Ginger vendor pursues dream of writing

Yao Qizhong, 40, a migrant worker who sells ginger in a market, has put his life and struggles into 200,000 words over three years.

Yao left home in 1991 and drifted through four cities before arriving in Beijing in 1996, where he started to sell ginger in a market. For the past 16 years, he has woken up at 4am everyday and rides 8 kilometers to lay in stock before returning to the market to sell.

The story of his own life inspired him to write. Not having received much education, Yao writes with the help of two dictionaries at his stall in the market when he's not busy and also at night after he gets home. Yao's writing includes hundreds of stories about his small dreams in big cities and his life principles.

Yao shows his writings to people who come to his stall to buy vegetables and asks for advice. He hangs the media reports about his story by his stall, "It's an honor for me and my hometown Anhui," he said.

Yao Qizhong writes at his vegetable stall in a market in Beijing, on Oct 28, 2012.[Photo/CFP]

Yao Qizhong sits in his home with his family in Beijing, on Oct 28, 2012.[Photo/CFP]