On August 29, a surveillance video from the streets of Guangdong caused widespread attention. The video uploader claimed that within a short 20-minute period, a roadside garbage bin was rummaged through by three different individuals. This video quickly sparked discussions on social media platforms, with many netizens expressing their sentiments that this scene reflects the living difficulties faced by some people in mainland China.
The video, which was reposted on various video websites such as Douyin, showed three people searching through a public garbage bin in a corner of a community in Guangzhou within 20 minutes. Some individuals had clear targets, directly taking cans and bottles, while others left empty-handed after a brief search. While the scene may seem ordinary, the high frequency of such occurrences is poignant.
A resident of Guangzhou, Mr. Chen, told reporters on September 2 that he was not surprised by the video: “Last year, incidents of rummaging through trash cans began to appear gradually, and after the Chinese New Year this year, such situations have significantly increased. Recently, near my home, there are people rummaging through the trash cans almost every day, with most being elderly individuals and occasionally middle-aged ones. They collect plastic bottles, which can be sold for one or two yuan per pound. In the evening, there are even more people scavenging for vegetables at the farmers’ market.”
After the video was circulated, many netizens left comments in the comment section. Some lamented: “Nowadays, Chinese people no longer need to suffer from foreign oppression, yet they are struggling in the cracks of survival.” Another netizen wrote: “Every time I go out for a late-night snack, I always see elderly people stooped over picking up bottles, it’s heartbreaking.” Others made half-joking, half-helpless remarks like, “Don’t let foreigners know about this, it’s a secret.” The comments section reflected a mix of sympathy, sarcasm, and self-deprecation.
In the comments section of Douyin, a netizen named “Yiwen Jiu Li” wrote: “My neighbor comes from a family of doctors, and for ten years, his elderly mother has started collecting waste paper boxes for sale.” Another netizen commented: “This trash bin was rummaged through three times in 20 minutes; war is cruel, but what is more cruel than war is this kind of ‘peace’ where people prey on each other.” Some individuals uploaded similar pictures to express their sentiments regarding the current social environment.
Another video segment showed a homeless person lying on a traffic safety island in Longhua, Shenzhen, with vehicles constantly passing by, and occasional passersby stopping to look. Netizens claimed that this homeless elderly person had no place to stay, thus temporarily living by the roadside.
Mr. Zhao, a rights activist in Shenzhen, stated that in recent years, there has been an increasing trend of scavenging communities in cities like Guangzhou and Shenzhen. “I often see elderly people in their seventies and eighties pushing carts filled with empty bottles and old paper boxes in residential areas. They are not environmental volunteers but are forced to do so for survival. Some elderly people receive little or no financial support from their children, so they have to go out and collect bottles to increase their income. These people do not have medical insurance or social security. When I come across them, I give them tens or twenties of yuan.”
Observers of public sentiment believe that this video has sparked attention because it reveals a stark contrast between the grand narrative of the country and the reality of society. On one hand, the government emphasizes that “the Chinese people have stood up and are no longer subject to foreign aggression,” while on the other hand, on the streets and alleys, there are still people bowing their heads to search for cans and bottles.
A commentator stated: “Not only can we witness occasional heartbreaking scenes, but we are also witnessing frequent social phenomena. It reminds people that beneath the so-called prosperity, the struggles of ordinary people have never disappeared.”
Among the comments from netizens, reporters saw poignant words, furious criticisms, and jesting remarks like “Such scenes are state secrets.” Scholar Mr. Zhao pointed out that these desolate videos and images serve as a reminder to society not to overlook those who are stooping to search through trash cans. Their figures portray the most genuine depiction of this era.