Humans of China 人在中国 （第126）I started on just 15 yuan a month.

Like my father and my son I am a doctor but I have since retired from working at the hospital. Since retiring I've opened a small surgery on the first floor of my house in order to make some money but mainly to help people access cheap and affordable healthcare. My father was a very inspirational man and in the 1940's he had the chance to study at our local church for four years with some American missionaries who were also doctors. He then had the chance to work with some French doctors living and working in China who also taught him a lot. My father was very proficient in English and later worked as a university lecturer for a year but didn't like it. 

He then found work in the local hospital where he met my mother but she wasn't a doctor, she was a cleaner. My parents gave birth to four children but my three brothers all have problems with either their hearing, their eyesight or both. They did have the chance to study and they communicate by writing or sign language. My parents tried to give, not only me but us all the best opportunities possible. Having four children was very tough and making money and having enough food was difficult. As a surgeon, my dad would make around 24 to 57 yuan a month. I went to school in the 1960's and 1970's when I was around eight years old. Every classroom was filled with poster of Chairman Mao and some other world leaders. I remember my teacher clearly. She was a very kind and patient lady and not too old but life was even tougher for a teacher during that period of time. At 13 I started work, moving very big and very heavy rocks with about 15 other boys. It was hard, hot and for very little money, just eight Mao a day. I would give the money to my family as they, themselves found it hard to make enough money for us all to survive. In 1975 I finished high school. My parents didn't want me to be a doctor, they wanted me to work in a factory. After, around 1976 it was much easier to find a good job and to be educated wasn't such a bad thing. I started to operate at around the age of 26 after spending some years studying and working in some hospitals. I started on just 15 yuan a month which was just enough at that time to be able to eat and buy the bare necessities Buying things like new clothes wasn't possible with that salary. Each year we had a rise of two yuan. Whilst working at the hospital I would often perform life-saving surgeries and when my dad fell sick he came to the hospital where I was working. I spent three and a half hours operating on him and it was hard work. After my body and mind was drained. 

My dad lived until he was 79 but my mum only until she was 69. My mum told me stories about my grandfather. He wasn't a doctor or a farmer. His job was to move coal and at the age of 28, he was caught by the Japanese. His wife, my grandma was told he was first made to help them the Japanese with some work and then he was killed. He left for work one morning but he never returned. After, the family he worked for employed my grandma to cook, clean and look after their children. Soon after the Japanese were attacking China and they were dropping bombs all over Jiangxi. They have to leave to find a safer place to stay for some time. Luckily none of my other family died or were killed. I married at the age of 29 and my wife was 25. Back then we were not allowed to marry any younger. We met at the hospital where we both worked. 

Life is much better and much fairer than before and I am happy and feel lucky with how my life has turned out.

Jiangxi