Cleaning the community cultural square has become a daily "must-do" for Mr. Tian Wei, an elderly man over the past decade.
【Tune List】
Mr. Tian Wei is 92 years old.
Community: Dongrun Fengjing Community in Chaoyang District.
【Virtue Record】
In order to "live healthily," Mr. Tian Wei, who is over ninety years old, took a broom and swept the ground in the small woods near the community, and has been doing so for more than ten years. Carrying bricks, building sheds... The elder devoted his energy to the community. Now, the small woods have become a cultural square, and the elder's figure still appears on time every day.
During these ten plus years, he has not taken a penny, only needing the residents to call him "Grandpa Tian" to make him feel warm and empowered.
On a winter morning in Beijing, the strong wind brought waves of coldness, and citizens going to the square for exercise wore thick cotton clothes.
At 92 years old, Mr. Tian Wei was holding the top of the broom with both hands, slightly bending his legs, gathering fallen leaves. Underneath his dark blue Zhongshan suit were two thick autumn shirts. Sweat beads hung from his nose and neck.
For more than ten years, Mr. Tian Wei has been sweeping the ground and taking care of the flowers and plants in the small woods west of the neighborhood every day. He also set up fitness equipment and paved stone paths in the small woods. Now, the small woods have been planned as a community cultural square, and the residents can still see Mr. Tian Wei sweeping the ground. "My good health is all thanks to labor," Mr. Tian Wei said.
Retired Elderly Man Voluntarily Sweeps Woods
Mr. Tian Wei used to be the head of the machinery department at a farm bureau, retiring at the age of 64 and staying at home all day "working hard." After his wife passed away, Mr. Tian spent his days playing mahjong, sometimes playing all night, leading to a continuous decline in his health over the years. Later, Mr. Tian found a new partner and resolved to live healthily, "to be worthy of my wife's care."
At that time, there was a forest on the west side of the neighborhood where residents often went for walks. However, the roads in the forest were uneven, and after rain, they became muddy and slippery. "Such a good place could be well utilized. I can't contribute money, but I can contribute effort." From then on, Mr. Tian picked up a broom and started sweeping the ground in the small woods on schedule. Every morning before 9 o'clock, Mr. Tian would appear in the small woods sweeping the ground. At least 6 hours a day, regardless of wind or rain.
In addition to sweeping, Mr. Tian also used waste stones to pave a flat surface on the empty land in the small woods, built a shed with discarded wood and plastic sheets, and constructed wooden tables and benches for residents to cool off. He also built leg grinders and leg press bars. This work continued for more than ten years.
Shouldering Wood to Build "Leg Grinders"
Now, the civilized square is paved with stone paths, and metal tables and benches have replaced the wooden ones. But the wooden leg grinders and leg press bars built by Mr. Tian are still preserved and have become the favorite of the elderly.
"Every day, grinding the acupoints on the legs feels very comfortable, the height is just right, and when tired, you can sit down or rest your feet." The elderly exercising on the leg grinder agreed, "Other parks really don't have this; Old Tian knows exactly what the elderly need."
However, many people do not know that it took Mr. Tian a lot of trouble to build these "leg grinders" back then.
The wood for the leg grinders was found by Mr. Tian at an abandoned racetrack. At that time, Mr. Tian, who was over 80 years old, carried the wood on his shoulder and transported it to the small woods with a cart, then bound the wood between two trees with wire. Afraid that the thorns on the wood would hurt people, Mr. Tian used a file and sandpaper to smooth the surface of the wood. In a year, Mr. Tian built thirty to forty leg grinders and leg press bars in the small woods.
But soon after the leg grinders were built, they were dismantled by relevant authorities for "damaging trees" and "misusing wood." For this, Mr. Tian went to the neighborhood committee to report the situation and wrote letters to higher organizations, explaining that everyone needed the wooden bars, and that they were made from waste materials. After efforts, the dismantled wooden bars were returned.
Mr. Tian learned from the experience and stopped using wire to bind the wood, switching to gentler electrical wires and ropes, and even wrapped a layer of sponge around the trees. Now, if any leg grinder breaks, wears out, or gets damaged, the residents will still go to Mr. Tian. Mr. Tian is happy to continue being the defender of these wooden bars.
Argued with Family Over Cleaning
Although Mr. Tian received praise from many neighbors, early on, his actions faced much opposition from his family.
"So old, how will you not ruin your body?" His wife Zhang Guilan said that in order to prevent Mr. Tian from working, she even threatened to "not give him food or help wash his clothes." But Mr. Tian understood his wife's "harsh words but soft heart" and persisted in cleaning.
"Failed opposition" also came from his son. Mr. Tian's eldest son wanted his father to enjoy life and always blocked him from going to the square. Later, the old man sternly told his son: "If you don't agree with me sweeping, you don't have to come see me in the future."
Eventually, the family couldn't persuade the old man, but they did make demands: no injuries, and must return home on time for meals. But even this, Mr. Tian often didn't follow. For this, Zhang Guilan specially bought a watch, but Mr. Tian never wore it. The old man revealed his little calculation: "If I wear a watch, won't I lose the excuse to come home late?"
Love Earns Neighbor's Poetic Praise
After more than ten years, Mr. Tian became a "celebrity" in the community. Residents going to the square for exercise all affectionately called him "Old Tian" or "Grandpa Tian," and many residents gave gloves and brooms to the elderly.
The old man's actions also inspired the residents who often came for walks, starting to voluntarily keep the area clean and take care of the facilities in the square.
A few years ago, an old neighbor wrote a poem titled "Praising Grandpa Tian" and presented it to him as calligraphy. "South of the mountain, there is an old autumn gentleman, Spring breeze blows through the fields like bees..." This poem has been posted on the wall in Mr. Tian's hallway. Mr. Tian said, every time he sees this poem, it warms his heart.
What makes the old man most proud now, besides the tidy square, is his health, "For almost ten years, I haven't even caught a cold, all thanks to the merit of sticking to labor." Mr. Tian said, his goal is to "live to 130," "As long as I have a breath left, I will come and sweep."
In the winter wind, Mr. Tian wiped the sweat from his nose and continued to busy himself.
【Neighborhood Committee Question】
What keeps you going for so many years?
Mr. Tian: In the community, everyone calls me "Grandpa Tian," wishes me longevity, and worries about me while I work, telling me to rest. People care for me, and I should be grateful. I should also find ways to care for others and work hard. What I've done isn't enough yet.
【Reporter's Question】
Do people not understand your actions?
Mr. Tian: When I used to sweep, the dust would bother those resting nearby, and they criticized me. Later, I started earlier, finishing before they arrived. Some said I was "seeking fame and profit," but I didn't argue with them. What does sweeping have to do with fame and profit? I'm over 90 years old, it's impossible for me to get promoted, and no one has ever given me a penny for sweeping.
This article was written by reporter Lu Man and养成 worker Zhang Gailun.
Photography by reporter Yang Jie.
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