The Residents of Tongzi Lou
This is a group shot of my grandmother and the residents who lived in Tongzi Lou. At one time, the building was home to some of grandmother’s best female friends and grandfather’s former comrades in arms, all of whom knew each other very well and were happy and harmonious together. Grandmother was the head of the building, the person who knew everyone best, and was responsible for dealing with matters of the building, large and small. As the old continued to leave and new people moved in, the signs of the past have been worn away and grandma’s voice has been constantly weakened. She turned from the manager of the building-level democratic self-governance to the person who was left behind.
A tenant who newly moved in; works nearby and was all alone.
A comrade in the arms of my grandfather, his wife in the middle, and the care worker on the far left.
A cement worker who lived in Tongzi Lou with his wife for two years.
A closest friend of my grandmother’s; they often chatted and played mahjong together.
The head of this Tongzi Lou—my grandmother.
A comrade in arms of my grandfather, who now lives alone after being discharged from active military service.
Next-door neighbors with two daughters, who avoided me whenever I raised my camera for fear that I would photograph them.
A couple who lived downstairs, both working nearby and without children yet.
Older residents who lived on the same floor as my grandmother. The old lady’s daughter spoke so loudly that we could hear her whenever she chatted in the corridor.