Outstanding community service - one haircut at a time
By Wang Lihui, Liu Bihua and Xu Wei |
March 26, 2012, Monday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
HE is not a professional barber, however, he has spent 34 years cutting hair more than 15,000 times for over 200 villagers. He is not a caretaker of the community, but whenever he knows that someone needs repair work done, he will be there to offer a hand.
His family is not wealthy, but all the services he has provided are free of charge. The man is Gui Jianming, a resident of Anting Town who was honored as an "Outstanding Volunteer of Shanghai" on March 1.
There are 14 types of clippers in a showcase at his home. To him, each clipper is a witness of his voluntary road over the past 30-odd years, reminding him that life is worth it.
In 1978 after leaving the army, the then 24-year-old Gui returned to Mengjing Village of Anting Town. When he learned that his old uncle had to walk 4 kilometers to town to have his hair cut, he bought his first clipper for 3.8 yuan (60 US cents). He decided to cut the old uncle's hair with the skills he had obtained in the army.
"Great job!" "Well done!" the praise from the villagers became a big encouragement for Gui. Even in intervals during the busy farm work, he cut hair for people besides the grain mass. According to his son, sometimes his mother was the only person doing the farm work in the fields while his father did the barbering for the others.
Door-to-door barber
Liu Hongbao, a villager of the Luojia Village, got to know Gui two years ago at Huangdu Park. Gui was then cutting hair for old people in the park. When he knew that the senior residents of Luojia Village also need such service, he volunteered to be a regular door-to-door barber for them. Liu then became a contact person. Every month Gui would call him to know when he should go.
"Gui has done us a big favor," Liu says. "We have not only saved our time for barbering, but also saved money."
Gui's service has extended to other areas, such as Zhonggu Town and Baihe Town of Qingpu District, as well as Huaqiao Town of Kunshan City. In addition to barbering, he also repairs bikes, unblocks water pipe and does house maintenance work. No matter during the day or at night, he is ready to offer a hand.
Gui doesn't give up even when he is sick. Three days before the Chinese Lunar New Year of 2008, Gui had just left hospital after 20 days of treatment for cerebral infarction. His son asked him to have a good rest at home.
However, it suddenly came to Gui's mind that Uncle Tang from the Henghe Village hadn't had his hair cut for a long time. Without telling his family, Gui went to Tang's house. The wheels of his motorcycle got stuck in the deep snow. Gui had to walk on his toes very carefully. Uncle Tang was very surprised and moved to see Gui. "It is our Chinese tradition to get a haircut for a fresh new start before the Chinese New Year," Gui says with a smile.
Some people used to think that Gui was "silly" to devote more than 30 years of his life to helping others. But Gui thinks that it makes him feel happy and fulfilled to help people and make them smile. It is something that money can't buy, and is actually what motivates him to persevere.
His family is not wealthy, but all the services he has provided are free of charge. The man is Gui Jianming, a resident of Anting Town who was honored as an "Outstanding Volunteer of Shanghai" on March 1.
There are 14 types of clippers in a showcase at his home. To him, each clipper is a witness of his voluntary road over the past 30-odd years, reminding him that life is worth it.
In 1978 after leaving the army, the then 24-year-old Gui returned to Mengjing Village of Anting Town. When he learned that his old uncle had to walk 4 kilometers to town to have his hair cut, he bought his first clipper for 3.8 yuan (60 US cents). He decided to cut the old uncle's hair with the skills he had obtained in the army.
"Great job!" "Well done!" the praise from the villagers became a big encouragement for Gui. Even in intervals during the busy farm work, he cut hair for people besides the grain mass. According to his son, sometimes his mother was the only person doing the farm work in the fields while his father did the barbering for the others.
Door-to-door barber
Liu Hongbao, a villager of the Luojia Village, got to know Gui two years ago at Huangdu Park. Gui was then cutting hair for old people in the park. When he knew that the senior residents of Luojia Village also need such service, he volunteered to be a regular door-to-door barber for them. Liu then became a contact person. Every month Gui would call him to know when he should go.
"Gui has done us a big favor," Liu says. "We have not only saved our time for barbering, but also saved money."
Gui's service has extended to other areas, such as Zhonggu Town and Baihe Town of Qingpu District, as well as Huaqiao Town of Kunshan City. In addition to barbering, he also repairs bikes, unblocks water pipe and does house maintenance work. No matter during the day or at night, he is ready to offer a hand.
Gui doesn't give up even when he is sick. Three days before the Chinese Lunar New Year of 2008, Gui had just left hospital after 20 days of treatment for cerebral infarction. His son asked him to have a good rest at home.
However, it suddenly came to Gui's mind that Uncle Tang from the Henghe Village hadn't had his hair cut for a long time. Without telling his family, Gui went to Tang's house. The wheels of his motorcycle got stuck in the deep snow. Gui had to walk on his toes very carefully. Uncle Tang was very surprised and moved to see Gui. "It is our Chinese tradition to get a haircut for a fresh new start before the Chinese New Year," Gui says with a smile.
Some people used to think that Gui was "silly" to devote more than 30 years of his life to helping others. But Gui thinks that it makes him feel happy and fulfilled to help people and make them smile. It is something that money can't buy, and is actually what motivates him to persevere.
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