goodbye bellow, hello boombox

verbal vending

The thought of a peddler shouting out the day's services and goods is sure to bring a sense of familiarity... at least in China.

Even if you have never been to China, you can readily imagine a peddler slowly riding a bicycle through the street, shouting out to the residents.

oral history

I owe a special thanks to a friend, back in OR, for sharing a recent NPR story, relaying the venture of one Chinese businessman set to share the sounds of China with the world.

By banking the sounds of the people of China, Qin Jie (秦杰) is doing more than just sharing culture and turning a buck, or a yuan. He is preserving the very sounds that are on the brink of extinction, due to modernity and economic development.

China's 56 races and countless dialects have a lot to lose in this day and age, but so also have much to give. Now, the race is on to capture all that defines the expanse of China and her many peoples, one [sound] bite at a time.

brink of modernity

With the world's largest population and impressively expanding economy, it is no surprise that the modernization of China is having a large impact on her people and also the culture.

At worst, one might imagine the horrors of tradition simply lost with the passing of a generation. But then, modernization also and often reveals itself in small and surprising ways.

goodbye bellow, hello boombox

What is not commonly known is that these peddlers are often not using their own voice to advertise their services. Gone are the days of the past.

The physical demands on their vocal chords and lungs, alone, are enough to leave any passing customer marveling in a mix of sympathy and equally grand admiration. The call is unique, not only to one's profession, but also to each vendor.

Rhythmic and melodic, a few words aim to clarify how your day will be made easier by answering their calls.

But today, these calls are increasingly digitized and broadcast over small portable speakers. The familiar tinny sound of a poor recording coupled with low qualities speakers does not reduce the effectiveness of the sales pitch.

jiangxi, de'an

For example, the [recorded] sounds of a street peddler, literally peddling, selling steamed breads on a scathingly hot August afternoon on a dusty deserted road in De'An, Jiangxi province, southern China:

steamed breads and dirt roads greet modernity: my latest ringtone*

While visiting a good friend in his hometown province of Jiangxi, we walked from his house to his brother's home in the nearby countryside. From the edge of the small town (100,000 residents) to the adjacent countryside, we follow a dirt road that soon becomes a trail.

In 2001, we took this trail by foot. By August of 2008, the family had acquired 2 electric motorbikes to save the time and sweat of the 20-minute bipedal commute.

Even in the heat of that August sun, I requested that we romanticize the trip and go on foot. With so much to absorb, I didn't want my parents to miss anything. Pausing for a timely pit-stop, I was delighted to be present for what was to come over the crest of the hill.

A peddling peddler, riding our way, selling steamed breads.

And while a peddler selling steamed breads is not so unusual in a small village in China, I was intrigued by the fact that the vendor was using, not his voice, but a taped recording of his announcement.

I fumbled to ready my camera and was lucky enough to capture his passing. Priceless.

my parents and our friends at their home in De'An, Jiangxi

vending today

Over the last year, I have heard the calls of Beijing's vendors for scissor and knife sharpening, as well as candied haw fruit kebabs.

Occasionally I also see a cardboard or plastics recycler, calling out to make his presence known in a residential street.

Even in grocery stores, it is impossible to avoid the ranting of brand-name representatives who hope to win your loyalty with a free sample of instant coffee, strawberry-filled double chocolate wafers, or the latest skin-firming, kilo-trimming yogurt.

"buy 10, get 2 free", but only a local knows that

"Buy 5, Get 1 Free" [买五送一] is a very common sale here, and any mindful shopper is sure to benefit from this phrase on even the first trip to the market.

surprisingly, liquor in a sports-bottle is not advertised verbally

verbal ads

Being a [mostly illiterate] foreigner, I personally want to believe that the custom of shouting out the services to potential customers was born more out of necessity, than out of a purposely flippant intent to ingrain the latest discount in my mind. According to one source, an estimated 9-10% of the local population is illiterate -giving another reason for keeping ads verbal and not simply written. And that statistic does not even include the foreigners!

The sale 'calls' are actually quite helpful to the illiterate, if a bit tiring on the ears. Imagine being on the verge of picking out a comfort of a yogurt selection and need not even look up to know that it is possible to be adventurous and thrifty by choosing another brand boasting of the latest wheat and aloe, honey, or jujube flavors. The salesclerk verbalizes that bargain for your glazed eyes.

Here in China, if you keep your ears tuned, you just might find the next bargain of your lifetime.

And the vendors can save their voices for an evening's round of karaoke.

*This 'mantou' ringtone is available to anyone interested, just send me a request via email.