Tiptoeing on top of the world
Construction worker Zhang Zhongke might be the best witness to testify to the phenomenal development of Chongqing over the past decade.
The 35-year-old has worked in the city since the late 1990s. He doesn't know how many high-rise buildings he has worked on, but he is certain that the city is growing taller and taller.
The 27.5-meter tall Liberation Monument is thought of as the iconic building of the city. "It was the tallest building in the 1980s, but when the high-rises sprung up all around it, it became the shortest," he says.
The father of two has more than 20 years' experience as an exterior bricklayer. His occupation has tempered his courage. While walking along even the most towering scaffolding, he remains calm enough to look down.
"Buildings are getting taller, while bricks are getting smaller for safety reasons," he said, gesticulating the size of a brick.
Five years ago, one brick would be about 100 square centimeters, but nowadays, it has been reduced to one-fifth of that size.
According to Zhang, it takes no more than three months to lay bricks for a 30-story building with a seven-member crew. Normally, they start from the top of the frame and gradually work towards the ground floor.
The tallest structure Zhang ever worked on was a 35-story residential building constructed in 2002 in Nanping District.
He was very excited to get a bird's eye view of the booming city, as if he were standing on the top of the world. He even brought his wife there to share with her the magnificence.
The rural woman was astonished by the spectacular view but could not get over the shock of being on such a tall structure. She gripped his hand tightly, even when they walked out of the elevator from the ground floor, Zhang recalled.
"It is a shame that the air quality is not as good as in the past because of the construction, so you cannot see very far, especially during winter, when it is always foggy here," he says.
He says he is thankful that his income has increased as fast as the number of the skyscrapers. Now, he makes 100 yuan ($12.5) per day rather than the 3-yuan ($0.38) per day he earned in the 1980s.
While the additional money is tempting, Zhang says he doesn't want to work overtime.
"We used to ask for more work in order to get more money, but it never happens now, because I am happy with my current income," he explains.
According to Jiang Fei, project manager of Chongqing Chang'an Construction Company, the average salary of a construction worker has increased by 30 percent over the past three years.
But there remains a shortage of laborers, especially young people. "Fewer young people show interest in construction work. That's because there are other jobs they can pursue in such a big city," Jiang says. The majority of workers are aged between 30 and 50, and most come from the rural areas of Chongqing.
Rather than living in the dormitory provided by the company, Zhang rents a room in the outskirts of the city.
Every day, the bricklayer spends at least two hours commuting between his home and the construction sites.
"I got a headache from taking bus," he complains. "It is like taking a flight to get into a bus. I am wondering why it is always so crowded, even though more and more buses have been put into operation," he adds.
Zhang often spends his spare time playing cards with friends or shopping for vegetables and clothes with his wife in the supermarket. "My wife even got a supermarket VIP card," he says proudly.
Zhang especially enjoys the nighttime views of Chongqing, in which the city sparkles like a loaded jewelry box opened in the dark. It lights up the entire sky.
Wandering around the riverside and breathing in the coolness of a summer night, Zhang no longer feels he is floating in the city. In fact, he says, he has already become a part of the metropolis.
(China Daily 06/21/2007 page23)
