An American in Beijing Lives His Chinese Dream

Wearing his bright red armband(袖章) and speaking fluent Mandarin(普通话), 62-year-old Terry could be taken for any regular Chinese man from a distance.

His Chinese name is Gao Tianrui. He became interested in Chinese culture as a teenager when he read the Tao Te Ching by Laozi. At 18, he took a ship to Taiwan to learn Chinese. On the ship the captain suggested that he should have a Chinese name. “He named me Gao Tianrui, based on the pronunciation (发音)of my English name,” he said. Then he first visited Beijing in 1987 on business.

Gao Tianrui lives in a Siheyuan with other three families. His neighbors are very helpful and friendly. Gao Tianrui once wasn't familiar with Chinese living habits and his neighbors helped him to overcome difficulties. Gradually, he could speak Chinese fluently.

Having lived in Beijing for more than 20 years, Gao Tianrui has also finally achieved his Chinese dream: becoming a public security(安全) volunteer. Life as a“ Xicheng Dama” has even made him an online celebrity. Xicheng Dama is a club for volunteers, usually women in late middle-age, who roam(漫步) the streets of downtown at Beijing's Xicheng district. And now Gao Tianrui has joined their club.

“I like helping others," he said. "I live in the Siheyuan and my neighbors and I usually help each other…This is where I live, where my friends are and where I call home.”

Information Card

Does your city have a program of garbage classification(垃圾分类)? Yes? What are the benefits (好处) of it? Saving resources, turning waste into wealth and making our city more beautiful. So it's important to do the garbage classification in people's daily life.

On June 25. a group of volunteers (志愿者) from Class C1706 of Nanya Middle School wore small red caps, school uniforms and took some brochures (宣传册) to Nanya Neighborhood to have activities on garbage classification.

At noon of the same day, more than 40 volunteers stood in the sun and handed out brochures to the people there. They also told the meanings, ways and the rules of garbage classification.

To let the people have a better understanding of classification, they did all kinds of activities, like asking questions and playing garbage throwing games. Everyone there could easily get the basic knowledge (基本知识) of garbage classification if he/she joined the games.

In the next step, the volunteers will study more about garbage classification and give suggestions (建议) to others. In this way, more people will learn a lot about garbage classification and our city will become more beautiful