The publishing house invited
6-year-old female domestic worker to publish a book.Li Wenli, 56, tall and gentle, is an ordinary farmer from Pingliang, Gansu Province, and a female domestic worker working in Beijing. During the more than six years she worked in Beijing, she created more than 200,000 words of literary works and painted more than 500 paintings. Five of her works were published in magazines such as "Beijing Literature" and "New Workers' Literature". She also participated as a lead dancer in French director Bell's dance drama "The Extravaganza", and has spoken out as a domestic worker in the media many times.
Li Wenli said: "I want to prove to everyone that I am not just a housekeeper, I also have my own hobbies and pursuits." On the one hand, it is a working life to support the family, and on the other hand, it is the "poetry and distance" of self-realization. Li Wenli's story of pursuing her dream has become an inspirational role model for many "migrant workers" and has been recognized and praised by everyone.
The leg injury has not yet recovered, and Li Wenli has not traveled far for a long time. But this time she insisted on going regardless of the 4-hour long journey. This time Li Wenli was invited by Readers Publishing House to discuss publishing a book. More than two months ago, Wang Xianmeng, the president of Reader Publishing House, took the initiative to contact Li Wenli and wanted to publish a collection of her works.
The president of the publishing house personally invited Li Wenli. Such sincerity greatly encouraged Li Wenli. According to the publisher's plan, the entire book is about 150,000 words and is expected to be published in the first half of next year. The title of the book is "I Do Housekeeping in Beijing".
It wasn’t until she met the president that Li Wenli felt less unreal about her intention to publish a book.
Li Wenli: When I heard them say this with my own ears, I felt really at ease. Reporter
: Why does have such high expectations for this book?
Li Wenli: For me, is also a breath of relief for myself.
Reporter: Who is this tone of intended for?
Li Wenli: should be given to all those who look down on domestic workers and those who look down on us women, especially rural women, let them see that we are also people with dreams and pursuits.
Hug children during the day
Hug poems and dreams at night
Li Wenli has lived in the countryside of Pingliang, Gansu Province since she was a child. It is located on the high loess slopes at the junction of Gansu and Shaanxi. There is no high-speed rail access. It takes more than four hours to drive to Lanzhou. Before Li Wenli turned 40, she never left the county town and had been working at home. She loved reading and singing since she was a child, but all these were unrealistic and her dreams were gradually faded away. She lived the same life as most rural women here - farming, getting married, and having children.
In the eyes of the villagers, Li Wenli is an ordinary rural woman. "Facing the loess and turning the back to the sky" is how everyone lives. If there is anything worth saying, it is that she has three children, both sons and daughters. In 2005, Li Wenli's husband had his left leg amputated due to a car accident. The family's financial income was lost and they were in trouble. Looking at her husband who was unable to work and her children who were studying, Li Wenli shouldered the burden of the family. In the spring of 2017, the local Women's Federation held a domestic service training class. Li Wenli heard that through the training she could work as a domestic worker in Beijing, she immediately signed up and became a nanny. She wants to go to Beijing.
It’s almost the beginning of winter, and the persimmons in front of Li Wenli’s yard are ripe. The family was picking persimmons to sell in the county. Li Wenli picked out a box of the best ones and wanted to send them to Xiao Ke in Beijing. Xiaoke was the second child brought by Li Wenli after she came to Beijing. From one month to three years old, she established a deep relationship with Xiaoke's family. Li Wenli regards Xiao Ke as her own child in the city.
Li Wenli’s paintings and articles truly record her life as a nanny in Beijing.
"There are two children in this family. My day revolves around the five young and old like a spinning top. I cook three meals, take Dabao to school, feed him milk powder and bask in the sun, mop the floor, buy vegetables and pick up express delivery, every day. Is in the kitchen, living room, bedroom and I shuttled back and forth in the bathroom, doing repetitive and detailed tasks. At night, after bathing the baby and going to bed, I could put my tired body on the small bed on the balcony of the living room, pick up my phone and write my diary, and touch the screen with my fingertips. The tiredness gradually disappeared. Tomorrow, Saturday, I heard about a charity organization that provides a resting place for domestic workers and said they could sing and dance. I decided to go and check it out."
Whether singing or dancing, everyone says that Li Wenli has literary talent. These heart-warming encouragements were something she had never experienced in her hometown. She joined a literary group and started writing. Here, she met many migrant workers who loved literature. They encouraged each other and made progress together. Li Wenli began to see another possibility in herself.
Li Wenli writes on her mobile phone after finishing her housework every day. She often writes until 11 o'clock in the evening. Although her eyes hurt, she is reluctant to stop. What she recorded was what she had experienced in her life. She and members of her literary group published a collection, "Worker's Stars."
took to the stage
I want to live for myself
After doing the heavy housework, Li Wenli used her spare time to write, dance, and paint. She said that she was like a seed that met the warm soil, growing and blooming wantonly. . She felt that her life had never been so enjoyable.
In the autumn of 2023, Li Wenli ushered in the highlight of her life. The team of the well-known French choreographer Jerome Bell is going to present a dance drama called "The Gala" in Beijing and needs to select 20 people of different identities, ages, and professions to participate. Li Wenli made a video for the director and recommended herself. Unexpectedly, she was selected as the lead dancer. Li Wenli starred in her first dance drama.
The performance was a great success, with thunderous applause from the audience. After the performance, the actors were so excited that they danced freely on the stage. Later, Li Wenli recorded her state of mind in an article.
"At that moment, I truly felt my body and the meaning of life. At that moment, we were not performing, but a group of ordinary people who had no worries, no sorrows, and were not overwhelmed by life. We danced gracefully, with beautiful postures Light, we are full of joy, stepping on the elegant waltz, marching Jackson's cheerful rhythm, going to the golden Vienna Hall, is about to attend an unprecedented and unique "Grand Event". During my break, I drew more than 500 paintings and wrote nearly 200,000 words. The literature group helped her publish a collection of works "The World of Mengyu".
In 2022, Li Wenli changed her job of taking care of children to taking care of the elderly. Although this will cost her more than a thousand yuan in monthly income, she will have more spare time. She moved to a bigger stage. She spoke out for female domestic workers, gave a speech on a television station, attended a book fair in Guangdong, and even went to Macau to participate in a literary festival on behalf of a literary group. She strives to live a more exciting life.
Keep writing, keep dreaming
Stick to being yourself
In June this year, Li Wenli suffered a traffic accident in Beijing and fractured her left foot, which made it impossible for her to continue working as a domestic worker. At this time, her daughter-in-law was about to give birth to a baby in her hometown. Li Wenli returned to her hometown of Ranli Village, Pingliang City, regardless of her foot injury.
Li Wenli once painted a painting in which a person was weighed down by a big stone and could not straighten his back. She said that this person was just like herself, and her family responsibilities prevented her from letting go of these burdens. Now, on the one hand, there is a heavy responsibility, and on the other hand, there is the desire to live out oneself. As she continued writing the book, Li Wenli faced a difficult balance.
The foot injury has not healed, but Li Wenli is still busy cooking every day and serving her daughter-in-law and grandson who have just given birth. The scientific parenting knowledge Li Wenli learned in Beijing can now be put to use.
Returned this time, Li Wenli became a celebrity in the village. Many people knew that she had appeared on TV and published articles. Everyone was surprised to find that traditional rural women could also live a wonderful life.
After all the daily housework is finished, it is time for Li Wenli to sort out the manuscript.
Today is the day when the literary group in Beijing is carrying out activities, and her friends made video calls to her.
Li Wenli: I think that in the limited time in the future, I will definitely record the things I have done and meaningful things, and I want to continue publishing, although these have not allowed me to truly complete an independent and free space. Female, but at least what I do is what I like to do, and I must keep doing it.
No matter where you are
We must work hard for our dreams
Li Wenli’s story can easily give us the impression that she came to Beijing to pursue her dreams, but this is actually an illusion. When she first came to Beijing, and now when she had to leave Beijing, it was first and foremost for her family. It was she who worked hard enough and was persistent enough. After earning the money her family needed, she devoted all her remaining energy to literature and art, and devoted herself to her own rebirth. It was her extreme desire for spiritual life that allowed the outside world to discover her talent and brilliance, and also allowed her to receive a lot of selfless guidance and kind help. Li Wenli took every opportunity she encountered during her time in Beijing very seriously, because she knew very well how hard-won it was for a female domestic worker like herself.
In the short film, after a video call with friends in the literature group, Li Wenli did not speak for a long time, only wiping her eyes with both hands. In Beijing, she was "Mengyu" who could sing, dance, write, and paint freely; when she returned to her hometown, she became a wife, daughter-in-law, grandmother, and mother. It would be great if we could have both, but the reality is that the two identities cannot be unified for the time being. This question is difficult to answer because there is no standard answer; it is easy to say that there is no need to rush to answer. Since Li Wenli didn't know what wonderful experiences were waiting for her before she came out to work, why should she draw conclusions about the future now? In a speech before leaving Beijing, Li Wenli said that no matter where she is, she must insist on reading more, creating more and drawing more. This is exactly what we want to say to Li Wenli and to people like her who are brave and shining: if you never forget, you will surely succeed. Echo, you must remember the breath that you have been fighting for in your heart.
The publishing house invited
6-year-old female domestic worker to publish a book.Li Wenli, 56, tall and gentle, is an ordinary farmer from Pingliang, Gansu Province, and a female domestic worker working in Beijing. During the more than six years she worked in Beijing, she created more than 200,000 words of literary works and painted more than 500 paintings. Five of her works were published in magazines such as "Beijing Literature" and "New Workers' Literature". She also participated as a lead dancer in French director Bell's dance drama "The Extravaganza", and has spoken out as a domestic worker in the media many times.
Li Wenli said: "I want to prove to everyone that I am not just a housekeeper, I also have my own hobbies and pursuits." On the one hand, it is a working life to support the family, and on the other hand, it is the "poetry and distance" of self-realization. Li Wenli's story of pursuing her dream has become an inspirational role model for many "migrant workers" and has been recognized and praised by everyone.
The leg injury has not yet recovered, and Li Wenli has not traveled far for a long time. But this time she insisted on going regardless of the 4-hour long journey. This time Li Wenli was invited by Readers Publishing House to discuss publishing a book. More than two months ago, Wang Xianmeng, the president of Reader Publishing House, took the initiative to contact Li Wenli and wanted to publish a collection of her works.
The president of the publishing house personally invited Li Wenli. Such sincerity greatly encouraged Li Wenli. According to the publisher's plan, the entire book is about 150,000 words and is expected to be published in the first half of next year. The title of the book is "I Do Housekeeping in Beijing".
It wasn’t until she met the president that Li Wenli felt less unreal about her intention to publish a book.
Li Wenli: When I heard them say this with my own ears, I felt really at ease. Reporter
: Why does have such high expectations for this book?
Li Wenli: For me, is also a breath of relief for myself.
Reporter: Who is this tone of intended for?
Li Wenli: should be given to all those who look down on domestic workers and those who look down on us women, especially rural women, let them see that we are also people with dreams and pursuits.
Hug children during the day
Hug poems and dreams at night
Li Wenli has lived in the countryside of Pingliang, Gansu Province since she was a child. It is located on the high loess slopes at the junction of Gansu and Shaanxi. There is no high-speed rail access. It takes more than four hours to drive to Lanzhou. Before Li Wenli turned 40, she never left the county town and had been working at home. She loved reading and singing since she was a child, but all these were unrealistic and her dreams were gradually faded away. She lived the same life as most rural women here - farming, getting married, and having children.
In the eyes of the villagers, Li Wenli is an ordinary rural woman. "Facing the loess and turning the back to the sky" is how everyone lives. If there is anything worth saying, it is that she has three children, both sons and daughters. In 2005, Li Wenli's husband had his left leg amputated due to a car accident. The family's financial income was lost and they were in trouble. Looking at her husband who was unable to work and her children who were studying, Li Wenli shouldered the burden of the family. In the spring of 2017, the local Women's Federation held a domestic service training class. Li Wenli heard that through the training she could work as a domestic worker in Beijing, she immediately signed up and became a nanny. She wants to go to Beijing.
It’s almost the beginning of winter, and the persimmons in front of Li Wenli’s yard are ripe. The family was picking persimmons to sell in the county. Li Wenli picked out a box of the best ones and wanted to send them to Xiao Ke in Beijing. Xiaoke was the second child brought by Li Wenli after she came to Beijing. From one month to three years old, she established a deep relationship with Xiaoke's family. Li Wenli regards Xiao Ke as her own child in the city.
Li Wenli’s paintings and articles truly record her life as a nanny in Beijing.
"There are two children in this family. My day revolves around the five young and old like a spinning top. I cook three meals, take Dabao to school, feed him milk powder and bask in the sun, mop the floor, buy vegetables and pick up express delivery, every day. Is in the kitchen, living room, bedroom and I shuttled back and forth in the bathroom, doing repetitive and detailed tasks. At night, after bathing the baby and going to bed, I could put my tired body on the small bed on the balcony of the living room, pick up my phone and write my diary, and touch the screen with my fingertips. The tiredness gradually disappeared. Tomorrow, Saturday, I heard about a charity organization that provides a resting place for domestic workers and said they could sing and dance. I decided to go and check it out."
Whether singing or dancing, everyone says that Li Wenli has literary talent. These heart-warming encouragements were something she had never experienced in her hometown. She joined a literary group and started writing. Here, she met many migrant workers who loved literature. They encouraged each other and made progress together. Li Wenli began to see another possibility in herself.
Li Wenli writes on her mobile phone after finishing her housework every day. She often writes until 11 o'clock in the evening. Although her eyes hurt, she is reluctant to stop. What she recorded was what she had experienced in her life. She and members of her literary group published a collection, "Worker's Stars."
took to the stage
I want to live for myself
After doing the heavy housework, Li Wenli used her spare time to write, dance, and paint. She said that she was like a seed that met the warm soil, growing and blooming wantonly. . She felt that her life had never been so enjoyable.
In the autumn of 2023, Li Wenli ushered in the highlight of her life. The team of the well-known French choreographer Jerome Bell is going to present a dance drama called "The Gala" in Beijing and needs to select 20 people of different identities, ages, and professions to participate. Li Wenli made a video for the director and recommended herself. Unexpectedly, she was selected as the lead dancer. Li Wenli starred in her first dance drama.
The performance was a great success, with thunderous applause from the audience. After the performance, the actors were so excited that they danced freely on the stage. Later, Li Wenli recorded her state of mind in an article.
"At that moment, I truly felt my body and the meaning of life. At that moment, we were not performing, but a group of ordinary people who had no worries, no sorrows, and were not overwhelmed by life. We danced gracefully, with beautiful postures Light, we are full of joy, stepping on the elegant waltz, marching Jackson's cheerful rhythm, going to the golden Vienna Hall, is about to attend an unprecedented and unique "Grand Event". During my break, I drew more than 500 paintings and wrote nearly 200,000 words. The literature group helped her publish a collection of works "The World of Mengyu".
In 2022, Li Wenli changed her job of taking care of children to taking care of the elderly. Although this will cost her more than a thousand yuan in monthly income, she will have more spare time. She moved to a bigger stage. She spoke out for female domestic workers, gave a speech on a television station, attended a book fair in Guangdong, and even went to Macau to participate in a literary festival on behalf of a literary group. She strives to live a more exciting life.
Keep writing, keep dreaming
Stick to being yourself
In June this year, Li Wenli suffered a traffic accident in Beijing and fractured her left foot, which made it impossible for her to continue working as a domestic worker. At this time, her daughter-in-law was about to give birth to a baby in her hometown. Li Wenli returned to her hometown of Ranli Village, Pingliang City, regardless of her foot injury.
Li Wenli once painted a painting in which a person was weighed down by a big stone and could not straighten his back. She said that this person was just like herself, and her family responsibilities prevented her from letting go of these burdens. Now, on the one hand, there is a heavy responsibility, and on the other hand, there is the desire to live out oneself. As she continued writing the book, Li Wenli faced a difficult balance.
The foot injury has not healed, but Li Wenli is still busy cooking every day and serving her daughter-in-law and grandson who have just given birth. The scientific parenting knowledge Li Wenli learned in Beijing can now be put to use.
Returned this time, Li Wenli became a celebrity in the village. Many people knew that she had appeared on TV and published articles. Everyone was surprised to find that traditional rural women could also live a wonderful life.
After all the daily housework is finished, it is time for Li Wenli to sort out the manuscript.
Today is the day when the literary group in Beijing is carrying out activities, and her friends made video calls to her.
Li Wenli: I think that in the limited time in the future, I will definitely record the things I have done and meaningful things, and I want to continue publishing, although these have not allowed me to truly complete an independent and free space. Female, but at least what I do is what I like to do, and I must keep doing it.
No matter where you are
We must work hard for our dreams
Li Wenli’s story can easily give us the impression that she came to Beijing to pursue her dreams, but this is actually an illusion. When she first came to Beijing, and now when she had to leave Beijing, it was first and foremost for her family. It was she who worked hard enough and was persistent enough. After earning the money her family needed, she devoted all her remaining energy to literature and art, and devoted herself to her own rebirth. It was her extreme desire for spiritual life that allowed the outside world to discover her talent and brilliance, and also allowed her to receive a lot of selfless guidance and kind help. Li Wenli took every opportunity she encountered during her time in Beijing very seriously, because she knew very well how hard-won it was for a female domestic worker like herself.
In the short film, after a video call with friends in the literature group, Li Wenli did not speak for a long time, only wiping her eyes with both hands. In Beijing, she was "Mengyu" who could sing, dance, write, and paint freely; when she returned to her hometown, she became a wife, daughter-in-law, grandmother, and mother. It would be great if we could have both, but the reality is that the two identities cannot be unified for the time being. This question is difficult to answer because there is no standard answer; it is easy to say that there is no need to rush to answer. Since Li Wenli didn't know what wonderful experiences were waiting for her before she came out to work, why should she draw conclusions about the future now? In a speech before leaving Beijing, Li Wenli said that no matter where she is, she must insist on reading more, creating more and drawing more. This is exactly what we want to say to Li Wenli and to people like her who are brave and shining: if you never forget, you will surely succeed. Echo, you must remember the breath that you have been fighting for in your heart.
(main station reporter Zhao Xu Liu Zhan Liu Xiaochen Xing Bo Li Zhe)
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