Migrant worker builds an online following

Like many other migrant workers on construction sites across the nation, He Chuan mixes concrete and lays bricks throughout the day. Unlike most, however, he has taken the trouble to document elements of his daily life through livestreaming. Adopting the online name Brother Chuan, he has gained celebrity status online.

Hailing from Dazhou in Southwest China's Sichuan province, He, 52, has spent many years as a migrant worker on building sites around China. He is not alone, with 25 million Sichuan farmers leaving the fields for similar jobs in cities across the country.

Now back in his hometown, He continues to intersperse his construction work with vlogging, setting up his camera to livestream his lunch breaks before an audience of hundreds, sometimes thousands. His wife Tang Wenshu partners up with him during the sessions, which mostly revolve around the food they are eating and comments on construction work.

In one typical session, He can be seen serving his wife a bowl of rice and then wolfing down the rest from the rice cooker. Finally, he displays a mouthwatering piece of crispy griddled chicken.

Without any professional camera or technical training, the couple have recorded their simple daily lives since 2018, drawing nearly 2 million followers with over 1,000 vlogs across social media platforms.

"Although I'm neither handsome nor knowledgeable, I am optimistic and I love working," says He, who has worked in construction for around 30 years.

The couple's "studios" are always situated in buildings that are under construction. With bricks as chairs and storage boxes as tables, the pair is seen laughing and eating in front of the camera.

He says he is happy that viewers appreciate his attitude toward life and how construction work has paid off.

"Being recognized and learning new things from comments has driven me to share more," He says.

He was nervous about livestreaming initially, he says. However, his followers, the majority of whom are migrant workers and students, have provided great support.

From the online comments and private messages, He has found that viewers are mostly inspired by his devotion to work, as well as caring about his quality of life.

His hard work received wider recognition in 2021 when he was given a vlogging award by Xigua Video, a video-sharing platform. In his acceptance speech for "the best moment" award, he says, "If you once drew strength from my company, I hope you can hang in there for a little bit longer, and eventually overcome frustration and difficulties."

He's livestreams also create a platform where migrant workers can discuss topics that they care about, such as wage calculation, safety measures and retirement.

"When workers get older, it is safer to stop working at heights and leave construction, but their livelihoods should be taken into consideration," He says when chatting with his wife during a vlog discussing the welfare of older migrant workers.

Empowered by digital tools, migrant workers like He are making their voices heard and their lives more visible to a wider audience.

Plastering brings the couple 600 yuan ($89) per day, while He's new craft, vlogging, yields him 200 yuan per video on average, contributing more to their household income than construction work.

He started as a plastering apprentice decades back. Along with the rapid development of China's coastal regions, He and Tang joined the migration stream to seek a fortune in East China's Fujian province in 2003.

The couple lived in a 10-square-meter temporary shed and worked on scaffolds high above the ground for years, participating in the construction of soaring skyscrapers and modern buildings.

With urbanization in western China accelerating, the couple returned to their hometown of Dazhou in 2019 and are currently working on a construction site for a digital-economy industrial park.

The couple have bought their three-bedroom riverside apartment in Dazhou and live with their two children. Their elder son, He Songlin, edits videos and manages accounts for his father, while the younger son is studying in middle school.

In one vlog, recorded in their apartment, He is seen handing his younger son a slice of cake and saying, "Happy birthday, and I hope you go to the university of your choice." Tang also presents gifts to the boy.

This modest family scene has moved many viewers, who posted comments expressing their appreciation.

According to China's National Bureau of Statistics, the number of migrant workers in the country reached 292.51 million in 2021, and their average monthly income has risen to 4,432 yuan, exceeding the national average of 2,927 yuan.

Last week, the general offices of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council jointly issued a document stating that migrant workers will receive better support at the county level with regard to various public services, including housing, professional training, children's education, pensions and medical care.

Among the countless buildings that He has worked on, he likes building schools the most. Recently, he participated in the construction of a local vocational college. Seeing young people playing basketball on the playground he built more than satisfied He.

His account profile on one short-video platform sums up the vlogger's attitude: "I work hard to earn money to support my family, and contribute to the construction of our country."

Xinhua