Spidermen in the air

There is a group of people who work in the high air, decorating or cleaning towers or bridges. Dai Hui, from Yunyang county in Chongqing, is among them. In 1993, Dai came to Chongqing city, where he has done quite a few jobs such as a carrier and a decorator. On Oct 5, 2011, when most people across the nation were enjoying National Holiday, he was setting decorative lighting on Shimen Bridge over Jialingjiang river in Chongqing with his colleagues.

In the air, dozens of meters over the ground, Dai and his colleagues hang and work with the help of steel ropes. They look like spiders from a distance. Due to the tight schedule of bridge decoration, they don’t have vacation during National Day. They start work at 8 am and don’t stop until late at night. Sometimes, lunch breaks are taken on the cables. “We never have regular holidays and work as long as we are needed,” said Dai. His wife who works as a cleaner in a bus company also has no vacation time. The couple has a monthly earning of 3000 yuan ($ 471), which is roughly enough to make ends meet. “I’ll do as much as I can when I’m young before I transfer to do some tradings when older since this job is too risky,” Dai said.

He’s been in the city for nearly two decades and his two children were born and now study there. The family has been accustomed to city life. Dai, who has witnessed development of Chongqing for years said “Chongqing has developed very well in recent years and has issued quite a few policies benefiting people. For example, my children can study near our dwelling. Also, I have social security thanks to my employer. As longs as the policies stay unchanged, we will stay in the city.”

Dai Hui (rear) with his colleague set decorative lighting on the Shimen bridge over Jialing river in Chongqing on Oct 5, 2011. [Photo/Xinhua]