China Scene: West

Retired couple doing decades for good deeds

There is a saying that it is easy to do a good thing once but hard to do good things for a long time. Zhao Guiying and Liu Tianyou, a retired couple, have been doing good things for more than two decades.

The couple lives in a residential block in Xi'an, capital of Shaanxi Province.

When Zhao retired in 1979, she started to clean the road in front of the residential block three times a day. Her husband joined her when he retired in 1988. Zhang Yucai, director of the block's resident committee, said the couple is so kindhearted that they not only clean the road but help neighbors in need.

(Sanqin Daily)

Cart driver, take me to the market

Back in the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC-24 AD) the taxi meter was running on carts.

The prototype taxi was on display recently at the exhibition of China's Ancient Science and Technology in Xi'an, capital of Shaanxi Province

Two carved wooden figures on the cart beat a drum every time the wheels completed 100 revolutions, indicating the cart had gone one kilometer. "It's like the meter used in today's taxis. We take taxis and ancient people took carts," said an exhibit technician.

(Chinese Business View)

(China Daily 07/25/2007 page6)