One time， a residential area in downtown city of Jinan wasdemolished and the buildings pulled down. It was raining heavilyoutside and it was muddy in the field. Hans went to the buildingsites to rescue the millstones and engraved stone bricks whichwould soon be destroyed. Although he was quite strong， it took ahuge amount of effort to carry the millstones back. Even thoughthe stones were too outdated to be used nowadays， their round andsimple shapes looked like artwork.
After taking back one millstone， Hans was rewarded for hisefforts： several of his German colleagues were so excited at thesight of the stone， that they also spent three days at the site and“salvaged” a dozen millstones and several dozen engraved stonebricks. Later these German experts decorated the courtyard withthese stone works and made the courtyard a museum for engravedstone works. There are always people who like to have a seat in thecourtyard and touch the stones.
Hans is in the habit of collecting waste paper and used envelopesfor other purposes. He once called out loudly and seizedfrom my hand a new envelope in which I was about to put a grilledchicken leg. Any items which were thrown away after only one usewere always reused by Hans.
A German colleague once told me in a sarcastic voice thatthere were no more than three “Doctor Garbages” like Hans in Germany;but this remark made me feel a little depressed. Hans alwaysreminded me of Thoreau， an American who experienced happinessat Walden Lake and had no material needs. Human beings arethrowing away more and more， and not only material commodities.
Aren’t we lucky to have people like Hans in our society?
When it was close to the day he would leave China， Hans separatedhimself from his German colleagues， leaving the newly-decoratedapartment and sleeping in the office. His determination wasquite simple： to refuse luxury and enjoy a simple life. His behavior was strongly challenged by his German colleagues; however， Hansstill acted in his own way， and kept enjoying his sunshine and hammock.
Just as the Chinese saying goes： people are easily satisfiedwhen they have no demands， and they are strong when they haveno desires. Hans was not troubled by his separation from his Germancolleagues.
Hans led the simple life of an ascetic， with a minimum ofmaterial demands. His household necessities seemed so shabby inothers’ eyes. Before he left China， due to his trust in me， he askedme to choose from the things in his home which he could not bringback to Germany. In order not to disappoint him， I chose one quiltwhich was not so worn-out. He later moved all his belongings intoa vacant garage， but he was teased by the doorman. Perhaps allthese belongings were thrown away as soon as Hans boarded theplane， and found their final place in the waste station. And now，“Doctor Garbage” has arrived at a suitable destination in others’
eyes.
After Hans left， a series of montages continued to flash infront of my eyes： Hans， carrying his camera which looked like amachine-gun， tracking a peasant woman holding a piglet， the womanquite frightened by his behavior; in the peasant courtyard， Hans，holding a cup with a thick scum of tea leaves on the surface， chattinghappily with the local peasants; Hans asking in detail about thenumber of cocks and hens while counting livestock; Hans stoppingand smiling when he saw livestock alongside the roadside enjoyingthe sunshine; in the rain， everyone rushing home while Hans roamsaround and enjoys the rain… Hans was born to connect with nature，although he knew nothing about singing of the moon and thewind， he is nature himself.
Hans bought a house after he went back to Germany. It was adown-to-earth single-story house and located in the open countryside.
He also bought several milk cows and started to lead the lifeof a herder. He mailed several photos to me： his house was firm andsimple; there was no garden， but there was a big tree full of “blondhair”； his milk cows appeared quite comfortable and satisfied， withsmiles on their faces， the same smile that was on Hans’ face. Therewere flowers on their necks; they were enjoying the kindness oftheir owner. Hans milked the cows and sold the milk， exchanging it254 for his bread.
He had found the most suitable role in his life. I felt quitehappy for Hans; eventually， he was able to live his dream and didnot need to skip work to enjoy the sunshine; although his dreamlife was scorned by the members of modern civilization， who slepton spring mattresses， and such closeness to nature was ignoredby most other people， Hans was following just such a life in hispatched and mended clothing. Although it was a little late， he hasfinally arrived and can spend his remaining life in this dream.
One Christmas， I drew a Christmas card to send to each of myGerman colleagues. I designed a residence for each of them on thecards： there were two stone lions in front of my boss’ gate; Peter’s home was located in a tall building in the city center; Wolfgangstayed in a temple; while Hans lived on a mountain， with twofalcons keeping him company. Seen from far away， Hans ownsnothing; seen from up close， there were trees everywhere. Hansoverlooked the world of man from the mountain; while under themountain， it was we who were rushing about with our hands full ofthings.
By Zhang Hong
Translated by Huang Junmei
