In the final installment of his Street of Eternal Happiness series, Marketplace’s Rob Schmitz revisits two of its inhabitants, 95-year-old qipao tailor Chu Hongsheng and migrant florist Zhao Silin:
I ask Zhao about “The Chinese Dream.” Xi Jinping has positioned the concept as a guiding principle for his presidency — the idea that all Chinese deserve equal opportunity to enjoy a prosperous life. In his first speech as leader, president Xi said to realize the Chinese Dream, the Chinese had to be patriotic and unite to strengthen the nation. I ask Zhao if she’s living the Chinese dream.
“I don’t even know what that means,” she says, baffled. “I don’t have time to read about new government policies anymore. I’m busy taking care of my grandson and preparing to hand over my shop to my son and daughter in-law so that I can retire.”
Zhao’s not read about the Chinese Dream because she’s too busy trying to make her own dream come true: being a good mother, a good grandmother, and making preparations to return home.
See more on the Chinese Dream via CDT.
