Yesterday, at the entrance of the Tiantan East Gate subway station, a member of the volunteer guidance team was giving directions to a passer-by.
[Touching List]
Tiantan East Gate Volunteer Guidance Team
Number of members: 17
Members' age: 43 to 82 years old
[Deed Record]
Every morning, pedestrians passing by the northwest entrance of the Tiantan East Gate subway station can see a folding table directly in front of the subway exit, with several map booklets on it. A sign hanging in front of the table reads "Volunteer Guidance." The sign is somewhat worn out, and the map booklets have been flipped so many times that their corners are curled up. Though the items are old, the people providing guidance still remain steadfast. The Tiantan East Gate Volunteer Guidance Team, consisting of 17 members, takes turns working in pairs. They have persisted here for three years without taking a single day off throughout the year.
[Speaking of Virtue]
Volunteering for directions is a very small matter, quite inconspicuous. But even such a small thing, as long as it helps others, we see it as a big deal and a contribution to the public welfare cause.
—Han Jinling, a member of the Tiantan East Gate Volunteer Guidance Team
On the morning of December 6th, Beijing was shrouded in haze, and the temperature dropped sharply. Han Jinling, aged 65, wearing a long dark blue down jacket, wrapped in a lake blue cotton scarf, and wearing a white baseball cap, came to the volunteer guidance point near the northwest entrance of the Tiantan East Gate subway station for her shift. She swayed her body to keep warm while responding to tourists asking for directions.
"Excuse me, ma'am, could you tell me where the 687 bus stop is?" asked a young man who had just exited the subway. "Which direction are you going?" Han Jinling asked. After the young man mentioned a station name, Han Jinling quickly pointed southward, and the young man nodded, thanked her, and left.
Working alongside Han Jinling was Wang Xiwen, also 65 years old. When a foreigner came out of the subway exit, Wang Xiwen greeted him with a "HELLO" and handed him a map, indicating that he could ask her for directions. After learning that the foreigner did not need guidance services, Wang Xiwen bid him farewell warmly.
"Winter is still okay, just a bit cold, but fewer people. In summer, we don't even have time to drink water, and during busy times, we don't even have time to go to the bathroom..." Before Han Jinling finished speaking, she encountered a couple asking for directions. Within a short ten minutes, they had already helped five or six passers-by find their way.
Inspired by Out-of-Town Models
Guidance Team Settles in Tiantan Area
Talking about the initial motivation behind the establishment of the Tiantan East Gate Volunteer Guidance Team, Han Risheng, Han Jinling's father and also a member of the guidance team, introduced that before the 2008 Olympics, a group of retired elderly people organized a study class and often gathered together for activities. "At that time, we heard that there was a volunteer guidance team in Shijiazhuang, and we thought it could also be done in Beijing." He and other members investigated several places in Beijing and eventually settled on Tiantan East Gate.
"At first, some people couldn't bring themselves to do it and quit halfway," said Han Jinling, but as long as they thought it was for public welfare and not something embarrassing, they naturally let go and went ahead. After three years of persistence, the guidance team now has 17 members, aged between 43 and 82, most of them being elderly people in their sixties and seventies, many of whom are retired employees from state-owned enterprises.
Some of the team members' families were worried about their health and asked them not to come out to give directions, thinking it would be nice to enjoy a peaceful life at home. However, they still insisted on "working shifts." Wang Xiwen said that although volunteering for directions was not a big public welfare activity, "I feel happy serving everyone and making things convenient for everyone, and I get spiritual rewards."
When Passers-By Pose Challenges
Team Members Prepare Secret Weapons
The members of the guidance team originally thought that volunteering for directions should proceed smoothly, receiving support and understanding from passers-by. However, they occasionally encountered misunderstandings and scolding.
Han Jinling said that once, she gave wrong directions, and the passer-by angrily shouted at their sign: "What are you supposed to do?" Looking back now, Han Jinling feels that she indeed had responsibility, "We still didn't do it well enough, and we need to strictly demand ourselves and start from ourselves."
The guidance team also faces various "challenges" posed by passers-by, who not only inquire about tourist attractions but also ask about nearby banks, hospitals, toilets, etc. For such situations, Han Jinling has her own "secret weapon." She specially prepared a white notebook, marking various routes around Tiantan and making detailed notes.
"We must be familiar with this area, and when our memory isn't good, we can check the notebook," said Han Jinling. If she encounters a road she doesn't know, she will ask the traffic assistants at the street corner or other people, "In any case, try to help find the answer."
Three Years of Rain or Shine
No Breaks During Spring Festival
Since its establishment three years ago, the volunteer guidance team has worked rain or shine, without taking a single day off throughout the year. The team members said that even during the Spring Festival, they work according to the shift schedule. "The duration of each shift isn't long, and our health is good. It's better to come out and help than to sit idle at home," one member said.
The dedication of the volunteer guidance team members has inspired many passers-by. When the reporter visited, a little girl passed by and praised the sign for volunteer guidance, saying, "These elders are really familiar with the surroundings, and their spirit is commendable."
The nearby urban management officers were also moved and provided convenience for these elders wherever possible. In summer, fearing the elders' bodies might not withstand the heat, the urban management officers specially set up a large sun umbrella for them; in winter, the urban management officers helped contact the subway station's duty room so the elders could get hot water conveniently.
A netizen once posted a Weibo praising the volunteer guidance team. Han Jinling said that they don't use the internet and don't care about others' evaluations, "We just want to give back to society."
Now, the members of the guidance team not only volunteer for directions but also go to nursing homes to cut hair for the elderly, wipe station railings, tear off small advertisements, and pick up white trash on the roads, among other activities.
[Netizens Ask]
Why Choose Near Tiantan?
Netizen: Beijing is so big, why choose to volunteer for directions near Tiantan East Gate? Do you all live nearby?
Team Member Han Risheng: Everyone lives in different places, some quite far from Tiantan. We chose Tiantan because it is a representative park in Beijing, with many tourists. The place for giving directions is exactly at a bend near Tiantan, making it difficult for newcomers to distinguish directions. Moreover, there are many bus routes available, making the provision of direction services very necessary.
[Security Guard Asks]
Until When Will You Persist?
Tiantan East Gate Security Guard: It's really not easy to persist for so long, but until when will you continue?
Team Member Wang Xiwen: For the team, it's forever. Personally, as long as I can go out, I will continue. In a harmonious society, everyone must improve their moral qualities.
[Reader Asks]
Can Guiding Inspire Young People?
Reader Ms. Liu: Do you think the public welfare action of the volunteer guidance team can inspire young people to join?
Team Member Han Jinling: Young people have to work, and some don't understand our actions. But regardless of what others say, we must do it ourselves first. Ideally, we can inspire retired elders, one person at a time.
[Call for Entries]
The fifth edition of the Moving Community Figures Selection organized by the Beijing News (Weibo) is ongoing. We welcome recommendations from all sectors for candidates.
Before January 20, 2012, call the hotline 67106710 to recommend.
Send candidate information to [email protected]
You can also participate by logging onto the Beijing News website or the Sina News homepage.
Cooperating Media: Sina.com
This edition was written by reporter Lin Azhen and intern Liu Xiaonan of the Beijing News.
Photography by reporter Wang Jianing of the Beijing News.
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