Plight of poor challenges China's dream for prosperity

The death of a job-hunter under a highway overpass in a central China city has caused widespread concern over the plight of the needy in the country that aims to achieve common prosperity in eight years.

Little is known of the 40-something peasant who died last Friday after at least three weeks of fighting illness, hunger and cold in downtown Zhengzhou.

Clinical records provided by the city's first aid center suggested that the man who had died may be 38-year-old Liu Hongwei, who called authorities for help on Nov. 22 but did not receive any treatment. Police have yet to identify the body.

Records from two weeks ago showed the man was conscious and his blood pressure, heart rate and blood sugar levels were all "normal" when doctors visited him under a highway overpass in downtown Zhengzhou.

"He said he had not eaten for two days but was unwilling to go to the hospital," said a doctor surnamed Wang who came with the ambulance on Nov. 22. "I left him some cash and told him to call again if he needed help."

But several migrants who took shelter under the same intersection and witnessed the doctor's visit told a different story.0 The man never said he was unwilling to go to hospital, they said. "The doctor asked who could go with him, and because none of us offered to go, the ambulance left," said Ma Shuangyang, a migrant who was vaguely acquainted with the dead man.

In Chinese context, "to go with him" would mean to pay the medical bills, sign the papers and receive reports concerning his treatment. None of the migrants knew him well enough to take on the responsibility.

A street janitor found the man dying at midday last Friday. Doctors came again, only to confirm he had died hours previous.

Police have ruled out murder, but have yet to determine the cause of his death.

PLIGHT OF THE UNDERDOG

The anonymous peasant is not alone and his tragedy is not the only one of its kind.

The open space under the intersection where he slept and died served as a camping site for more than 200 people in the same boat: penniless peasants who left their rural homes for the city and found themselves unable to afford rent.

Most of them are low-paid workers: carpenters, bricklayers and painters who are hired only on a short-term basis. As a result, they are constantly hunting for work.

"If I can find a long-term job at a restaurant or construction site, I'll probably be given shelter under a roof and a bed to sleep on," said a peasant who only gave his family name as Zhu.

Zhu, 27, is married and has a 5-year-old son. He left his home county of Zhongmu about two weeks ago hoping to find a better-paying job. After failing to find one, he has already spent more than half of his money: a 100-yuan (16 U.S. dollars) note his wife gave him.

Most peasants are reluctant to go home, even if they cannot find jobs.

"I have a big family to feed: two children going to school and two parents who suffer from chronic diseases," said a peasant surnamed Dong. "I can't go home empty-handed."

Temperatures in Zhengzhou dropped below zero degrees Celsius in early December and most peasants huddle under their quilts. Some of them drink liquor to keep warm.

The cold is nothing for Dong, who prepared for the worst and was willing to suffer anything to make more money when he moved. However, city life has still been harder than he could've imagined.

"I can't stand liars," he said.

Last week, a man hired Dong to carry away a large pile of trash in exchange for 50 yuan. When he finished, however, the man was nowhere to be found.

Many of the city's homeless are natives of Henan province, some even hailing from the same county. When the lucky ones find jobs and leave their temporary lodging, they often leave their old bedrolls to keep others warm.

The man who died was apparently reluctant to befriend many people. All the other peasants knew of him was that he was a skilled bricklayer from Qixian county in Kaifeng and that he had been ill for about three weeks.

An officer with Zhengzhou's public security bureau said the man had a letter in his pocket that said he suffered from arthritis and needed help.

"It is unclear if he tried to send the letter to anyone before he died," the officer said.