Embracing Change, Realizing Dreams - WPP.com

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In the sprawling grounds of the Jingshan Park, in the north of Beijing’s Forbidden City,62 year old Chen Shuqin, who you see on the previous page, gives his vocal chords aworkout. Until ten years ago, the retired government official never had the opportunity.He was too busy implementing government programs in his district, and his passion formusic remained confined to catching an occasional performance. No longer. He joins agroup of enthusiasts, who call themselves theZiguang Chorus Group, sings songs mainlyfrom the 1950s and 1960s. During eachgathering, ‘The Ode to the Motherland’ isalways the second last song they sing, and it isfollowed by ‘Unforgettable Evening’ when allthe members wave their hands for farewell.The singers are of different levels of<strong>com</strong>petence, and this affects the overall effectof chorus. During each performance, somesemi-experts, all in their sixties, volunteer tobe chorus conductors. Chen Shuqin prefers tostay away from centre-stage. “I enjoy singing,not making others sing,” he says.In another shaded corner of the park, a couple– the man playing the erhu, the lady crooningan operatic piece, give flight to their own fancy.They aren’t looking for appreciation; they’remerely living out a dream of togetherness.They don’t expect applause from bystanders,but if someone does, they acknowledge itgently.After retiring in Shanghai in 1994, JeffreyWong (pictured on the left), becameconcerned about the rapid pace ofdemolition and lack of protection for historicarchitecture in the area. From this concern,Wong cultivated an extensive collection ofthreatened architecture in the area. With hisfirst architectural purchase in 1998 of aQianlong era house from Suzhou, Wongcreated his own formula for historicpreservation. “I took it apart, brick by brick,tile by tile, pillars and all,” recalls Wong. “Then I shipped it over to a piece of land Ihad acquired earlier in the Qingpu district of Shanghai where I had a workshop. Ihired old craftsmen from the Suzhou area and started to repair and rebuild the housethere.” Over the past seven years, Wong has collected over 150 architectural
structures across China, rescuing them fromcertain demolition, including mansions fromthe Ming Dynasty, historical houses, teahouses, pagodas, bridges, and temples likeShanghai’s original Jing An temple. With noplans of starting a new hobby anytime in thenear future, Wong spends his retirementdays reading, studying Chinese history andculture, and practicing his Chinesecalligraphy.But Li Yuze, pictured above right, takes hiscalligraphy very seriously. An array of brusheshangs on the wall of his small living room inBeijing, and sheet after sheet of text liestacked on a table. Every morning, he gets outof his apartment for a walk up Jinsghan Hill. Itis where he meets his old friends, as they sharetheir opinions about what’s happening inChina and in the world over glasses of greentea. After that, it is back to his parchment,brushes and ink. “Retirement give me themental space and time to perfect my strokes,”he tells us. The profusion of stationery andartist material stores near his home, as well asin faraway Chengdu tells us that calligraphy isa vibrant art form that has stood the test oftime, and seniors are the bearers of the flame.Youth-market obsessed folks, why not acalligraphy talent show for seniors on nationaltelevision?Or a group dance / drumming contest, for thatmatter?The enthusiasm of these women, seen on arainy morning on the Bund in Shanghai, ishard to beat. But the pink, clad, stick-wieldinggrandmas aren’t an anomaly. There arehundreds of such groups across cities big andsmall. Every morning, they wake up, pile into abus and arrive at a park, riverside or square,and stage a symphony of sound andmovement. Now and then, a store or a
Page 4 and 5: WHY SENIORS MATTER IN CHINAPre-mode
Page 6 and 7: As these pictures show, theirs is n
Page 8 and 9: STUDYING SENIORS - WHAT A PLEASURE
Page 10 and 11: Sixty-eight year old Wu Yi is affec
Page 12 and 13: A significant number of senior citi
Page 14 and 15: featured among their favourite bran
Page 18 and 19: estaurant or the management of an a
Page 20 and 21: If your minds have been, by now, st
Page 22 and 23: important, valuable customers with

Embracing Change, Realizing Dreams - WPP.com

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