Occupations that existed in ancient times but are now extinct

You may have seen the professions that are disappearing in China when you were a child: Those professions that are disappearing in China (Photos) Guangming Book Excerpts

There is a process for everything to rise and decline. In history, it may be just a moment, but in our personal experience, it may be a profound mark and a long experience. Read the following text and look at the following pictures. You can regard it as a pastime or as an understanding. Maybe it can collide with your thoughts and create something.

Repairing pens

Before liberation, most of the pens used were imported, mostly Parker gold pens. Officials were also proud to own a Parker gold pen. When I was young, I saw my father taking a gold Parker pen for repair. The Parker gold pen of that era felt very weighty in the hand. There was a little gold on the top of the pen tip. The handwriting was round and the writing was extremely smooth. But after using it for a long time, it will wear out a lot, so you need to find a pen repairman to inlay it with gold.

The master is a middle-aged man. He carefully clamps the pen in a mold, melts a piece of gold wire with a blowtorch, picks up a little with a needle, and dips it into the tip of the pen. After it cools, he uses a fine After gently rubbing it with sandpaper, it is now a good pen that can write fluently. At that time, I felt that the master was simply dancing on the tip of a needle!

As this type of gold pen became rare and even extinct, repairing fountain pens became a simple task of replacing accessories. Treat the headache and the foot. Since there are so many types of pens now, the accessories are not very coordinated with the pens, but it is better than nothing, so I have to make do.

The profit of pen repair has always been very low. Firstly, the price of pens is cheap, and secondly, most of the users are students. Therefore, repairing pens has always been a relatively poor occupation. Therefore, we can only see the figure of the pen repairer as thin as a pen around the school and in the towns...

Mending pots

Mending pots used to be street crafts A workshop occupation is collective in nature. The apprenticeship lasts for three years and the wages are extremely meager. After leaving the army, the situation improved slightly. The different projects depend on the type of pot. For example, there are those that specialize in repairing iron pots, those that repair enamel vessels, and those that repair aluminum pots and kettles. The techniques and heat levels are different. Of course, a master chef can "take it all" and can afford and put down everything. However, as the business slumped, these workshops were unable to make ends meet, and they gradually decomposed into self-employed businesses under the economic tide. But it is undeniable that their income has increased a lot.

Some tinkerers walked from house to house, singing "Mend - Pot - Le -" with a loud and clear voice, causing a group of mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law to rush to find the broken pots. Rotten bowls, walking in the alley, pots and pans clinking and banging, just like a tone-deaf percussion band, very lively. What's interesting is that after replacing the aluminum pot bottom, the tinker didn't let the guests take it away, and filled a pot of water to see if it leaked. The tinker is full of confidence: If you miss it, I won't charge you a penny!

Only the tinker who has saved enough money can hope to open a small shop and eat handicraft food steadily. And some clever tinkers are starting to think about repairing pressure cookers, electric woks or rice cookers. Times are forcing everyone to move forward, so how can craftsmen be an exception?

Selling cold boiled water

Selling cold boiled water is not the same thing as selling herbal tea. In the south, in addition to herbal tea, the types of cold water sold include sugar water, boiled water, watermelon juice, sugar cane juice, etc., which is a way of survival for housewives.

To sell cold boiled water, you must have an innate geographical advantage. Your house is on the roadside. Otherwise, no one will rent a house for this small business. They usually set up a table at the door, and some also put a few stools. They all use glass cups, pour all kinds of drinking water, and then cover the mouth of the cup with a square glass piece to show hygiene.

Children all like to drink sugar water and fruit juice, but the prices were not low at the time. A cup of sugar water cost 2 cents, and a cup of fruit juice cost 5 cents. Some water sellers are very cunning. They are playing the trick of sharpening iron with the tip of a needle. They are reluctant to use white sugar and use saccharin instead. Sometimes they cannot control the balance and everything turns into a bitter taste, which will attract a lot of scolding.

Herbal tea is generally drunk by adults, and most of them come from rural areas to cities. The tea is not ordinary tea leaves, but Laoyin tea. Laoyin tea is a kind of leaf, not a regular tea. After boiling, the tea juice turns reddish brown, but it can produce fluid and quench thirst. If this kind of tea is infested with tea worms, the taste and efficacy will be better. A cup of herbal tea is a great relief from the heat, and it only costs one penny! It’s unbelievable when I think about it now.

I don’t know when, the cold water stalls also started selling Coke, mineral water, and cans. Some even sold all bottled drinks, plus cigarettes, candies, toilet paper, etc., and the cold water stalls became grocery stores. . Driven by economic interests, a glass of cold water can reflect the changes in the environment.

Barbers

Barbers are commonly known as "waiting". In some cities in the south, they call them "daidaier". It is difficult to explain the barbers. , talking about the achievements of the ancestors on the emperor's head, a hero does not mention his bravery in the past.

It’s hot to have your head shaved.

The barbers who walk through the streets all carry a heavy load, including stoves, iron pots, bamboo chairs, barber knives, mirrors, pots, pans, rice noodles, etc. for their own meals. If there is a mat, they can hold outdoor barbers. On vacation. It's just that these barbers are honest and kind, how could they have such weird ideas?

The barber only needs to shout slowly into the alley: "Cut - head - yo -", the sound is loud and clear. Ten feet away, the regular patrons started to move. Haircuts are about fate. Some barbers are not destined to have someone's hair, and the hairstyle they get does not match their appearance. Naturally, this person's business will never be considered. Therefore, whenever a stranger comes to get a haircut, the barber is always extra careful, trying to leave a good impression and attract customers.

The old customers, all nostalgic, came over one after another and set up a gantry array around the barber. The barber nodded to everyone and started working. The barber's memory is very good, he can do whatever he wants from his customers and he can remember the original request. After cutting my hair, I poured hot water over my hair, then started picking out my ears and shaving my face. In order to please the customers, the barbers used their unique skills to perform massages. The neck with a stiff neck and the back with stasis due to cold food and cold food can be cured with three tricks of the barber. It can also make the cervical and lumbar vertebrae make a rattling noise. Looking at the customers, they all feel so comfortable that their noses and eyes are crooked. How could I be dissatisfied?

I know that the barber’s charging standards have not changed in at least 20 years. It was only in the 1990s that people began to adapt to the market economy. They only paid two or three yuan a time. Compared with barber shops with glamorous facades and sharp knives, barbers were really out of date.

Sewing poverty

Sewing poverty is a northern dialect. In the South, it is simply called "clothes mender". It sounds unpleasant, but people are so destitute that they mend other people's tatters. It doesn't matter whether the poor are making money from the poor or not.

Those who are engaged in sewing are middle-aged and elderly women. Their labor force is gradually lost, and they do not want to become a burden on the family. They rely on years of practice in needlework to earn a small amount of money. For this reason, others can give as much or as little as they want. Because of this, most of the people who come to mend their clothes are bachelors, and they are happy to come here to have a break to smoke and drink tea.

More than ten years ago, it was common to see some men who were doing hard work with two neat, large round scars patched up on the buttocks of their trousers. This was called "patching the pot helmet" because it was about the same size as a sesame seed cake. . Often it is rotten elsewhere, but the two "shaobings" are still intact. They can darn damaged clothes without them being visible. There is a novel about a poor widow patching up a man's clothes and patching up her feelings. The writing is light and to the point, which leaves a rather sad impression.

These women usually make needlework items for sale, such as insoles, diapers, mille-layer cloth shoes, cloth socks, etc. They are all made of scraps of cloth, but the splicing is reasonable and full of beauty. Solid and durable, it is very popular among the lower classes.

I don’t know since when, the sewing poor have been called tailors. Except for a very small number of them who are still in the mountain villages, most of them have gone to the city’s train or bus stations to solicit business. Passengers' clothes are torn, backpack straps are falling off, and pants zippers are torn. They must be dealt with immediately. Therefore, the tailor is always looking at other people's clothes and trousers. If he didn't know better, he might think he was a thief.

Tile-turner

Tile-turning was originally just a small process for a plasterer. The reason why it developed into a profession was because of the large market demand.

In the past, there were many bungalows in the city, and they generally used small green tiles. Over time, dust and dead branches and leaves clogged the tile ditches, rainwater poured into the cracks of the tiles, or the tiles were broken, so they had to be renovated. The bricklayer came to turn over the tiles.

Most of the bricklayers work in groups of three or five, with a meticulous division of labor. Everyone competes to be the first, and the progress is often unexpected. They must complete all the work before dark. Two people turn over tiles on the roof, one person stands at the eaves to connect them, and the one below arranges the tiles neatly. The other person goes to the brick kiln to buy tiles according to the replacement situation. When all the tile beams on a roof are exposed, use a broom to remove debris before starting to re-cover the tiles.

After the roof is built, the corrugations and eaves must be redone. Some families who are more particular may ask the bricklayers to carve lotus flowers and dragon heads on both ends of the tile ridges. The mansions of wealthy families even have some mythical and legendary characters sculpted on the tiles, which is not something that a tiler can do. Bricklayers use lime and chopped hemp as an adhesive to treat the seams of eaves and gutters. It is relatively strong and usually dries overnight.

The bricklayer works hard all day, and the owner usually provides free tea, cigarettes, and two meals at noon and evening before settling the bill. The labor price is generally calculated based on the area of ????the house and the number of new tiles to be repaired. The differences are clear and clear. At this time, usually after drinking in the evening, the bricklayer, under the influence of alcohol, hums some minor tunes or popular tunes, covered in moonlight, and the tools are clanging on his buttocks. Even in a very distant place, the sound is still so clear. ...

Gravekeeper

The respect for tombs is reflected in the traditional ethical thinking of the Chinese people, which can be said to be unprecedented. Not to mention the majesty and momentum of the royal cemetery, it is also the key to embodying the sentiment of loyalty and filial piety among the people.

A family often buries their deceased relatives in one place, which is convenient for both memorial and management. The tomb keeper is the highest authority of the tomb.

Most of the gravekeepers are lonely old men who are far away from the family. They are black-clad and black-trousers, silent and thin. Perhaps they have been absorbing the morning mist and sunset in the cemetery for a long time, which always gives people a feeling of gloom. The living expenses of the tombkeeper are provided by the family. His main tasks are twofold. One is to clean the cemetery, clear weeds, and plant flowers and trees; the other is to keep vigil at night to prevent tomb robbers and wild beasts from disturbing the deceased.

Gravekeepers are generally theists and are very aware of the activities of the undead around them. He views all accidental events with awe, such as the death of trees, the collapse of tombstones, the appearance of long snakes, and the moving of ants. Wait, he will quickly report it to the family, and then handle it properly. The tombkeepers are all people who do good deeds. They never refuse others' requests and try their best to help. They always firmly believe that practice in this life will be rewarded in the next life. The Tomb Man has many stories. If he was willing to tell them, many contemporary writers would not need to make them up to make the people laugh.

Times have changed, and cemeteries have been included in the land management scope of the government. They are not allowed to be built at will and waste cultivated land. The gravekeepers, the cemeteries and the almost frozen time seemed to have disappeared into the dust and smoke of history. It's just that in the mountainous cemetery with undulating mountains, the figure of the tombkeeper is like a character in "Liao Zhai", quietly passing through the dreamland of dawn...

The harvester

The collector's voice has the flavor of a folk song as soon as he opens his voice: "Orange peels, toothpaste skins, rabbit skins, broken copper, scrap iron, scrap paper, old books, chicken feathers, duck feathers and goose feathers are sold - yo -" every three or two minutes, he sings Once, the song made the old lady and the child feel itchy, so they started looking for things to change under the bed and by the door!

The earlier collectors did not pay, but used waste items. Change something. What are they? Pots, bowls, basins, chopsticks, candies, cigarettes, liquor, toilet paper, etc., 100% necessities of life. They obtain these disposal products through channels, and then barter them to achieve two interest rates on the goods, which is more cost-effective than simply paying. In an era when all daily necessities required vouchers, ordinary people were first attracted by the dazzling array of household items. How could they have the brains of a collector? Often, just a dormitory would be replaced by all the things that the collector had. The garbage collector made so much money that his yellow teeth showed when he smiled, and he had to hire a tractor to transport the garbage away.

Later, as their lives improved, the people understood what was going on, and they refused to accept the products processed by Huangjiang. They took money! How justified. The collector had no choice but to start counting the money with saliva. They were all carrying 1 dime, 2 dime and 5 cent dime notes, and they took out a large pile, showing that they had sufficient resources, but in fact they didn't have much, so they had never heard of the waste collector being robbed.

In fact, the land collectors are relatively wealthy financially. They usually have buildings and are decorated like paid public toilets. This is called wealth without showing off. They are always a burden, wearing old-fashioned clothes and working hard. On the road to wealth. Nowadays, many families have luxurious living rooms, but throw away the rags immediately. How can they be sold for money? The garbage collectors go to the garbage dumps to look for treasures, but they often have disputes with the "garbage king"! The garbage collectors cross industries, and they are called Yue Zu Dai... …

Mobile Photography

Mobile photographers have been traveling between villages and cities since the early 20th century. At that time, people believed that taking pictures not only took away the human figure, but also "photographed" the soul. From then on, the person became susceptible to bewitching diseases and began to speak incoherently.

Gradually, people who have taken the photo are not surprised. The key is that this surprising photo can be given to close friends and lovers, leaving an image and evidence of time. Photo studios all over the city have made photography a part of people's lives, and the photographers who roam the mountain villages are actually the spreaders of civilization.

Due to the inconvenience of transportation, it would take two or three weeks for the master to send the photos after he finished taking them, which made the eager young girl feel uncomfortable waiting. If you really want to be quick, there is only one way: add more money! This requires the master to make another trip the next day! In that era, the colors in the photos were dyed with paint, and the girl was very happy when she saw her bright red lips and face. . This kind of photo is not easy to fade.

Gradually, photo studios and beauty salons took over the countryside, leaving mobile photography masters without their last base. They had to open up new territories, wander around scenic spots, and solicit business. In some mobile locations, shooting is carried out in different places, and the camera is flashing in a pretentious manner, but in fact, no film is loaded. It is basically a disguised robbery. In order to attract customers, some mobile points use snapshot cameras, which can be collected immediately and meet the needs of tourists to a certain extent.

It should be noted that the photography skills of these mobile photography masters are not very good, they can only press the shutter. There is a huge difference between the requirements of photographers! Even if they are called masters, they are praised.

Telephone switchboard

As a setter of sound, although the telephone switchboard is a worker establishment, it has been a respected profession for a long time. Many people use various means to dream of it. I also want to be a switchboard. But I found that most of the switchboards were young women with Yanyu voices, and they were probably a little pretty.

In the past, because it was difficult to make calls, the telephone switchboard in the system heard too many rude voices from the boss, and he became impatient. When he received an unfamiliar call, he would get angry: "Where should I answer? Tell me clearly. , are you deaf?" People have become accustomed to this kind of order and must endure it, so they use a gentle tone and let their hoarse vocal cords broadcast: "Miss, you are the switchboard, hey, hey, hey..." Line Has been cut off.

Since the switchboard is on duty around the clock and is busy knitting, I doze off and never wake up. Occasionally, when I get a call late at night, the switchboard seems weak, "Where, where? Where did I say? Oh, it's Chief Zhang, where can I answer the phone?" ?Nothing, where, where, it doesn’t matter!” After this surprise, the person woke up and focused on the receiver, imagining himself as a character in "The Radio Wave That Never Dies"...

< p> In the past, the switchboard did not require people to speak Mandarin. Later, large private companies set up general desks for the sake of saving, and they required that Mandarin be spoken to give guests the warmth of a spring breeze. But since it is difficult to make phone calls in and out, no matter how warm you are, it may not help, and what the company wants is such a beautiful form.