One man’s ordinary life strikes a chord with millions
An 11-minute video about an ordinary man’s life in rural China has touched millions of Chinese netizens. The video was uploaded to the video-sharing platform Bilibili on Monday and received over 10 million views in a single day. Bilibili uploader Tang Hao, whose online handle is Yige Caixiang, captures his uncle’s life in the countryside. The video opens with his uncle and grandmother standing in front of their rural home with Tang narrating their life story in a calm voice.
The uncle was once a bright student and got high grades in school. But fate played a cruel joke when he became disabled and needed a cane to walk due to a botched medical treatment. Tang’s uncle refused to go back to school. Instead, he tried to learn medicine all by himself in a vain attempt to cure his leg. He later picked up carpentry skills.
He soon started making stools for local villagers. He could only make two stools in a day, which was good enough to feed himself.
Gradually, he started to repair all kinds of stuff, including stoves, lamps and home appliances. He became the go-to person for every villager who needed something to fix.
There were only three things he couldn’t fix — smartphones, cars and computers. And that was because he never had them!
When he turned 30, people his age began to get married and raise families. The uncle never married but instead adopted a girl whom he named Ningning.
Tang’s grandmother became more dependent by the day. So, when he had to go out to do some odd carpentry jobs, he would carry his mother on his electric tricycle. Eventually, Tang’s uncle stopped doing carpentry jobs and started to look after his mother full-time, cooking her favorite noodles, giving her foot massages and forcing her to exercise.
Even though Ningning did not get a decent education, she was helpful as she watched her father look after her grandmother.
If it wasn’t for the fever — and the doctor — that cost him his leg, the uncle might have lived a different life today, according to Tang. “Who doesn’t have regrets?” asks Tang. “The biggest regret in life is probably living with too many regrets and discovering that at the end of one’s life.”
The uncle never looked back and carried on working, making him the happiest man in the village. He managed to make a good life out of his unfortunate past.
The video moved many netizens. At first glance, it seems to have the vibe of Forrest Gump.
One netizen said the seemingly calm narration and the uncle’s life story couldn’t hide the emotions behind them. “The unassuming story is too close to life — like yours and mine.”
Another netizen said that for those who suffer from mental struggles, the uncle’s story can be inspiring. “Instead of overthinking, you might as well do the physical chores that are in front of you, and you are guaranteed to feel better.”