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Pang Hai – The Garden’s Crossroads

Stories 2022 Shortlist

By July 7, 2022Stories 2022

Based in
China

Photographed in
China

Lu Daosen died.He is 26 years old, and is an internet celebrity freelance photographer.

Why did Lu Dawson died? Before his death, he published his will online, which stated that he was a left-behind child in the rural areas. He was bullied as a student and became a dream chaser living alone in the city when he grew up. And he has no love or money in the big city, his dreams are squeezed out by reality, and there is no future.

With the rapid population growth and 40 years of rapid economic development, “we” developed from the era of collectivism to the “me”individualism, after the reform and opening up, individualism.Classes began to solidify, and the rise of migration and urbanisation created a modern stranger society characterised by anonymity and disorder.Since I was born with competition.How to use labor to obtain more survival resources is a top priority. It is full of challenges for ordinary people to change their living standards. I am always worried about being eliminated, and anxiety arises spontaneously. The chance to change myself becomes very small with age.Coupled with a series of pressures such as emotional loneliness and traditional concepts, the crossroads of life are getting narrower and narrower.Eventually Deer Dawson stopped at the intersection.

In the city of stars, there is no light to light it up. Those dreams that have been poured day and night have become endless dust, no one will remember. It is a pity that you died and the news made me know you in this way.But why am I not someone like you? 

 Every day I walk at the crossroads.I know our identity will not go into history, our names will not be in the archives of history, but we are still full of vitality, and in the fierce competition of modern life, some disappear like animals, others stay.Each individual’s story is an epic full of metaphors and symbolism.

Is the world a ball? Elastic? Is the world a stone? A cold?

We are all flowers, flowers reflect on each of us, standing out is the goal of our generation.

Jing is a single mother, raising children is a responsibility, taking care of the elderly is filial piety, working day and night to support the family, she has to become a strong woman.

In the year of equal wealth distribution, people were proud of their honor by wore red flowers. Today, wealth has gradually become the only criterion of success, and money is more important than honor.

Greedy butterflies gather together.

Your phone rings, you’re on line 24 hours a day to work, and you need to keep your good face on at all times. Wen Hao spends every day like this.

It has been 7 years since Xiaoyan Lin decided to leave his hometown Fujian and came to Beijing. He is a dancer, a director, a planner, a totally freelancer. He couldn’t tell how many times he moved house, but there seems no place could let him be settled down And for saving money and time, finally he moved to a house with only 10 square meters in the alley.Nowadays, multiple careers and frequent mobility are the current situation of young people.

The dog is jacked up by an electronic pole, which he must cling to.

Shaojiang came to Beijing for 6 years. He said that there are many opportunities and he can make more money than his hometown. Unfortunately, there is no salary increase in 6 years, and there is no good opportunity for him. Even if he works for a lifetime, he can’t afford a house. He may be leaving soon if he can’t get a “big fish” in the city.

My world? Me in the world?

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