I grew up in Hong Kong and experienced the blend of Eastern and Western cultures. All along, what I have always wanted to do is to take the good parts of different cultures, put them together and make them better. Through selling vintage goods, I want to conduct an interesting exploration and share my concept of beauty with more people. For example, in the store's layout, I would put a Chinese book from the 1970s and an Italian leather bag from the same period together; a Japanese watch from the 1990s or a British band record can also be displayed with a panda stuffed toy.
After 14 years, my exploration is still on the road. For example, my store now sells various fun things such as old cookbooks from both Eastern and Western cultures, dance instruction books, making the range of products even richer. Every corner of the store contains my carefully designed creations, with a small ring's placement incorporating inspiration from a book or movie that I recently read, expressing my love for art. I really want to share these things that fit my interests and beliefs, such as Sanmao's books, Japanese ties, and Parisian fragrances, with everyone.
Interestingly, many times the destiny of some antiques is completely unexpected. Once I purchased a discontinued handbag from a famous British designer, but the ultimate buyer was not an elegant lady but two chubby boys. Foreign tourists bought many collections of Chairman Mao's poems and Lu Xun's essays. The British owner of a cultural and creative shop named "Band-Aid" even bought one of my posters to design a shirt... This sense of surprise appears in my everyday life.
Unknowingly, I have been living in Beijing for more than 20 years. My feelings for this hutong and this city have already merged into every ordinary moment of my life, making me feel at ease and happy. On summer evenings when the lights come on, the arrival of musicians and young audiences also brings passion and colorful faces to the hutong, which is also the picture of Beijing's beautiful life in my heart.
Nowadays, most of my time is spent in the store every week. During vacations, I can't wait to get out of the city and enjoy nature by hiking. Different from the delicacy of Hong Kong's mountains, the Yanshan Mountain range is magnificent and grand, with the landscape of vast mountains and rivers that are awe-inspiring, making people forget all their worries.
As for the future, I don't have big goals or ambitions. Especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, what I desire most is to live each day well. I love the snowflakes in Beijing's winter, eating a bowl of hot luzhu in the hutong, as well as the poplar trees and cicadas in summer, sharing skewers and fried sauce noodles with neighbors. A good movie, an inspiring book, and a cute dog Lulu all bring me warmth and happiness. The Dragon Boat Festival is coming, and friends are welcome to visit Wudaoying Hutong. My vintage shop and I are waiting for you here!
Translator: TANG Yingqi
Reviewer: LIU Yu
