi bāo júzi. Dāngrì, Zhōngguó de jiāotōng yùnshū kāishǐ jìnrù chūnyùn shíduàn, hěn duō háizi yě zài zhè yī shíjiān lǐ tà shàng lǚtú, zài mángmáng rénhǎi zhōng jīnglì zìjǐ de chūnyùn shēnghuó. 

Source:  www.workercn.cn 2012-01-09

Mama, when will we get home?  
妈妈，我们什么时候能回家啊?  Māma, wǒmen shénme shíhou néng huíjiā a?

According to reports, starting from today and for the next 40 days, the Chinese will log some 3.158 billion trips, making this the first time in recent years that the number will exceed 3 billion, and again breaking a record. Because this year's Spring Festival falls a little early, the number of people getting on and off trains at the Tianjin railroad station will be about 4.5 million.  Every year, the "Spring Festival travel season" brings all sorts of stories.  In 2012, a system for buying train tickets was put into effect, and one could go online or call to order tickets,  but does the new system make the return trip home easier?  
据了解，从这一天开始的40天里，中国将累计有31.58亿人次出行，历年春运中出行人数首次突破30亿人次，再次刷新纪录。由于今年春节较早，学生流、务工返乡客流及探亲流叠加，春运期间天津站总上下车人数将达450万人。每年“春运”期间，总会发生各种各样的故事。2012年，购买火车票实行实名制，可通过网络和电话订票，这些新变化能否让回家路更顺畅些?
Jù liǎojiě, cóng zhè yī tiān kāishǐ de 40 tiān lǐ, Zhōngguó jiāng lěijì yǒu 31.58 yì réncì chūxíng, lìnián chūnyùn zhōng chūxíng rénshù shǒucì tūpò 30 yì réncì, zàicì shuāxīn jìlù. Yóuyú jīnnián Chūnjié jiào zǎo, xuésheng liú, wùgōng fǎnxiāng kèliú jí tànqīn liú dié jiā, chūnyùn qījiān Tiānjīn zhàn zǒng shàng-xià chē rénshù jiāng dá 450 wàn rén. Měi nián “chūnyùn” qījiān, zǒnghuì fāshēng gèzhǒnggèyàng de gùshi. 2012 nián, gòumǎi huǒchēpiào shíxíng shí míng zhì, kě tōngguò wǎngluò hé diànhuà dìng piào, zhèxiē xīn biànhuà néngfǒu ràng huíjiā lù gèng shùnchàng xiē?

[Photo:  A Spring Festival travel season story: "A little migratory bird's first time returning home in a sleeper-car"  2012春运故事：“小候鸟”第一次坐卧铺回家  2012 Chūnyùn gùshi: “Xiǎo hòuniǎo” dì-yī cì zuò wòpù huíjiā]

Every year on the Spring Festival roads home, there are those tagging along with their temporary-worker parents who are returning to their native towns to visit family.  Always in train station waiting rooms, or else amusing themselves on the swaying train cars, these to-and-from home towns and distant places "little migratory birds," when compared with the grown-ups, stand out as relatively calm, because they don't yet understand the meaning of this wandering life of hardships.
一年一度的春运路上，有这样一些人，他们随打工的父母来到异乡，年底再回家探望亲人。尽管也许要在候车室等待，也许要在晃来晃去的火车上玩耍，不过与焦急的大人们相比，往返于故乡和他乡的“小候鸟”们显出几分“淡定”，因为他们还没懂得漂泊的含义与生活的艰辛。
Yī̠nián-yị̄dù de chūnyùn lùshang, yǒu zhèyàng yī̠xiē rén, tāmen suí dǎgōng de fùmǔ láidào yìxiāng, niándǐ zài huíjiā tànwàng qīnrén. Jị̌nguǎn yẹ̌xǔ yàozài hòuchēshì děngdài, yẹ̌xǔ yàozài huàngláihuàngqù de huǒchē shàng wánshuǎ, buguò yǔ jiāojí de dà rénmen xiāngbǐ, wạ̌ng-fǎn yú gùxiāng hé tāxiāng de “xiǎo hòuniǎo” men xiǎnchū jǐfēn “dàn dìng”, yīnwèi tāmen hái méi dǒngde piāobó de hányì yǔ shēnghuó de jiānxīn.

"Mama, when will we get home?"  On January 10, at 9:00, on a chair in Main Hall #2 of the Tianjin train station, five-year-old "little Shuai," clutching a "milk tea" that she normally wouldn't get to drink, had very little appetite and could barely keep her eyes open -- this was her third day at the train station.  "Tomorrow afternoon we'll get on the train, and the day after that you'll be able to see Daddy."  Leaning over, Zhang Shuqun, the mother, comforted little Shuai by wiping the tears from the corners of her eyes. 
“妈妈，我们什么时候能回家啊？”1月10日9点，天津站二楼候车大厅一张椅子上，5岁的小帅抓着平时难得喝到的奶茶没有一点食欲，眼睛困得睁不开，这已是她在候车室度过的第三天了。“明天下午我们就上车了，后天就能见着爸爸了。”侧了侧身子，妈妈张术群抹去眼角的泪，安慰着小帅。
“Māma, wǒmen shénme shíhou néng huíjiā a?” 1 yuè 10 rì 9 diǎn, Tiānjīn zhàn èrlóu hòuchē dàtīng yī zhāng yǐzi shàng, 5 suì de xiǎo Shuài zhuāzhe píngshí nándé hē dào de nǎichá méiyǒu yī̠diǎn shíyù, yǎnjing kùn de zhēngbukāi, zhè yǐ shì tā zài hòuchēshì dùguò de dì-sān tiān le. “Míngtiān xiàwǔ wǒmen jiù shàngchē le, hòutiān jiù néng jiànzhe bàba le.” Cèle cè shēnzi, māma Zhāng Shùqún mǒqù yạ̌njiǎo de lèi, ānwèizhe xiǎo Shuài.

Little Shuai's home town is Zhumadian City in Henan province, her mother came to Tianjin three years ago as a temporary worker, bringing her daughter little Shuai with her.  On January 8 in the afternoon, little Shuai arrived with her mother at the Tianjin train station, on the afternoon of the 9th, her mother bought tickets to Zhengzhou (capital of Henan), on January 11 in the afternoon, they will get on the train, and twelve hours later, little Shuai and her mother will reach Zhengzhou.  Fortunately, either by riding the train for another two hours, or going by car for three hours, little Shuai will be able to return home to see her father, whom she has been missing very much. 
小帅的老家在河南省驻马店市，妈妈来津打工3年了，把女儿小帅带在身边。1月8日下午，小帅跟着妈妈来到天津站，9日下午，妈妈买到前往郑州的火车票，11日下午开车，近12个小时后，小帅和妈妈将抵达郑州。运气好的话，转乘两个多小时火车或3个小时左右的汽车，小帅就能回到家里见到朝思暮想的爸爸。
Xiǎo shuài de lǎojiā zài Hénán shěng zhù mǎdiàn shì, māma lái jīn dǎgōng 3 nián le, bǎ nǚ'ér xiǎo shuài dài zài shēnbiān. 1 yuè 8 rì xiàwǔ, xiǎo Shuài gēnzhe māma láidào Tiānjīn zhàn, 9 rì xiàwǔ, māma mǎidào qiánwǎng Zhèngzhōu de huǒchēpiào, 11 rì xiàwǔ kāichē, jìn 12 ge xiǎoshí hòu, xiǎo Shuài hé māma jiāng dǐdá Zhèngzhōu. Yùnqi hǎo dehuà, zhuǎnchéng liǎng gè duō xiǎoshí huǒchē huò 3 ge xiǎoshí zuǒyòu de qìchē, xiǎo Shuài jiù néng huídào jiālǐ jiàndào zhāosīmùxiǎng de bàba.

Although she is only a "little migratory bird," little Shuai seems to understand everything, she is very well-behaved with her mother, she doesn't cry or make trouble.  "In the past, when there were too many people or when the crowds were pressing in, she would cry, but now she's used to it," said Zhang Shuqun.
虽然是只“小候鸟”，不过小帅显得很懂事，规规矩矩地靠着妈妈，不哭也不闹。“以前人多或者太挤时她会哭，现在习惯了。”张术群说。
Suīrán shì zhǐ “xiǎo hòuniǎo”, buguò xiǎo Shuài xiǎn dehěn dǒngshì, guīguijūjū de kàozhe māma, bù kū yě bù nào. “Yǐqián rén duō huòzhě tài jǐ shí tā huì kū, xiànzài xíguàn le,”  Zhāng Shùqún shuō.

On the afternoon of January 8, the restaurant where Zhang Shuqun is a temporary worker closed, and she hurried with her daughter to the Tianjin train station to buy tickets.  "I stood in line for more than an hour and a half, and then the ticket-seller told me there weren't any tickets to Zhumadian for the next three days."  All she could do was to take her daughter to the main hall, find a chair and spend the night there.  Early on the morning of the 9th, Zhang Shuqun again stood in line to buy tickets.  "This time, I had really good luck, there were tickets to Zhengzhou."  But, because Zhang Shuqun's new identification papers weren't in order, the ticket-seller did not sell her the tickets. 
8日下午，张术群打工的饭店停业，她就带着女儿赶到天津站买票。“排了半个多小时队后，售票员告诉我，3天内没有到驻马店的票。”她只好带着小帅在候车大厅的椅子上住了一晚。9日一早，张术群再次排队去买票。“这次运气不错，有张到郑州的站票。”不过，由于张术群的二代身份证还没办下来，售票员没有把车票卖给她。
8 rì xiàwǔ,  Zhāng Shùqún dǎgōng de fàndiàn tíngyè, tā jiù dàizhe nǚ'ér gǎndào Tiānjīn zhàn mǎi piào. “Páile bàn ge duō xiǎoshí duì hòu, shòupiàoyuán gàosu wǒ, 3 tiān nèi méiyǒu dào zhù mǎdiàn de piào.” Tā zhị̌hǎo dàizhe xiǎo Shuài zài hòuchē dàtīng de yǐzi shàng zhùle yī wǎn. 9 rì yī̠zǎo,  Zhāng Shùqún zàicì páiduì qù mǎi piào. “Zhècì yùnqi bụ̀cuò, yǒu zhāng dào Zhèngzhōu de zhànpiào.” Buguò, yóuyú  Zhāng Shùqún de èr dài shēnfènzhèng hái méi bàn xiàlai, shòupiàoyuán méiyǒu bǎ chēpiào màigěi tā.

After a staff person pointed out what she could do, Zhang Shuqun took her daughter to a building where she could get temporary identification papers.  "I hurried with little Shuai back to the ticket window to buy tickets."  Once again they stood in line, and were told that there were no more tickets, only a ticket for a sleeper-car on Jan 11 to Zhengzhou.  "In the past, there were sitting or standing tickets for returning home, a sleeper-car ticket costs more than 200 yuan [about $32.00], with that money I could buy clothing for my daughter." Although this was distressing, she thought about returning home and spending the new year there, and she made the hard decision to buy the ticket.  
在工作人员的提示下，张术群带着小帅去一楼办理了临时身份证。“我赶紧拉着小帅一路小跑去售票口买票。”再次排到个儿，她们被告知已没有站票了，只有一张11日发车去郑州的卧铺票。“以前都是买坐票或站票回家，卧铺票得200多元，多花的钱够给孩子买件衣服了。”虽然心疼，不过想到总算能回家过年了，张术群狠狠心买下了这张票。
Zài gōngzuò rényuán de tíshì xià,  Zhāng Shùqún dàizhe xiǎo Shuài qù yīlóu bànlǐle línshí shēnfènzhèng. “Wǒ gạ̌njǐn lāzhe xiǎo Shuài yị̄lù xiạ̌opǎo qù shòupiàokǒu mǎi piào.” Zàicì páidào gèr, tāmen bèigào zhī yǐ méiyǒu zhànpiào le, zhị̌yǒu yī zhāng 11 rì fāchē qù Zhèngzhōu de wòpùpiào. "Yǐqián dōu shì mǎi zuò piào huò zhànpiào huíjiā, wòpùpiào de 200 duō yuán, duō huā de qián gòu gěi háizi mǎi jiàn yīfu le." Suīrán xīnténg, buguò xiǎngdào zǒngsuàn néng huíjiā guònián le,  Zhāng Shùqún hẹ̌nhěn xīn mǎixiàle zhè zhāng piào.

When she was asked why she didn't choose to go online or to call and order tickets, Zhang Shuqun said that at first she didn't know you could go online to order tickets, "but even if I did know, I don't have any way to get online."  As for calling, Zhang Shuqun said, she tried to call ten or twenty times in a row, but never got through. 
问起为什么没选择网上订票或电话订票，张术群说，她压根不知道有网上订票这回事，“就算知道了，我也不会上网。”至于电话订票，张术群说，她曾连续拨打过十几次电话，可一直打不通。
Wènqǐ wèishénme méi xuǎnzé wǎng shàng dìng piào huò diànhuà dìng piào,  Zhāng Shùqún shuō, tā yàgēn bùzhīdào yǒu wǎng shàng dìng piào zhè huíshì, “jiùsuàn zhīdao le, wǒ yě bụ̀ huì shàngwǎng.” Zhìyú diànhuà dìng piào, Zhāng Shùqún shuō, tā céng liánxù bō dǎguò shí jǐ cì diànhuà, kě yī̠zhí dǎbùtōng.
　　
Sources: 《天津时报》  2012-01-11: "'小候鸟'第一次坐卧铺回家" online

Note: The following is related to a previous post on children separated from their parents, and to a video post on children who every day walk long distances on rough mountain paths to attend school ... 

In China, about 58 million children who live in rural towns have been left behind to help take care of the household.  Due to income, insurance, and residence restrictions, parents are unable to afford raising or educating their children in the cities, so they have no choice but to lead a "one family, two places" lifestyle ...
中国约有5800万农村留守少年儿童。由于收入、社会保障、户籍制度的限制，留守儿童的父母们大多无力供养子女在城市生活、学习，不得不选择“一家两地”的生活……
Zhōngguó yuē yǒu 5800 wàn nóngcūn liúshǒu shàonián értóng. Yóuyú shōurù, shèhuì bǎozhàng, hùjí zhìdù de xiànzhì, liúshǒu értóng de fùmǔmen dàduō wúlì gòngyǎng zị̌nǚ zài chéngshì shēnghuó, xuéxí, bùdébù xuǎnzé “yī jiā liǎng dì” de shēnghuó……
　　
At a furniture building plant in Longqiao, Chengdu, Sichuan, rural laborer Dong Wenzhong (right), from Leshan city, Jiajiang county, Xiema town, Xiaoxi village, and his wife next to a photograph of their son and his grandmother.  Dong Wenzhong's son is in his first year at junior high school; every day he has to walk on mountain roads for three hours to go to and from school, and at home he has to look after his elderly grandfather and grandmother.
四川成都市龙桥镇一处家具加工厂，来自乐山市夹江县歇马乡小溪村的农民工董文仲（右）和妻子在儿子和老母亲的照片旁（12月7日摄）。董文仲的儿子今年上初一，每天上学放学需要走3个小时山路，在家还要照顾年迈的爷爷奶奶。
Sìchuān Chéngdu shì Lóngqiáo zhèn yī chù jiāju jiāgōngchǎng, láizì Lèshān shì Jiājiāngxiàn Xiēmǎxiāng Xiǎoxīcūn de nóngmíngōng Dǒng Wénzhòng (yòu) hé qīzi zài érzi hé lǎo mǔqin de zhàopiàn páng. Dǒng Wénzhòng de érzi jīnnián shàng chūyī, měitiān shàngxué fàngxué xūyào zǒu 3 ge xiǎoshí shānlù, zài jiā háiyào zhàogu niánmài de yéye nǎinai.

Source: www.kids21.cn: 2011-12-26: "组图：留守儿童的'全家福'"  online

In China, about 58 million children in rural towns have been left behind to help take care of the household.  Due to income, insurance, and residence restrictions, parents are unable to afford raising or educating their children in the cities, so they have no choice but to lead a "one family, two places" lifestyle ...

中国约有5800万农村留守少年儿童。由于收入、社会保障、户籍制度的限制，留守儿童的父母们大多无力供养子女在城市生活、学习，不得不选择“一家两地”的生活……
Zhōngguó yuē yǒu 5800 wàn nóngcūn liúshǒu shàonián értóng. Yóuyú shōurù, shèhuì bǎozhàng, hùjí zhìdù de xiànzhì, liúshǒu értóng de fùmǔmen dàduō wúlì gòngyǎng zị̌nǚ zài chéngshì shēnghuó, xuéxí, bùdébù xuǎnzé “yī jiā liǎng dì” de shēnghuó……

[Photo："Family portrait" of children left behind  留守儿童的“全家福”  Liúshǒu értóng de “quánjiāfú”]

At a Foxconn construction site in Pi county, Chengdu, Sichuan, Hou Keming, who comes from Houzhai village, Xiema township, Jiajiang county, Leshan city, Sichuan, sits by a composite photo of his two daughters.  Hou Keming is 35 years old; in 2006, he found work away from home, leaving behind his wife and two daughters in his native town.  He says he's worried about his two children and the older folks at home, and had no choice but to leave his wife there to look after them; if they wait until the children are a little older, his wife also could consider finding work away from their home town.
在四川成都郫县富士康在建工地上，来自四川省乐山市夹江县歇马乡侯寨村的侯可明坐在两个女儿的照片旁。侯可明今年35岁，2006年外出打工，两个女儿和妻子留在农村老家。他说，两个孩子和老人在家不放心，只能留下妻子在家照看，等孩子大一些妻子也会考虑外出打工。
Zài Sìchuān Chéngdū Píxiàn Fù Shì Kāng zài jiàn gōngdì shàng, láizì Sìchuān shěng Lèshān shì Jiā Jiāng xiàn Xiēmǎ xiāng Hóuzhàicūn de Hóu Kěmíng zuò zài liǎng gè nǚ'ér de zhàopiàn páng. Hóu Kěmíng jīnnián 35 suì, 2006 nián wàichū dǎgōng, liǎng gè nǚ'ér hé qīzi liú zài nóngcūn lǎojiā. Tā shuō, liǎng gè háizi hé lǎorén zài jiā bù fàngxīn, zhǐnéng liúxià qīzi zài jiā zhàokàn, děng háizi dà yī̠xiē qīzi yě huì kǎolǜ wàichū dǎgōng.

Source: www.kids21.cn: 2011-12-26: "组图：留守儿童的'全家福'"  online