GAO XINDE, a 72-year-old retired man, joined over 100 local seniors aged above 65 for a Spring Festival dinner at Futian Shangri-La, Shenzhen hotel on Feb. 17, one day before the eve of the Year of Goat. Gao rents a small apartment in the suburbs of the city. Like many Chinese seniors, Gao lives alone. His children decided not to join the old man to celebrate the festival this year, and the self-employed lawyer applied to join a special dinner held by Shenzhen Geriatrics Society and several local corporations. The dinner catered to what in Chinese are called “empty nest seniors” — those who live alone at an old age. According to Chinese-language media, about 100 million out of 200 million elderly Chinese live alone, and most of them have to spend holidays without company. Gao said he was excited to join the event and that many of his peers made phone calls to wish the best to their children in other places. (Tan Yifan) |