Humans of China 人在中国 （第126）I started on just 15 yuan a month.

Humans of China  

人在中国

Exploring China one person at a time

一次探索一个中国人

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Like my father and my son I am a doctor but I have since retired from working at the hospital. Since retiring I've opened a small surgery on the first floor of my house in order to make some money but mainly to help people access cheap and affordable healthcare. My father was a very inspirational man and in the 1940's he had the chance to study at our local church for four years with some American missionaries who were also doctors. He then had the chance to work with some French doctors living and working in China who also taught him a lot. My father was very proficient in English and later worked as a university lecturer for a year but didn't like it. 

He then found work in the local hospital where he met my mother but she wasn't a doctor, she was a cleaner. My parents gave birth to four children but my three brothers all have problems with either their hearing, their eyesight or both. They did have the chance to study and they communicate by writing or sign language. My parents tried to give, not only me but us all the best opportunities possible. Having four children was very tough and making money and having enough food was difficult. As a surgeon, my dad would make around 24 to 57 yuan a month. I went to school in the 1960's and 1970's when I was around eight years old. Every classroom was filled with poster of Chairman Mao and some other world leaders. I remember my teacher clearly. She was a very kind and patient lady and not too old but life was even tougher for a teacher during that period of time. At 13 I started work, moving very big and very heavy rocks with about 15 other boys. It was hard, hot and for very little money, just eight Mao a day. I would give the money to my family as they, themselves found it hard to make enough money for us all to survive. In 1975 I finished high school. My parents didn't want me to be a doctor, they wanted me to work in a factory. After, around 1976 it was much easier to find a good job and to be educated wasn't such a bad thing. I started to operate at around the age of 26 after spending some years studying and working in some hospitals. I started on just 15 yuan a month which was just enough at that time to be able to eat and buy the bare necessities Buying things like new clothes wasn't possible with that salary. Each year we had a rise of two yuan. Whilst working at the hospital I would often perform life-saving surgeries and when my dad fell sick he came to the hospital where I was working. I spent three and a half hours operating on him and it was hard work. After my body and mind was drained. 

My dad lived until he was 79 but my mum only until she was 69. My mum told me stories about my grandfather. He wasn't a doctor or a farmer. His job was to move coal and at the age of 28, he was caught by the Japanese. His wife, my grandma was told he was first made to help them the Japanese with some work and then he was killed. He left for work one morning but he never returned. After, the family he worked for employed my grandma to cook, clean and look after their children. Soon after the Japanese were attacking China and they were dropping bombs all over Jiangxi. They have to leave to find a safer place to stay for some time. Luckily none of my other family died or were killed. I married at the age of 29 and my wife was 25. Back then we were not allowed to marry any younger. We met at the hospital where we both worked. 

Life is much better and much fairer than before and I am happy and feel lucky with how my life has turned out.

Jiangxi

我的父亲和我的儿子一样都是医生，我也是一名医生，但是现在退休了。自从退休后，我在我家的一楼开了一家小的外科诊所。可以赚一些钱，但更主要的是帮助人们接受更便宜的医疗。我父亲是一个非常励志的人，在20世纪40年代，他曾经和一些美国的传教士在当地的教堂学习了四年。这些传教士过去都是医生，教了他不少。后来，我的父亲和一些在中国生活工作的法国医生工作，他们也教了他许多。我的父亲精通英语，他在大学做过讲师一年，但是他不喜欢。后来他在当地的医院找到了一份工作，在那个医院他遇到我母亲，我的母亲不是医生，她只是那个医院的一名清洁工。我的父母生了四个孩子，但很不幸的是我的三个兄弟都患有不同的疾病，他们的听力和视力方面都有问题，这是先天性的。但他们有机会去学习，我的父亲送他们去聋哑学校，至现在他们和我聊天的方式都是写在纸上。我总是期望，我感觉在我的生活中做一些好事是我的责任。我的父母努力尽可能给我们最好的机会，是所有的孩子而不仅仅是我。有四个孩子非常困难，挣钱以及吃饱饭都很难。作为一个外科医生的父亲每月收入24-57元。我有机会去上学，在20世纪60、70年代，大约八岁的时候，我去学校读书。在那个时候每一个教室里都是毛主席的画像，以及在那个时期受到尊敬的其他人物的画像。我清楚地记得我的老师。她是一个非常善良有耐心的女士，年纪不大。但是对于一个老师来说，在那个时期生活非常艰难。

在我十三岁的时候，我开始和其他大约十五个男孩一起搬运又大又重的石头。这项工作很快辛苦，很热，每天只能得到八毛钱，很少。我把钱交给家里，挣钱养家很难。在1975年，我读完了高中。我的父母不想让我成为医生，他们想让我去工厂工作。后来，大概1976年，找工作很容易，在那时候可以学习是一件好事。我在一些医院学习和工作了几年，我在我二十六的时候开始做手术。我每个月的工资15元，那时候刚刚够吃饭，但是买一些东西比如新衣服是不够的。每年，我们会上涨两元。当我在医院工作的时候，我是一个生活节俭的外科医生。在那年我的父亲生病了。我把他接到医院，然后花了三个半小时给他做手术，手术很成功。手术非常费神，做完手术的我已经精疲力竭。后来我的父亲活到79岁，但是我的母亲只活到69岁。我的父亲告诉我一些关于我祖父的事情。他不是医生或者农民，他28岁的时候去运煤被日本人抓住了。我的祖母说，日本人要求他做一些任务然后把他杀了。自从那天早上他出去工作之后再也没有回来。后来一家地主家雇佣了我的祖母在他们家做饭、清洁、和照顾她们的小孩。不久之后，日本人来了江西他们投掷各种手榴弹。我的祖母她们必须撤离，总之很幸运他们没有人被杀害。我在29岁结婚，我的妻子25岁。以前是不可以自由恋爱的。正因为我们在共同工作的医院相遇。我们打破了传统思维。现在生活比以前好很多也很和平，我很幸福拥有现在的生活并且感到幸运。

江西

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