Spare a thought for 'Them'

Some people may already know the story. But it's worth telling all those who don't - especially today. So many Chinese have done so many things in their own different ways to contribute to the success of the Beijing Olympics. Su Jian's idea was very special. He is a painter and a teacher at the Guangzhou Art Academy in the capital city of Guangdong province.

Last year, he hit upon a novel idea to celebrate the Games. He decided to paint a picture of migrant workers. They would represent, Su told himself, some 200 million migrant workers who had been building not just the iconic structures like Bird's Nest or Water Cube, but all of today's China. He engaged five such workers to work as his models.

The painting was entitled Them. But finding a title for it was easier for him than doing what he had wanted to do with it. When he thought of it, Su promised he would buy the workers tickets to some events at the Bird's Nest with the money he got by selling the painting.