Touching encounter at the antiques market
October 16, 2012, Tuesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
Remember Cun! It happened at the antiques market in Shanghai. I had great difficulty finding this famous place, I only knew I had to get off at Laoximen Station of Metro Line 8. The market was marvelous. I looked and looked at the hundreds of brilliant Buddha statues, enjoyed the figurines of monsters whose names I didn't know, and I loved the crowd there.
Then I happened to fall in love with a small terracotta soldier. I passed the stall several times. "How much does this one cost?" I finally asked the young man who sold the pieces. "One hundred yuan (US$16)," he said.
It was my third day in Shanghai and at first I didn't understand what he said. "How much?" I repeated. He produced his electronic calculator from his pocket and printed "100" very decisively indeed. I had only 100 yuan and I planned to go to Carrefour to buy some groceries. I left his stall and walked away. He ran after me and said, "Okay, 70 yuan." I continued walking and he walked obstinately by my side. "Fifty yuan and that's the last price."
I liked the terracotta soldier very much, but I didn't turn around. I thought I'd come back on the following day with more money.
The young man ran after me and said, "How much do you give?" I had no idea how much a terracotta soldier like this cost, I wanted to check if, by chance, I had more money on me and a 10-yuan note fell onto the ground. "Okay," the man said. "Ten yuan and that is the last price!"
I looked at him unbelieving. He had wanted 100 and was ready to give me the soldier for 10! Well, I gave him the money, and he gave me the soldier, and said, "Look, look, I have other things. Cheap!"
Yes, there were beautiful things at his stall. Some odd chess pieces and especially the queen, made of brown wood, made me burn with curiosity. He was a young man, with very intelligent eyes. I was suddenly sorry I gave him so little money for that magnificent terracotta soldier.
"What is your name?" I asked him. He looked at me, kept silent for a while and then suddenly said, "Cun." "I am Zdravka," I said. He tried to repeat my name several times and finally gave up. "Difficult," he said.
On the following day, I came again to the antiques market. I had taken a small bottle, a souvenir from Bulgaria: it was made of wood, it was carved and beautifully painted. I hadn't given much money for it. In Bulgaria, wooden bottles like this are frequently used as small presents to show your appreciation for friends.
I went to Cun's stall and said the only expression I knew in Chinese, "Ni hao!" He smiled at me and I liked his face. His smile was bigger than the wind. "This is for you, Cun," I told him and gave him the souvenir.
"How much is it?" he immediately asked. "It's free," I said. "It is for you."
He was silent for a second then he asked, "Why?"
I had to tell him that terracotta soldier had brought me good luck - the Italian publisher, Salento Books, sent me a contract to publish my novel "Thursday," but I didn't say all this. I said, "This is a lucky bottle, Cun. Make a wish, put the bottle under your pillow and sleep on it. And your wish will come true!"
"I want to find a good wife," he said and smiled.
"You will," I said and turned to go. Cun walked quickly after me, tapped me on the shoulder and I turned around.
"This is for you," he said and quickly pushed a chess piece, the queen made of brown wood, into my hand.
"How much?" I asked.
"It is free," he said. "Make a wish."
"And then put the wooden queen under my pillow?" I asked.
"No, no!" he said energetically. "Make a wish, remember Cun, and the wish comes true!"
His smile was as big as the sky.
I saw the Bund, I saw the Old City, the Shanghai Art Museum, Jing'an Temple, Jade Buddha Temple.
I visited many other beautiful places. I was astounded by the way the bicyclists and motorbike drivers rode their vehicles, unafraid of the red traffic lights; I was impressed by the power and glory of the city. But I always remember Cun. Cun's smile at the antiques market will be the smiling face of Shanghai for me.
Then I happened to fall in love with a small terracotta soldier. I passed the stall several times. "How much does this one cost?" I finally asked the young man who sold the pieces. "One hundred yuan (US$16)," he said.
It was my third day in Shanghai and at first I didn't understand what he said. "How much?" I repeated. He produced his electronic calculator from his pocket and printed "100" very decisively indeed. I had only 100 yuan and I planned to go to Carrefour to buy some groceries. I left his stall and walked away. He ran after me and said, "Okay, 70 yuan." I continued walking and he walked obstinately by my side. "Fifty yuan and that's the last price."
I liked the terracotta soldier very much, but I didn't turn around. I thought I'd come back on the following day with more money.
The young man ran after me and said, "How much do you give?" I had no idea how much a terracotta soldier like this cost, I wanted to check if, by chance, I had more money on me and a 10-yuan note fell onto the ground. "Okay," the man said. "Ten yuan and that is the last price!"
I looked at him unbelieving. He had wanted 100 and was ready to give me the soldier for 10! Well, I gave him the money, and he gave me the soldier, and said, "Look, look, I have other things. Cheap!"
Yes, there were beautiful things at his stall. Some odd chess pieces and especially the queen, made of brown wood, made me burn with curiosity. He was a young man, with very intelligent eyes. I was suddenly sorry I gave him so little money for that magnificent terracotta soldier.
"What is your name?" I asked him. He looked at me, kept silent for a while and then suddenly said, "Cun." "I am Zdravka," I said. He tried to repeat my name several times and finally gave up. "Difficult," he said.
On the following day, I came again to the antiques market. I had taken a small bottle, a souvenir from Bulgaria: it was made of wood, it was carved and beautifully painted. I hadn't given much money for it. In Bulgaria, wooden bottles like this are frequently used as small presents to show your appreciation for friends.
I went to Cun's stall and said the only expression I knew in Chinese, "Ni hao!" He smiled at me and I liked his face. His smile was bigger than the wind. "This is for you, Cun," I told him and gave him the souvenir.
"How much is it?" he immediately asked. "It's free," I said. "It is for you."
He was silent for a second then he asked, "Why?"
I had to tell him that terracotta soldier had brought me good luck - the Italian publisher, Salento Books, sent me a contract to publish my novel "Thursday," but I didn't say all this. I said, "This is a lucky bottle, Cun. Make a wish, put the bottle under your pillow and sleep on it. And your wish will come true!"
"I want to find a good wife," he said and smiled.
"You will," I said and turned to go. Cun walked quickly after me, tapped me on the shoulder and I turned around.
"This is for you," he said and quickly pushed a chess piece, the queen made of brown wood, into my hand.
"How much?" I asked.
"It is free," he said. "Make a wish."
"And then put the wooden queen under my pillow?" I asked.
"No, no!" he said energetically. "Make a wish, remember Cun, and the wish comes true!"
His smile was as big as the sky.
I saw the Bund, I saw the Old City, the Shanghai Art Museum, Jing'an Temple, Jade Buddha Temple.
I visited many other beautiful places. I was astounded by the way the bicyclists and motorbike drivers rode their vehicles, unafraid of the red traffic lights; I was impressed by the power and glory of the city. But I always remember Cun. Cun's smile at the antiques market will be the smiling face of Shanghai for me.
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