Al Jazeera interviews Jing Kui, a 93 year old barber who has lived in Beijing for over 70 years. Jing talks about the dramatic changes he has witnessed in Beijing through the Cultural Revolution all the way to its preparation for the Olympics today.
My name is Jing Kui. This year I’m 93. When I was 15, I came to Beijing and took an apprenticeship at a barber shop. So, I’ve been here for some 70 years…
Back in the day, people wanted hair styles that looked good but also felt comfortable. Now look at the styles today. People want strange, bizarre cuts. I can’t cut hair into those styles and I wouldn’t, in any case.
I sometimes lecture those in the younger generations, telling them the cuts don’t look good – they’re only for people on television; it’s fantasy not reality. Look at President Hu Jintao or Premier Wen Jiabao, I tell them – they have proper cuts. [Full text]
