Emperor Cuckoo: Human interest in China

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

Waiting for children to visit is their greatest source of spiritual support
等儿女看望成最大精神支撑  Děng ér-nǚ kànwàng chéng zuìdà jīngshén zhīchēng

Around the holidays, quite a few volunteer teams arrive at the old folks home to comfort the elderly; they bring fresh flowers and fruit, warmth and compassion to old people who have no one to rely on, and they are greeted by the smiles of the elderly.  But those kinds of days are rare; when there is no such "comforting," how do these old people get by?
节假日前后，会有不少单位、志愿者团队到养老机构慰问，他们带着鲜花和水果、温暖和爱心看望那些年迈无依的老人，老人们用自己的笑容迎接他们的到来。但这样的日子毕竟很少，在没有“慰问”的平常日子里，老人们是怎么生活的呢？
Jié-jiàrì qiánhòu, huì yǒu bùshǎo dānwèi, zhìyuànzhě tuánduì dào yánglǎo jīgòu wèiwèn, tāmen dàizhe xiānhuā hé shuíguǒ, wēnnuǎn huo àixīn kànwàng nàxiē niánmài wúyī de lǎrén, lǎorénmen yòng zìjǐ de xiàoróng yíngjiē tāmen de dàolái.  Dàn zhèyàng de rìzi bìjìng hěn shǎo, zài méiyǒu "wèiwèn" de píngcháng rìzi lǐ, lǎorénmen shì zěnme shēnghuó de ne? 
.
[Photo:  When "Auntie" Shan is not busy, she goes on the web and watches soap operas or plays games  
单大妈没事的时候就上网看电视剧、玩游戏  Shān dàmā méishì de shíhou jiù shàngwǎng kàn diànshìjù, wán yóuxì]

On October 23, a routine day, the reporter conducted interviews at several homes for old folks in Luoyang (Henan province), to investigate the conditions for everyday life for the elderly. 
10月23日，一个寻常的日子，记者走访了洛阳几家养老机构，探访老人们的日常生活状态。
10 yuè 23 rì, yí gè xúncháng de rìzi, jìzhě zóufǎng le Luòyáng jǐ jiā yánglǎo jīgòu, tànfǎng lǎorénmen de rìcháng shēnghuó zhuàngtài. 

Elderly people sit around in small groups, wait for dinner, wait for bedtime, look forward to visits by their children.  What else can they do but wait?  Their eyes are bad, their hearing is not good, their joints are stiff, and they don't have much physical energy.  In the past they raised sons and daughters who, like them, could not eat, play or move by themselves, and these days, they cannot move about, and for various reasons have left their homes, and have come here.
老人们三三两两坐在阳光里，等待吃饭、等待睡觉、等待子女来探望。除了等待，他们还能做什么呢？眼睛花了，耳朵聋了，关节僵，连力气也没有了。他们曾经养育着同样不能自己吃、自己玩、自己动的儿女，如今，他们不能动了，却因为种种原因，离开家庭，来到这里。
Lǎorénmen sānsānliǎngliǎng zuò zài yángguāng lǐ，děngdài chīfàn, děngdài shuìjiào, děngdài zínǚ lái tànwàng.  Chúle děngdài, tāmen hái néng zuò shénme ne? Yǎnjing huāle, ěrduo lóngle, guānjié jiāngle, lián lìqi yě méiyǒu le.  Tāmen céngjīng yǎngyùzhe tóngyàng bùnéng zìjǐ chī, zìjǐ wán, zìjǐ dòng de ér-nǚ, rújīn, tāmen bùnéng dòng le, què yīnwèi zhọ̌ngzhǒng yuányīn, líkāi jiātíng, láidào zhèlǐ.

Fashionable "Auntie" Shan sings, goes on the web and has video chats with her daughter, who's gone abroad. 
时尚的单大妈  唱歌、上网，还会和国外女儿视频聊天
Shíshàng de Shàn dàmā chànggē, shàngwǎng, hái huì hé guówài nǚ'ér shìpín liáotiān 

Before retiring, eighty-year-old Shan Yeping worked at the management office of the Luhun reservoir (in Luoyang); in her youth she was the artistic backbone of the workplace; she loved to sing.  When she was older,  Auntie Shan suffered a dislocated disk and had surgery a few times, now it's difficult for her to move about, and she can't travel. Two years ago, her daughter went to the US, and she moved to these apartments for the elderly.  
80岁的单业平老人退休前是陆浑水库管理局的工作人员，年轻时是单位的艺术骨干，喜好唱歌。上了年纪后，单大妈患了腰椎间盘突出症，做过几次手术，如今行动不便，不能远行。两年前，女儿去了美国，她便住进老年公寓。
80 suì de Shàn Yèpíng lǎorén tuìxiū qián shì Lùhún shuǐkù guánlǐjú de gōngzuò rényuán, niánqīng shí shì dānwèi de yìshù gǔgàn, xǐhào chànggē. Shàngle niánjì hòu, Shàn dàmā huànle yāozhuī jiānpán tūchū zhèng, zuòguò jǐ cì shǒushù, rújīn xíngdòng búbiàn, bùnéng yuǎnxíng. Liǎng nián qián, nǚ'ér qùle měiguó, tā biàn zhùjìn lǎonián gōngyù. 

After she came to live here, Auntie Shan noticed a lot of old people were idle and had nothing to do, or were sitting around in small groups talking too much, and it was easy for someone to fly into a rage, so she decided everyone should sing, to enrich their lives and exercise their lungs.  
住进来以后，单大妈看到不少老人闲着没事，坐在一起闲话说多了还容易“闹气”，便决定带着大家唱歌，既丰富生活，又能锻炼肺活量。
Zhùjìn lái yǐhòu, Shàn dàmā kàndào bùshǎo lǎorén xiánzhe méishì, zuò zài yìqǐ xiánhuà shuōduō le hái róngyì "nào qì," biàn juédìng dàizhe dàjiā chànggē, jì fēngfù shēnghuó, yòu néng duànliàn fèihuóliàng. 

Every morning at 8 a.m., about seven or eight old people follow along with Auntie Shan in practicing singing, sometimes between ten and twenty people join, and they all sing for half an hour.  Auntie Shan is very attentive, she arranges the lyrics for the songs, prints them out, puts a copy in everyone's hands.  Some of the elderly are illiterate, but they do their best by squinting to identify words, and in this way they learn to sing and learn to read.  
每天上午8点，七八位老人跟着单大妈练歌，人多时有十几个，每次唱半个小时。单大妈很细心，把老歌歌词整理好，打印出来，人手一份。有些老人不识字，但还是眯着眼，努力地辨识着，边学唱歌边识字。
Měitiān shàngwǔ 8 diǎn, qī-bá wèi lǎorén gēnzhe Shàn dàmā liàn gē, rén duō shí yǒushí jǐ gè, měicì chàng bàn gè xiǎoshí. Shàn dàmā hěn xìxīn, bǎ lǎo gē gēcí zhénglǐ hǎo, dǎyìn chūlái, rén shǒu yí fèn. Yǒuxiē lǎorén bù shí zì, dàn háishì mīzhe yǎn, nǔlìdì biànshízhe, biān xué chànggē biān shízì. 

A few of the old people have lost all their teeth, so they can't sing the words clearly; some songs sound like spoken parts in opera, and there's a mix of northern and southern accents, there are all kinds of sounds. "Anything goes, this isn't a singing contest," says Auntie Shan,  "Getting together is a way of passing time for these old folks." 
在这些老人中间，有牙齿掉光的，唱歌“跑风”；有唱歌就像念白，南腔北调，啥声音都有。“这有啥，又不是歌咏比赛。”单大妈说，“老人们聚在一起，就图个消磨时间。”
Zài zhèxiē lǎorén zhōngjiān, yǒu yáchǐ diào guāng de, chànggē "pǎo fēng" yǒu chànggē jiù xiàng niànbái, nánqiāngběidiào, shá shēngyīn dōuyǒu. "Zhè yǒu shá, yòu búshì gē yǒng bǐsài." Shàn dàmā shuō, "Lǎorénmen jù zài yìqǐ, jiù tú gè xiāomó shíjiān." 

The old people who are healthy are able to sing; the others act as the audience; they are unable to sing along, but they sit in their wheelchairs and listen attentively, sometimes they hum along with the melodies, or use their frail hands to tap out a beat.
能唱歌的老人是属于“健康”的，还有些老人是专职听众，他们无法跟着歌唱，但他们坐在轮椅上，依然听得认真，跟着曲调哼着，用颤巍巍的手打着节拍。
Néng chànggē de lǎorén shì shǔyú "jiàn kāng" de, hái yǒuxiē lǎorén shì zhuānzhí tīngzhòng, tāmen wúfǎ gēnzhe gēchàng, dàn tāmen zuò zài lúnyǐ shàng, yīrán tīng dé rènzhēn, gēnzhe qǔdiào hēngzhe, yòng chànwēiwēi de shǒu dǎzháo jiépāi. 
    
Shan Yeping has a cell phone, she keeps it very clean and hangs it on a chain of woven red silk with jade, "These days few people call, but it serves very well as an alarm clock," Auntie Shan says. 
单业平有个手机，打理得干干净净，挂着红色丝线和玉石编织的手机链，“现在也没啥人给我打电话，拿着当个闹钟也不错。”单大妈说。
Shàn Yèpíng yǒu gè shǒujī, dǎlǐ dé gāngānjìng jìng, guàzhe hóngsè sīxiàn hé yùshí biānzhī de shǒujī liàn, "Xiànzài yě méi shá rén gěi wǒ dǎdiànhuà, názhe dāng gè nàozhōng yě búcuò." Shàn dàmā shuō. 

Recently, Auntie Shan relied on her daughter's friend to buy her a laptop computer, and the staff at the apartments helped her get onto the Internet.  So Auntie Shan's life has been enriched, and when there is nothing to do, she can go on the web and watch films, or play cards, and on weekends she is able to talk to her daughter.
前不久，单大妈托女儿的朋友买了一台笔记本电脑，公寓管理员帮她扯了网线。单大妈的生活更加丰富了，没事上网看电影，玩纸牌游戏，周末还能和女儿视频聊天。
Qiánbùjiǔ, Shàn dàmā tuō nǚ'ér de péngyou mǎile yì tái bǐjìběn diànnǎo, gōngyù guánlǐyuán bāng tā chěle wǎngxiàn. Shàn dàmā de shēnghuó gèngjiā fēngfù le, méishì shàngwǎng kàn diànyǐng, wán zhǐpái yóuxì, zhōumò hái néng hé nǚ'ér shìpín liáotiān. 

"The other old people must envy you, right?"
“其他老人都很羡慕您吧？” "Qítā lǎorén dōu hěn xiànmù nín ba?"

"How could they not?  They all say, this 80-year-old is still going at it,"  says Auntie Shan, laughing. "Going on the computer stimulates my interest in life; otherwise, I'd be bored to death."
“可不是？都说80岁的人了，还鼓捣这个。”单大妈笑着说，“弄个电脑，增加点生活情趣，要不然可没意思。”        "Kě bú shì？Dōu shuō 80 suì de rén le, hái gǔdǎo zhè ge." Shàn dàmā xiàozhe shuō, "Nòng gè diànnǎo, zēngjiā diǎn shēnghuó qíngqù, yàobùrán kě méi yìsi." 

"Why didn't you go to America with your daughter?"
“为啥不跟着女儿到美国去？” "Wèishá bù gēnzhe nǚ'ér dào Měiguó qù?"

"I don't want to rely on my daughter, or cause her trouble."  Auntie Shan seemed dignified as she said that all of her activities and friends are in Luoyang, if she were to go to America, she wouldn't be able to speak the language, no one would know her, it would be very boring.  Her daughter has to work, she has her own daughter to look after, going there would only make her daughter's life harder.  "Here, my monthly pension is more than I can spend, in America, I wouldn't have enough money to spend!"
“我不想依赖女儿，给她添麻烦。”说到这里，单大妈的表情显出几分凝重，她说，自己的单位和朋友都在洛阳，如果去了美国，语言不通，谁也不认识，肯定很无聊。女儿要上班，还要照顾孩子，去了只会添麻烦。“在这里，我每月的退休金花不完，到了美国，那点钱就不够花喽！”
"Wǒ bù xiǎng yīlài nǚ'ér, gěi tā tiān máfan ." Shuō dào zhèlǐ, Shàn dàmā de biǎoqíng xiǎnchū jǐfēn níngzhòng, tā shuō, zìjǐ de dānwèi hé péngyou dōu zài Luòyáng, rú guǒ qùle Měiguó, yǔyán bùtōng, shuí yě bú rènshí, kěndìng hěn wúliáo, nǚ'ér yào shàngbān, hái yào zhàogù háizi, qùle zhǐ huì tiānmáfan... Zài zhèlǐ, wǒ měi yuè de tuìxiūjīn huā bùwán, dàole Měiguó, nà diǎn qián jiù búgòu huā lou!" 

Apart from not wanting to rely on her daughter, 80-year-old Auntie Shan doesn't want to have to depend on anyone.  Doing her own laundry and washing her own hair are part of her everyday life, she does her best not to have anyone help her. When the weather is nice, she pushes her wheelchair and goes shopping at the local market.
除了不想依赖女儿，80岁的单大妈也不想依赖任何人。目前，洗衣服、洗头发等日常生活单大妈都自己做，尽量不要别人帮忙。天气好的时候，她还推着轮椅，到附近的超市购物。
Chúle bù xiǎng yīlài nǚ'ér, 80 suì de Shàn dàmā yě bù xiǎng yīlài rènhé rén. Mùqián, xǐ yīfu, xǐ tóufa děng rì háng shēnghuó Shàn dàmā dōu zìjǐ zuò, jǐnliàng búyào biérén bāngmáng. Tiānqì hǎo de shíhou, tā hái tuīzhe lúnyǐ, dào fùjìn de chāoshì gòuwù.

Source: 《新华网》2011-10/25 "养老院老人吃喝不愁 等儿女看望成最大精神支撑" online

"You can't say that about your mother" 
你不能这么对母亲说话  Nǐ bùnéng zhème duì mǔqin shuōhuà

On November 9, an 86-year-old woman who is paralyzed from the waist down was dragged into the hallway in her quilt by her second son and his wife, and abandoned there for 13 hours.  The police and the reporter called the son and advised him to return; the reply they got was, "I don't care."
今年11月9日，86岁下身瘫痪老太被二儿子和二儿媳妇从被窝里拉出来，弃在楼道缓步台13小时。警察、记者打电话劝二儿子回来，得到的回答是“我不管”。
Jīnnián 11 yuè 9 rì, 86 suì xiàshēn tānhuàn lǎotài bèi èr érzi hé èr érxífù cóng bèiwō lǐ lā chūlái, qì zài lóudào huǎnbù tái 13 xiǎoshí. Jǐngchá, jìzhě dǎ diànhuà quàn èr érzi huílái, dédào de huídá shì "Wǒ bù guǎn." 

The oldest son said, "This whole thing has nothing to do with me."  The second son said, "I won't take care of her even if the courts order me to."  The youngest son said, "Let her go and die at the rescue center."
大儿子说：“这事咋地也不归我管。 ”二儿子说：“法院判给我也不照顾。 ”小儿子说：“让她就死在救助站吧。 ”
Dà'érzi shuō: "Zhè shì zǎ dì yě bù guī wǒ guǎn."  èr érzi shuō: "Fǎyuàn pàngěi wǒ yě bú zhàogù." Xiǎo érzi shuō: "Ràng tā jiù sǐ zài jiùzhùzhàn ba."

[Photo: Thrown out by her son, "Grannie" Wu lay in the hallway for 13 hours; kindly neighbors twice made meals for her, and last night at 10 p.m., they were still there by her side    被儿子从家撵出，吴大娘在楼道里躺了13小时。热心的邻居为她做了两顿饭，昨晚10时仍陪在老人身边。Bèi érzi cóng jiā niǎnchū, Wú dàniáng zài lóudào lǐ; tǎng le 13 xiǎoshí; rèxīn de línjū wèi tā zuò le liǎng dùn fàn, zuówǎn 10 shí réng péi zài lǎorén shēnbiān.]

Yesterday, "Grannie" Wu's second son still refused to show up, and over the telephone he said, "Whoever is willing to help her, let them help, I'm not looking after her."  When the oldest and youngest sons got wind of this, they hurried over, and were in a rage about how the second son was mistreating their mother; they shouted angrily for an hour, but neither son was willing to go to the rescue center and bring their mother back home.
昨日，吴大妈的二儿子仍未现身，电话中说“谁愿意养谁养，我照顾不了。 ”吴大妈的大儿子与小儿子闻讯赶来，气愤地要告老二虐待母亲，怒斥一个小时，俩人却谁也不肯将在救助站的母亲接回家。
Zuórì, Wú dàmā de èr érzi réng wèi xiànshēn, diànhuà zhōng shuō "Shéi yuànyì yǎng shéi yǎng, wǒ zhàogù bùliǎo."  Wú dàmā de dà'érzi yǔ xiǎo érzi wénxùn gǎnlái, qìfèn dì yào gào lǎo'èr nüèdài mǔqīn, nùchì yí gè xiǎoshí, liǎ rén què shéi yě bù kěn jiāng zài jiùzhùzhàn de mǔqīn jiē huíjiā. 

"A son who can abandon his mother in the hallway for 13 hours, can he still be called a person, he isn't even as good as a neighbor."  Yesterday, Grannie Wu's youngest son Xu Kui [name changed] and the oldest son Xu Li [name changed] arrived at the rescue center to see their mother.
“儿子能把妈扔在楼道13个小时，还是人吗，还不如邻居呢。 ”昨日吴大妈的小儿子徐奎(化名)和大儿子徐立(化名)来救助站看母亲。
"Érzi néng bǎ mā rēng zài lóudào 13 gè xiǎoshí, háishì rén ma, hái bùrú línjū ne." Zuórì Wú dàmā de xiǎo érzi Xú Kuí (huàmíng) hé dà'érzi Xú Lì (huàmíng) lái jiùzhùzhàn kàn mǔqīn. 

Xu Kui explained that in 2004, their mother wanted to buy an apartment, and discovered that her second son had embezzeled 58,000 yuan from the old apartment.  Up until 2009, she was in court suing her second son, Xu Feng [name changed]; Xu Feng lost, and the courts ruled he had to repay his mother 89,000 yuan.
徐奎介绍，2004年母亲想买房子，发现老房子动迁的5.8万元被二哥挪用。直至2009年母亲将二儿子徐风(化名)告上法庭，二哥败诉，法院判决二哥还母亲8.9万元。
Xú Kuí jièshào, 2004 nián mǔqīn xiǎng mǎi fángzi, fāxiàn lǎo fángzi dòngqiān de 5.8 wàn yuán bèi èrgē nuóyòng. Zhí zhì 2009 nián mǔqīn jiāng èr érzi Xú Fēng (huàmíng) gào shàng fǎtíng, èrgē bàisù, fǎyuàn pànjué èrgē huán mǔqīn 8.9 wàn yuán. 

On November 4, the youngest son signed an agreement with the second son: "From today forward, I am not looking after my mother, she will be looked after by my older brother Xu Feng, he has control of all the assets, including providing for my mother in her old age."
11月4日，徐奎与二哥签订协议：“从今以后我妈我不管了，母亲由二哥徐风管，所有的财产由二哥徐风管，包我妈养老。 ”
11 yuè 4 rì, Xú Kuí yǔ èrgē qiāndìng xiéyì: "Cóngjīnyǐhòu wǒ mā wǒ bùguǎn le, mǔqīn yóu èrgē Xú Fēng guǎn,suóyǒu de cáichǎn yóu èrgē Xú Fēng guǎn, bāo wǒ mā yánglǎo."

"Who would have thought that in just five days, he would throw my mother out into the hallway in her quilt, that isn't human."  Xu Kui angrily went on and on, claiming he would take his brother to court, and demand justice for his mother.
“谁知道刚5天，我妈就被他从被窝拉出扔到楼道了，真不是人。 ”徐奎气愤不已，声称要将二哥告上法庭，给母亲讨个公道。
"Shéi zhīdào gāng 5 tiān, wǒ mā jiù bèi tā cóng bèi wō lāchū rēng dào lóudào le, zhēn bú shì rén." Xú Kuí qìfèn bùyǐ, shēngchēng yào jiāng èrgē gào shàng fǎtíng, gěi mǔqīn tǎo gè gōngdào. 

"Whoever abandoned my mother has to take care of this.  I don't have any money, I rely on friends for help, I can only talk about it after the legal proceedings," the oldest son said. "The two younger brothers have signed an agreement relating to her care in her old age, so this affair has nothing to do with me, there's nothing I can do."
“谁把我妈抛弃的，谁就得管。我没钱，还靠朋友帮助呢，只能走完法律程序后再说。 ”大儿子徐立回答：“小弟与二弟之间有养老协议，这事咋地也不归我管，我没办法。”
"Shéi bǎ wǒ mā pāoqì de, sheí jiù děi guǎn. wǒ méi qián, hái kào péngyou bāngzhù ne, zhǐnéng zǒu wán fǎlǜ chéngxù hòu zài shuō," dà'érzi Xú Lì huídá: "Xiǎodì yǔ èrdì zhījiān yǒu yánglǎo xiéyì, zhè shì zǎ dì yě bù guī wǒ guǎn, wǒ méi bàn fǎ." 

"Let her die at the rescue center, I don't really care," said the youngest son, Xu Kui.
“就让她死在救助站吧，管不了。 ”小儿子徐奎说。
“Jiù ràng tā sǐ zài jiùzhùzhàn ba, guǎnbuliǎo," xiǎo'érzi Xú Kuí shuō.

"You can't say that about your mother," the reporter said.  "You can't talk to me like that, I'm leaving," said Xu Kui, and he slammed the door and left.
“你不能这么对母亲说话。”记者说。“你不要和我说了，我走了。 ”徐奎摔门离开。
"Nǐ bù néng zhème duì mǔqīn shuōhuà," jìzhě shuō. "Nǐ bú yào hé wǒ shuō le, wǒ zǒu le." Xú Kuí shuāimén líkāi. 

Then, Xu Li stood up and pointed a finger at the reporter, "This is the truth, the truth may be hard to hear, we all were happy, you ...you people...."
接着，徐立起身指着记者的鼻子说，“这就是最真实的，真实的话是最不好听的，本来我们高高兴兴的，你说你们……”
Jiēzhe, Xú Lì qǐshēn zhǐzhe jìzhě de bízi shuō, "Zhè jiù shì zuì zhēnshí de, zhēnshí de huà shì zuì bù hǎotīng de, běnlái wǒmen gāogāoxìngxìng de, nǐ shuō nǐmen … …" 

Yesterday the reporter called Xu Feng, the second son.  Xu Feng admitted that he'd embezzled his mother's money and opened a business, bought an apartment, used a little to send his daughter to school, this was done with his younger brother's agreement, because he, his mother and his younger brother had once discussed giving the younger bother 20,000 yuan out of the 58,000, and the remaining 38,000 yuan would be given to him to manage, he would take care of their mother in her old age, "I provide for her, and I have the right to do what I want with my mother's money."
昨日记者拨打了老二徐风电话。徐风承认，母亲的钱确实自己挪用过，做了生意、买了房子、女儿上学用了点，这些是在母亲与老弟的同意下进行的，因为他、母亲、老弟曾经口头商议将母亲的5.8万元给老弟2万元，剩下的3.8万元归自己保管，自己给母亲养老，“我养老，我就有权利支配母亲的钱啊。 ”
Zuórì jìzhě bōdǎ le lǎo'èr Xú Fēng diànhuà. Xú Fēng chéngrèn, mǔqīn de qián quèshí zìjǐ nuóyòng guò, zuòle shēngyi, mǎile fángzi, nǚér shàngxué yòngle diǎn, zhèxiē shìzài mǔqīn yǔ lǎodì de tóngyì xià jìnxíng de, yīnwèi tā, mǔ qīn, lǎodì céngjīng kǒutóu shāngyì jiāng mǔqīn de 5.8 wàn yuán gěi lǎodì 2 wàn yuán, shèngxià de 3.8 wàn yuán guī zìjǐ báoguǎn, zìjǐ gěi mǔqīn yánglǎo, "Wǒ yánglǎo, wǒ jiù yǒu quánlì zhīpèi mǔqīn de qián ā ."

Who would have thought that in 2007, the mother and the youngest son would go back on their word, taking advantage when he wasn't there at home, forcing him to live where he does today, in an apartment in a small neighborhood in Yangguang, forcing him to put in writing that he owed 55,000 yuan, "I returned all the money, and my mother was living at my apartment, I didn't say anything.  A month ago, my wife and I divorced, the little apartment in Yangguang was awarded to my wife, and I had to ask my mother to leave.  But no matter what I said, she refused to leave, so there was nothing I could do."
谁知2007年，母亲与老弟反悔了，趁他不在家，强行入住今日阳光小区的房子，并逼着他写下5.5万元的欠款，“我还完钱了，我妈住在我的房子里我没说啥。一个月前，妻子与我离婚，今日阳光小区的房子判给了妻子，我必须接母亲离开。可她说死都不走，我也没办法。 ” 
Sheí zhī 2007 nián, mǔqīn yǔ lǎodì fánhuǐ le, chèn tā bú zài jiā, qiángxíng rù zhù jīnrì Yyángguāng xiǎoqū de fángzi, bìng bīzhe tā xiěxià 5.5 wàn yuán de qiànkuǎn, "Wǒ huán wán qián le, wǒ mā zhù zài wǒ de fángzi lǐ wǒ méi shuōshá. Yí gè yuè qián, qīzi yǔ wǒ líhūn, jīnrì Yángguāng xiǎoqū de fángzi pàngěi le qīzi, wǒ bìxū jiē mǔqīn líkāi. Kě tā shuōsǐ dōu bù zǒu, wǒ yě méi bànfǎ." 

Tao Sili, a citizen, said that three sons not caring for their mother's safety and leaving her at the rescue center, is really cold-hearted.  No matter how much the brothers hate each other, sons cannot abandon the mother who gave birth to them and raised them, "She's 86 years old, let her enjoy life."
市民陶斯里说： 3个儿子不顾老妈的安危将其留在救助站，太让人寒心。不管兄弟之间有多大的仇恨，作为孩子不能不管生你们养你们的妈妈呀， “她今年86岁……让妈妈享福吧。”
Shìmín Táo Sīlǐ shuō:  3 gè érzi bú gù lǎomā de ānwēi jiāng qí liú zài jiùzhùzhàn, tài ràng rén hánxīn. Bùguǎn xiōng-di zhījiān yǒu duō dà de chóuhèn, zuòwéi háizi bù néng bùguǎn shēng nǐmen yǎng nǐmen de māma ya,  "Tā jīnnián 86 suì ... ràng māma xiǎngfú ba."

Liu Haiyan, a citizen, said that showing love and respect for one's parents is everyone's minimal responsibility.  If you don't treat your own mother that way, how will you deal with others?
市民刘海燕说：孝顺是作为一个人的起码准则。对自己妈妈都不孝顺，对别人会怎样呢？
Shìmín Liú Hǎiyàn shuō: Xiàoshùn shì zuòwéi yí gè rén de qímǎ zhǔnzé. Duì zìjǐ māma dōu bú xiàoshùn, duì biérén huì zěnyàng ne?

Sun Haoren, a lawyer, said that the behavior of the three brothers is a serious violation of the law.  The agreement between the second and third brothers does not relieve the oldest brother of his responsibilities, and it is not the case that even though none of his mother's assets are under his control, he has no responsibility to support his parents, by law all Chinese citizens have an obligation to provide for their parents. 
孙浩仁律师表示，3个儿子的行为都严重违反法律。老二与老三的养老协议不能排除老三不用赡养老人的义务，而且并非老人的财产不归自己就可以不赡养父母，法律规定中华人民共和国的公民有赡养父母的义务。
Sūn Hàorén lǜshī biǎoshì, 3 gè érzi de xíngwéi dōu yánzhòng wéifǎn fǎlǜ. Lǎo'èr yǔ lǎosān de yánglǎo xiéyì bùnéng páichú lǎosān búyòng shànyáng lǎorén de yìwù, érqiě bìngfēi lǎorén de cáichǎn bù guī zìjǐ jiù kéyǐ bú shànyǎng fùmǔ, fǎlǜ guīdìng Zhōnghuá Rénmín Gònghéguó de gōngmín yǒu shànyǎng fùmǔ de yìwù.. 

During the interviews, the three brothers "passed the buck"; each is criticizing the other's lack of love and respect for their mother; but are they themselves showing love and respect?  It is to be hoped that the words "respect for one's parents" in their mouths will be turned into action.  The food at the rescue center is all right, it's comfortable there, but without you by her side, she has nothing. As sons and daughters we must treat our parents well, because after all, to be good to your parents is to be good to yourself.
采访中3个儿子相互“踢皮球”，相互指责对方对母亲不孝顺，他们自己就孝顺了吗？希望3个儿子口中的“孝”能付诸行动。 救助站的饭再好吃，住的再舒服，母亲再有钱，没有你们在身边，她就什么都没有。身为儿女要善待父母，因为善待父母实际上就是善待了自己。
Cáifǎng zhōng 3 gè érzi xiānghù "tī píqiú," xiānghù zhǐzé duìfāng duì mǔqīn bú xiàoshùn, tāmen zìjǐ jiù xiàoshùn le ma?  Xīwàng 3 gè érzi kǒuzhōng dì "xiào" néng fùzhūxíngdòng. Jiùzhùzhàn de fàn zài hǎochī, zhù de zài shūfu, mǔqīn zài yǒu qián, méiyǒu nǐmen zài shēnbiān, tā jiù shénme dōu méiyǒu. Shēnwéi érnǚ yào shàndài fùmǔ, yīnwèi shàndài fùmǔ shíjìshàng jiùshì shàndài le zìjǐ. 

Source: http://news.sina.com.cn/s/2011-11-11/132923451684.shtml

"Much better than a self-service vending machine." 
比自动售卖机还强  Bǐ zìdòng shòumài jī hái qiáng

"This stand's owner has gone home to eat.  If you buy the steamed buns, please put money in the box.  Thank you for your cooperation.  If you buy the steamed buns, please leave money."  Recently, in the city of Zhengzhou (Henan), the courtyard at 62 Weiwu Road has been buzzing with excitement, with strangers often stopping by to ask about an old lady who sells mantou (steamed buns).  Everyone is talking about this woman in her seventies who sells mantou and leaves the stand unattended; when she wants to go home to eat or rest, she walks away from the stand, and people who buy mantou spontaneously leave the money.  "Much better than a self-service vending machine."  
“摊主回家吃饭。买馍请把钱放到箱子里。谢谢合作。买馒头的请留钱。”这几天，郑州市纬五路62号院热闹起来了，不时有陌生人来巷口打听一位卖馒头的老大娘。人们争相传议，年过七旬的她卖馒头不用守摊，回家吃饭休息只需把摊子一撂，顾客拿了馒头自然留钱。“比自动售卖机还强。”
"Tānzhǔ huíjiā chīfàn. Mǎi mó qǐng bǎ qián fàngdào xiāngzi lǐ. Xièxiè hézuò. Mǎi mántou de qǐng liú qián." Zhè jǐ tiān, Zhèngzhōu shì Wěiwǔ lù 62 hào yuàn rènao qǐlái le, bùshí yǒu mòshēngrén lái xiàngkǒu dǎting yíwèi mài mántou de lǎo dàniáng. Rénmen zhēngxiāng chuányì, nián guò qīxún de tā mài mántou búyòng shǒutān, huíjiā chīfàn xiūxi zhǐ xū bǎ tānzi yí liào, gùkè ná le mántou zìrán liú qián .  "Bǐ zìdòng shòumài jī hái qiáng."

[Photo: Zhang Jingzhen at her steamed bun stand waiting for customers 
张景珍在馒头摊前等待顾客   Zhāng Jǐngzhēn zài mántou tān qián děngdài gùkè]

On November 4, at a little past noon, seventy-seven-year-old "Grannie" Zhang was still sitting at her mantou stand talking to folks. There was a strip of paper glued to a white bubble-wrap box: "This stand's owner has gone home to eat.  If you buy the steamed bunds, please put money in the box.  Thank you for your cooperation.  If you buy the steamed buns, please leave money."  When she pulls back a covering, you can see plastic bags that are used to wrap bags of mantou.  "Whenever I'm hungry, I just leave the stand and go home, I don't even give it a second thought."  Grannie Zhang's face is ruddy, her voice is loud and clear.  When she laughs, her face is a pile of wrinkles, like a chrysanthemum flower.  "Aren't you worried that someone will take a few mantou and not pay?" "Not at all, so they eat a few, so what?"  It was as if Grannie Zhang had never even considered this question.
4日中午已经过12点，77岁的张大娘还坐在自己的馒头摊前跟人聊天。白色的泡沫箱子上贴了一张纸条：“摊主回家吃饭。买馍请把钱放到箱子里。谢谢合作。买馒头的请留钱。”掀开盖子可以瞧见用塑料袋裹着的一袋袋馒头。“啥时候饿了就把摊子撂这儿回家，可放心了。”张大娘脸色红润，嗓门洪亮，一笑起来脸上的皱纹就堆成了朵菊花。不怕人拿了馒头不给钱？“没有吧，我也没查过。吃几个也不碍事。”张大娘好像从来没想过这个问题。
4 rì zhōngwǔ yǐjīng guò 12 diǎn, 77 suì de Zhāng dàniáng hái zuò zài zìjǐ de mántou tān qián gēn rén liáotiān. Báisè de pàomò xiāngzi shàng tiēle yì zhāng zhǐtiáo: "Tānzhǔ huíjiā chīfàn. Mǎi mó qǐng bǎ qián fàngdào xiāngzi lǐ. Xièxiè hézuò. Mǎi mántou de qǐng liú qián." Xiānkāi gàizi kéyǐ qiáojiàn yòng sùliàodài guǒzhe de yídài dài mántou. "Shá shíhou è le jiù bǎ tānzi liàozhè ér huíjiā, kě fàngxīn le ." Zhāng dàniáng liǎnsè hóngrùn, sǎngmén hóngliàng, yí xiàoqǐlái liǎn shàng de zhòuwén jiù duīchéng le duǒ júhuā. Bú pà rén ná le mántou bù gěi qián? "Méiyǒu ba, wǒ yě méi chá guò. Chī jǐ gè yě bú àishì." Zhāng dàniáng hǎoxiàng cónglái méi xiǎng guò zhège wèntí. 

Her son printed the words on the strip of paper, and friendly neighbors with spare time help keep an eye on the stand.  "Grannie Zhang is such a good person, everyone is willing to pitch in, I even help her sell mantou," said a fashionably dressed 30-year-old woman who'd just gotten off work; she was walking by and stopped to say a few words. "Security guards, neighborhood vendors, people with their kids in doorways, a lot of people help me."  All kinds of people help Grannie Zhang sell mantou.
纸条是儿子打印的，附近相熟的居民得空也会帮她照看摊子。“张大娘心地可好，大家都愿意给她搭一把手。我还帮她卖过馒头哩。”一位衣着时尚、年约30岁的女士下班路过，停下来插了几句话。“看门的，附近卖东西的，在门口带小孩的，可多人都帮我。”张大娘数来数去数不清都谁帮她卖过馒头。
Zhǐtiáo shì érzi dǎyìn de, fùjìn xiāngshú de jūmín dékōng yě huì bāng tā zhàokàn tānzi. "Zhāng dàniáng xīndì ké hǎo, dàjiā dōu yuànyì gěi tā dā yìbǎshou. Wǒ hái bāng tā màiguò mántou lǐ," yíwèi yīzhuó shíshàng, niányuē 30 suì de nǚshì xiàbān lùguò, tíngxiàlái chāle jǐ jùhuà. "Kānmén de, fùjìn mài dōngxi de, zài ménkǒu dài xiǎohái de, kě duō rén dōu bāng wǒ." Zhāng dàniáng shù lái shù qù shǔbùqīng dōu shéi bāng tā màiguò mántou. 

Grannie Zhang's hearing and eyesight are good, but she has trouble with her legs, although she can handle her three-wheel cart really well, and she's very good at going around corners or turning it around.  She has to go back and forth twice a day to get produce from Nie village, less than half a mile away.  Each day she is out she can sell 60 or 70 bags of mantou; each bag sells for 1 yuan, and she earns 1 mao for each bag sold. [70 mao = $1.05]
张大娘耳聪目明，虽然有腿疼的毛病，但骑上进货的三轮车稳稳当当，拐弯掉头的动作十分熟练。每天上午8点和下午4点，她要骑车去几里外的聂庄进两趟货。一天下来她能卖掉六七十袋馒头，一袋馒头1元钱，赚1角钱。
Zhāng dàniáng ěrcōngmùmíng, suīrán yǒu tuǐténg de máobìng, dàn qí shàng jìnhuò de sānlúnchē wěnwěndangdāng, guǎiwān diàotóu de dòngzuò shífēn shúliàn. Měitiān shàngwǔ 8 diǎn hé xiàwǔ 4 diǎn, tā yào qíchē qù jǐ lǐ wài de Nièzhuāng jìn liǎng tàng huò. Yì tiān xiàlái tā néng màidiào liù-qīshí dài mántou, yí dài mántou 1 yuán qián, zhuàn 1 jiǎo qián. 

"I don't really expect to make money, I just dislike being at home, where it's so stuffy." Five or six years ago, after the last of her grandchildren went off to school, she decided it would be exciting to open a stand on the street.  She frequently waves hello or exchanges greeting with people who pass by.  She smilingly teases the throngs of kids running around.  Grannie Zhang says it's all very interesting, from morning to evening people come and talk to her.  When she's tired, she goes home and rests, and the mantou keep selling.
“我也不图赚钱，嫌在家闷得慌。”五六年前，张大娘的孙子辈都到了上学年纪，她就想在街上摆个摊子热闹热闹。不时有路人跟她招手寒暄，她笑眯眯地逗弄满地乱跑的小孩。张大娘说，日子过得可有意思，一天到晚都有人陪她说话。累了就回家休息一会儿，馒头照卖。
"Wǒ yě bùtú zhuànqián, xiánzài jiā mèn dé huāng." Wǔ-liù nián qián, Zhāng dàniáng de sūnzi bèi dōu dàole shàngxué niánjì, tā jiù xiǎng zài jiē shàng bǎi gè tānzi rènao rènao. Bùshí yǒu lùrén gēn tā zhāoshǒu hánxuān. tā xiàomīmī dì dòu nongmǎn dì luànpǎo de xiǎohái.  Zhāng dàniáng shuō, rìzi guò dé kě yǒu yìsi, yì tiān dào wǎn dōu yǒu rén péi tā shuōhuà. Lèile jiù huíjiā xiūxi yí huìr, mántou zhào mài. 

At 1 p.m., Grannie Zhang cheerfully stood up and went home to make something to eat. Beneath the parasol on her stand, the strip of paper was stuck to the box, and next to it hung a plastic bag filled with loose change and paper tissues. "When I'm not here, I can sell ten or twenty yuan worth."
下午1点钟，张大娘乐呵呵地起身回家做饭。遮阳伞下留着贴纸条的馒头箱，旁边挂着装满零钱、纸巾的塑料袋。“我不在的时候也能卖十几元钱呢。”
Xiàwǔ 1 diǎnzhōng, Zhāng dàniáng lèhēhē dì qǐ hēn huíjiā zuòfàn. Zhēyángsǎn xià liú zhe tiēzhǐtiáo de mántou xiāng, pángbiān guàzhe zhuāngmǎn língqián, zhǐjīn de sùliàodài. "Wǒ búzài de shíhou yě néng mài shí jǐ yuán qián ne."

Grannie Zhang's neighbor says, "The old lady's life isn't easy, a bag of steamed buns is not worth much, but we all are neighbors here, and nobody takes advantage of her."
张大娘的邻居说：“老太太挺不容易的，一袋馒头不值多少钱，乡里乡亲的没人占这便宜。”
Zhāng dàniáng de línjū shuō: "Lǎo tàitai tǐng bù róngyì de, yí dài mántou bùzhí duōshǎo qián, xiānglǐ xiāngqīn de méi rén zhàn zhè piányi."

Source: 2011-11/06 "七旬老太'无人馒头摊' 顾客自觉 '天下无贼'" online