Smoker at Lao Meng

Lao Meng is located about sixty kilometres from the southern part of Yuan Yang, not too far from Vietnam. Every Sunday, thirteen ethnic groups from five counties of the two countries come to this market. There is a wide variety of goods and snack stalls. There are also key makers, hairdressers, cobblers, dentists, and even snake charlatans.

Ethnic groups come together, and merchants each show their own profession, making it a rich place for human-interest photography.

After walking around, I came to a small stall providing what appeared to be hookah smoking services. The stall was full of tobacco and pipes. For just a few cents, one could sit down and enjoy the service.

There were many smokers at the stall. The thick smoke indicated good business.

Among the smokers, an old countryman attracted my attention.

I saw that his face was marked with deep wrinkles. An old, worn pair of glasses sat on his nose. The outer layer of the frame was peeling a little, and the lenses were also worn. He wore a duckbill cap and clothing that looked like the blue-collar workers of the Mao Zedong era. He seemed to be intoxicated by the smoke.

The old man suddenly looked up. His expression had an indescribable melancholy, with a touch of sadness. The opportunity was too good to miss, so I raised my lens and took a few shots.

Was it the burden of life, or bitterness entangled in his heart? I do not have the answer, but that moment of expression is recorded in the camera forever.

The old man stood up, and so the shooting ended.

“Was it the burden of life, or bitterness entangled in his heart?”

I called to him, smiled, and showed him the image. Seeing his own appearance, the old man pointed to the screen and laughed out loud.

At that moment, the sadness and melancholy from before suddenly disappeared. His cheerful look was contagious, causing me to laugh as well. The other smokers also joined in and laughed.

At that moment, everyone was happy. The magic of photography was extraordinary.

With a smile on his face, the old man waved to me, turned around, and walked away.

Another smoker immediately sat down, and the small stall once again filled with smoke. 27 December 2012