| Blogs > swallowtsui > Hopping Swallow 鍋爐焰焰 |
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Cheap cheap life; Big Big Love A Life That Worth Little But Love That Moves Mountain --The Last Letter of a Miner Died in a Mining Accident Source: sohu; tranlated by Swallow Oct. 8, 2006 Dear Dad, Mom, Bro., Sis, I am sure I have died when you receive this letter. My dear parents, please don’t cry. It’s me myself want to die. Don’t be sad. Mom, especially you, please never cry. I think dad’s waist pain should get treatments and bro. needs money for schooling. Most important, we can’t delay treatment for sis’s disease. The more delayed, the more suffering for her. If counting only on earning wages to pay the hospital bills, not sure when we would have enough money (for that). If only my death would save you from the hard time, my death is worthwhile. I don’t know how I would die. If many miners die at a time, the mine proprietors cant conceal it bcoz the governing administration would investigate. In this case each sacrificed miner would get RMB200,000. If, only died me one or two, you could settle ‘under the counter’ with the proprietors. Ask for 250,000 from him. Right half a month ago, (The family of) a guy crashed to death (in workings) reached private agreement with the mine for a compensation of 250,000. Dad and mom, you two should not come here for it’s too long and difficult a way. Please don’t make a hard time for yourselves. You ask guys like brothers Ming Qi and Ming Fa to come. They have been around. They know how to speak. They are big and look smart. Also, ask someone like auntie III of west house come. They are bold and fierce. They can make a big cry and noise. Tell them to start with 300,000. Undoubtedly, the proprietors would not agree. Rumble on with them. Then tell them that you’d report to radio and newspaper about the mining casualty, which would scare them. But don’t really mean it, it’s only our trick to bluff them, so that we could ask for a little more money, a minimum of 250,000 ‒ sure, better if we could get 10,000-20,000 more than that. You should stand out for that. Don’t be compassionate with them. They make bloody good money. Is there a day that they don’t make around 100,000? But they merely don’t want to give (this amount), in order not to set a precedent for miners who'd die later on to follow and surpass. Therefore, you need to tell Ming Qi and others concerned, to manipulate it deftly ‒ make noises when suitable, use both the carrot and the stick. Getting 10,000 more would survive my sis. one year more. However, don’t let them tie the string too hard around the proprietors’ neck. If pressed too much, they have gangster friends. We shan't let Ming Qi and other bros and sis. take the beating. I don’t know whether my body could be found. Forget it if could not. If found, be sure not to transport it back home, it takes over 10,000 to rent a vehicle. We wont spend undeservedly this unnecessary money. Just ask Ming Qi to burn me here and bring my cremains home. My petty cash is all put in the drawer. The small radio, please take it back for me. Dad, mom, with this 250,000, you ought to have a good rest. Dad, please do not do coolie work as your waist is weak and you should not climb up and down; mom, you too, please do not rent soil to cultivate. At first, treat my sis’s illness. But don’t smash the money if it can’t be cured even spending 150,000 to 160,000. You two should spare some money for old age, and some for my bro. His education fee in the coming several years must amount to 50,000 to 60,000. Not to mention such things as finding a job, marrying a wife, there are lots of expenditures. I didn’t have decent schooling yet I must support my bro’s education. Only if he works hard and outstandingly in school, would he be spared from hard laboring and leave our poor rural mountain area. Then pay off all the debts due to aunties, uncles and granduncle. They all have their own difficulties and should need the money. One more thing, some cousins wanted to come work here. Tell them never come here to earn 3000 if they can earn 300 at home. Regardless of the hardship, it is too dangerous. Make sure not to let them come. Dad and mom, I regret that I cannot uphold the flag and throw the basin for you (at your funeral). Let my bro. extend the generations for you and our family, let him take care of you and attend to you at your old age and in your last days. Here, your unfilial is kowtowing to you. I wish you good life in the coming years, wish my sis be cured and my bro. a smooth life journey. Also, our old house needs rebuilding next year. Otherwise, the leaking rainwater and flooding would be no good to dad’s waist, mom’s leg and sis’s illness. Also, when it turns colder, every one of you should buy several new clothes. Then a TV set, must be color TV. So sis can finally watch TV. Buy a muffle jacket for sis and leather shoes for bro. You must buy all these things as soon as you return home. Don’t be afraid of the gossips. Who dares sneer at us as we earn this money without robbing and stealing? I would be resting in peace if only you could eat well and dress well. Your , Da Guang Remarks: On 4 December, 2006, Li Daguang died because of a roof-fall accident in the Xia Mine of Guizhou. After his death, according to the promise set between them while he was alive, his letter was brought back home by his workmates. Based on sources, Li’s family eventually got a compensation of RMB250,000. |
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DVC, Corruption! Everyday in many of Chinese coal mines accidents occur and take many poor miners lives. Quite often this is on the headlines of Chinese news. Sometimes hundreds died, sometimes tens, sometimes a few or several, which is Da Guang's case. Dont you know Da Guang didnt commit suicide or make a death trap for the compensation. Working under such a bad condition without any mining safety measures, he would die for sure sooner or later. As we know and as he himself predicted, his death and deaths of others who keep working there is inevitable. Just a question of when. I feel ached that you, again, analyse Da Guang's death and judge him with your dualism, humanism and equalitarianism. You put him and the proprietors in an equal position while you say so, positioning humans on the same point. But facts are not. The poor mining conditions has long been a key problem enthreatening workers lives, so much so that Premier Wen Jiabao has pledged curb this and ordered local governments to shut down those having dangers. On the other side, facts are that mine owners dance on miners' corpses and make their money still, by buying local production safety governing bodies. I dont want to say it but I have to, under China's glamourous dazzling nightdress, do hide many poor ppl's weeping. Our central and supervisory governments are good and determined to make laws to improve their lives, but always, as the thousands of years history goes, a small part of local adminstrations spoil and ruin all these efforts.
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You know, improving working condition means investing more money on safety equipments and work environment. It also means an effective system of work shift and surveilance. As a rule of captalism, the greedy and blloody proprietors want the minimum cost to produce the maximum profit. So they so much reluctanctly to improve it. They would rather pay local officials to pass investigation, which, surely, the cost is much less than the improvement. In some places of western provinces, even heads of the Safety Supervision and Administration are shareholders of the shabby mines. They simply ignore workers' lives to earn their deadly money while the market is in great demand of energy. Coals prices go up and up. Only hope disastrous events like this will be stopped after the People's Congress convening with more attention drawn to it. Pest, Small ant as we were, how could we make the world a better place for all? Yet i appreciate your compassion.
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Dealer, A good dealer. Let me thank you and apologize to DVC. Really, Da Guang's letter lacks of contex to let outsider understand the mining situation in China. Thanks for pointing out my extremism. Yeah, i am easily provoked and lean on extremism although i am more than old enough to be.
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3/15/2007 10:02 pm |
Actually, I don't think there is anything impressive. Many people might do the similar thing. It's for passing down the DNA, from the biological angle.  Please don't disturb a chicken before he hatches.
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Oasis, You only glean one point perpetuated by Da Guang, though it may be a central point. As a Chinese that has been favored by the system or by birth more than those poor survival-struggling ppl, do you sometimes feel a bit abashed when you see they are suffering physically and mentally while we are simply worrying abt changing a better house and pursuing a quality life? I am at a loss when i see these helpless bodies but I can not help anything.
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DVC So I understand Swallow's reaction, and her reaction is a fine attitude. Get angry, protest and fight -- that's how bad things change, little by little... So China is in the process of pain like a woman delivering a (capitalist) baby. China also has a declination of being anglicized without digestion and chewing, a threat to her good traditions. Is it a better world when all the globe is the same standard and pace? Anger, protection and fight nowadays are such empty words. Usually, ppl demonstrating these are talkers only, incl. me. What a shame!@
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SFB Thank you for this Bline Shaft review. Some of the 6th Generation shed spotlight on reality and bottom ppl's lives, let's forget abt Zhang Yi Mou. Recently, I've seen a movie Ye Luo Guei Ge. 葉落歸根Reccommended.
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3/17/2007 2:22 am |
I dislike those things and people very much, such as corruption and so on. Besides, as what I said above, all these are for their living and passing down their DNAs, whoever they are, corrupt or not. And I dare to allege many of us would do the similar things, such as corruption, when we were in such a situation. Sometimes, when you are in rivers and lakes, you cannot help doing (ren zai jiang hu, shen bu you ji). We are all evil to some extent. Therefore, I am going to blame nobody and put down it lightly, but do something useful and down-to-earth. Then, perhaps one day I am powerful enough to do something about it.Please don't disturb a chicken before he hatches.
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What we can do is only still keep our heart warm enough to be touched by any sorrow sensitively , our heart string still can be fiddled by a tiny sigh , in the bit cold and indifferency world . it is all . Sadly ! Sayhell, You plague your sadness to me. Look up! Oasis, You belong to this typical young Chinese generation who are much more realistic. You believe that everyone on that profitable postion should claim interest from it. (在其位, 謀其利  But then you have amtition to change the situation only after you get power! You ignore 'start from me, from little thing, from everything." A failure of socialist education! Dearler, Are you in the US? Even I am not and nver been there, I know all those politics. It's dirty, it's money, it's nothing noble. But we should still throw our trust to some really great ppl, who are from the ppl and reserve some part of them for the ppl.
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3/22/2007 6:20 am |
Swallow, I'd go along with you, except "A failure of socialist education!" You should say a success of socialist education. It is more appropriate, isn't it? Please don't disturb a chicken before he hatches.
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Oasis, I'd say it's failure. Or maybe ur rite. Mao said, "Political power comes from the barrel of gun.' Socialist education's succeeded in pounding you this belief, 'The power of changing world comes from the powerhouse of money.' Hehehehehe....
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