CRI听力:Flying Pigeon Bicycles, Past and Present

Wang Dajian has been working for the Flying Pigeon bicycle company in Tianjin, China for more than 40 years.  He started at the factory as a standard worker, and slowly rose in the ranks to become the marketing manager, a job he's held for the past ten years.

"This year I'm 59 years old. I started work when I was 16 years old. Next year, I will retire."

He's looking forward to retirement he says, and plans to pursue some of his leisure activities like fishing and gardening.  He leaves behind a Fei Ge very different from the one he arrived at.

"It's the hub, it's in the center of the wheel, so this one we call a spoke, they put the spoke into the hub"

Today's Flying Pigeon is a modern company, producing bicycles to suit the tastes of consumers in countries all around the world. Exports are a big part of their business, in contrast to the 60's and 70's when millions of nearly identical black bikes were produced to propel China.
 
" In the past, it was the most important mode of transportation for most families. But now it's not the most important - now people ride bikes just for short trips, or for exercise."

In 1950, the first flying pigeon was produced, and the company soon became the center of the 'bicycle kingdom', as China came to be known. The steel framed bicycles were built like a tank and meant to last a lifetime. Adorned with a dove,  liberally translated to the animal's urban cousin in English, the bicycles were produced at a frantic pace to satisfy the transport needs of China's massive population. 

"Of course at that time no one owned a car, but also not that many people owned a bicycle. If a family owned one they would be very happy. If they owned two, it would be luxurious."

The flying pigeon today is a nostalgic symbol of national pride, and has been given as a gift to world leaders, including president Obama.

"At that time the work was  very busy. We usually worked seven days a week. We often worked overtime because the need for bicycles was so great. Nowadays it's easier to buy a car than it was to buy a bicycle back then. In Beijing and Tianjin, some people can own 2 or 3 cars, if they want."

As China's new rich and middle-class trade their bikes in for cars, the days of China as a bicycle kingdom are waning, much like Mr. Wang's days making flying pigeons in this Tianjin factory.

The people who owned a bicycle back then were more proud than those who own a car today.

For CRI, this is Seth Coleman.