Today I would like to share an old photograph taken by a Japanese person of the "floating people" of Fuzhou in the 1920s and 1930s. Two boats on the two boats approaching each other held poles, two talking, one of them probably spotted the photographer causing a strange expression on his face.
A Japanese statement about this photograph:
Egg Girl's Song
On the surface of the turquoise river, there are boats floating one after another, and the swaying posture of the egg tribe woman looks even more beautiful against the background of the water and sky. The popular folk song "Saltwater Song" among the egg people is simple and catchy, but it is so enthusiastic and undisguised. It expresses the desire and expectation of the young men and women of the egg tribe for love.
Cabbage blossoms white thrown. (囖)
Sister when the chest two tumors. (囖)
Brother Dang reached out and threw it. (囖)
Pro like a meatloaf and meat bun. (囖)
……”
Here's a little bit of an explanation. "Egg" is equivalent to "疍", which means that the people are like broken eggs, and the yolk always floats between the egg liquid, and the boat is not uncertain to float between the rivers and waters in this life. Lament the helplessness and sadness of life.
Here is a little bit about the historical origin of the Fuzhou people. The Minjiang River system in Fuzhou is developed, and fishermen along the river and the sea have been fishing for a living since ancient times. Some of them gradually evolved into a group that took the boat as their home and drifted on the rivers and seas all their lives. In the Song Dynasty, he gradually became a dalit. They were not allowed to go ashore and were only allowed to dock to trade in fish and necessities. They could not wear satin or even take the imperial examination. It was not until the Qing Dynasty that the relevant laws were gradually relaxed to allow them to go ashore. Even this will not change the discrimination and ridicule of this ethnic group. Even when they go ashore, they still can't walk with their heads held high like ordinary people, but can only bend over their necks, walk barefoot against the side of the street, and their trouser pipes must be rolled up high and low, which is different from other fishermen. I can't hold an umbrella when it's raining. Even after death, they were not allowed to go ashore and bury, but could only be wrapped in straw mats and secretly buried in the unoccupied swampy mudflats by the river. Therefore, the bones are often washed away by the flood, and even if they are not washed away by the flood, the exposed bones will be eaten by wild birds and wild dogs. It's miserable.
The people of Fuzhou are scornfully called "Qu Hoof", and women are called "Jiang Mei Tsai" and "Qu Hoof Po". What is a curved hoof, meaning a bent leg. This is strongly mocking and discriminatory. It is equivalent to the current Circle Leg. Because of living on a floating boat all year round, many times the line, sitting, and lying down are bent, resulting in deformation of the legs. They are short in stature, coupled with their legs, and their strange posture when walking is often ridiculed.
It is the so-called one side of the water and soil to support the other side of the people. Even being discriminated against still can't hide their yearning and expectations for a better life.
[Than heart] [Than heart] [Than heart] [Than heart] [Than heart]
