Chapter 56 What is the poetry of "Tianguang Ruins"?

In the past, the old scenes of poverty and suffering in Hong Kong were not just in the photos. As long as anyone wants to study, today anyone can find some material traces along the wet footprints of history—— In Sham Shui Po, Kowloon, Hong Kong, among all the Hong Kong garment tycoons who have shaken off poverty and become rich today, I dare say that there is no one who does not know that there used to be a market there. This is the "Tianguang Market" where ordinary people in Hong Kong buy and sell second-hand goods and exchange what they need. "Tianguangxu", what a poetic name.

In March 2005, I saw a group of reports from the 1895th issue of Hong Kong's "Ming Pao Weekly". "Dawn Bazaar" recalled article: It opened before dawn, and closed at dawn... Hong Kong used to be a symbol of suffering and self-reliance... The "Tianguang Market" in Hong Kong still exists today, and it is still a low-class citizen Great place to live an active life... On March 28th, just because I read "Ming Pao Weekly", I knew that Hong Kong still has a "ratty city" full of legends. At four o'clock in the middle of the night, I woke up my husband and took advantage of the "Easter" On the last day of the holiday, I asked him to accompany me to visit Kowloon.We spent more than 100 yuan in taxi fare, and it was difficult to find it after three turns and two turns. Finally, we found the newly relocated "Tianguang Market" under a newly built bridge on Tongzhou Street.

At this time, the "Tianguang Market" before my eyes is of course very different from the scene decades ago.It is said that this morning market, spontaneously formed by common people, first appeared in an old industrial area in Sham Shui Po, Hong Kong more than 40 years ago. At that time, the residents living there lived in a very difficult life. Many family-style factories sold their own sewing products in the morning. Ready-made clothes gradually formed a market. In those days, "there are shirts for sale", "it's so cheap", and "let's take a look if you don't buy them!" were sold earlier than the sun rose.Afterwards, more and more people rushed to the market, and there were hundreds of stalls selling on the market.Many people first set up a stall and then set up a factory. The money they earn can gradually support a small business. One sewing machine has become several or dozens, and some small factories have become large factories and companies. Small bosses will become big bosses and garment tycoons in the future.

The most prosperous days of Hong Kong's "Tianguang Market" are a paradise for ordinary entrepreneurs. Hong Kong people never forget this. Especially in the 1970s and 1980s, the mainland began to reform and open up, and "jeans" became the first symbol of people smashing old clothes and saying goodbye to the old era. People wanted them in batches, and the business continued to boom.Therefore, although the "Tianguang Market" always opens at dawn, and the market has to give way to cars and pedestrians as soon as the sun shines, the business at midnight is also a business. When I came to Hong Kong to "buy cloth and make goods", gradually the flow of trade became a one-stop stream. In the end, even the "Fine Cloth Street" in Central was robbed of a lot of business. "Forcing the shopkeeper to move to Sham Shui Po to open a shop!"

That day in the "Tianguang Market", under the twilight of the moonlight that was about to disappear, I saw young and old, as well as some young and strong men and women, still selling things. Those things were nothing more than shoes and socks, underwear, pots and pans, Small appliances, antique bric-a-brac, magazines, books, CDs, batteries, jewelry, accessories, shampoo, laundry detergent, and more, old and new.I tried to talk to the seller, but the language was not sophisticated and the conversation was not deep. I just remembered that one of the middle-aged women saw me squatting in front of her stall to buy two thick hairpins. She was very happy and told me " "Listening" (chatting), I asked her how many things can be sold in this market in the morning, and how much money can she earn?She said that she couldn't actually sell many things, it was just a business, money, "it's a little less"; I walked to the bridge again, and saw an old woman with a bent waist, at least over 80 years old, and asked Could she make a hundred dollars here in the morning?Where does the old lady say there are so many?That is 10 yuan and 20 yuan.However, I have been selling here for decades, and I am used to it. Even though the family does not expect her to do business in "Tianguangxu", the children have grown up, and the son does not know that she still comes to "Tianguangxu" every day. "Tianguang Market" deals in second-hand goods, but if you don't come to the market every morning and stay at home, it's quite uncomfortable.

I asked: "Now, if your son knows that you have to go to the 'Tianguang Market' to sell second-hand goods every day, what will he do? Would he be happy?" What's the matter, it's better to make some money than to have no income, he is not happy, why? Locked (stupid)?" Leaving the "Tianguang Market", I looked at my watch that morning. It was not yet 7 o'clock, the sun was half hidden and half exposed behind the clouds, and the sky was already getting brighter.The old granny said that she should also close the file, "Look, today's business is not open." At this time, a middle-aged man ran over and wanted to buy a pair of sweatpants from the granny, and the old granny said, "Then 10 papers", he started to search for him.I think 10 yuan for a pair of sweatpants is quite cheap in Hong Kong, but this man quit, saying, "It's too expensive, and it's not new, so I can only give you 2 cents."The old lady sold it, and complained to me: "How can this be a business? A pair of sweatpants, although they are old, can't be seen. They only give two renminbi, ah, two renminbi? Forget it." Forget it, forget it, if you sell it, you will sell it..."