Silent restaurant an oasis of hope

Owners, who cannot hear or speak, aim to provide more opportunities for disabled workers

Stepping into the Wusheng Restaurant, the world suddenly seems calmer. Customers and employees communicate in silence, and diners talk to companions in hushed tones, offering an escape from the hustle and bustle of the traffic and construction outside.

The 130-square-meter restaurant, whose name means "silent" in Chinese, was opened early this month in a new business area of Jinan, capital of Shandong province, by three people who cannot hear or speak. It employs two able-bodied chefs and two hearing-and speaking-challenged waitresses.