I don't have a lot of friends to hang out with
It's a bit tiring to deal with people
So I try to decorate the space to my liking
And the longer I stay here, the more comfortable it gets
I'm from Peixian, Xuzhou, 36 years old
I'm a teacher
There's really no way to go to the countryside now
Live a secluded life in a country house
But in consideration of my work
And for better education of my child
I bought an apartment in the city
Three floors
All my ancient props and utensils are places on the first floor
It's our living area
We don't have sofa in the living room and there is no TV
The furniture is also small so the space looks big
It's an old cabinet from the Republic Era
The glass stained window has begonia flower patterns
It's that greenish, emerald color
Creating an feeling of the old times
Lacquerware originated in China
It's very complicated to make and takes very long
It's used every day and cherished
We don't have a dining table so we eat on the floor
Friends come visit also sit on the floor
Child feels like camping
And enjoy the meal even more
The kitchen is my shelter
I love every single utensil
The small bamboo basket
Was bought on my trip to Xishuangbanna
It must have been used for over a hundred years
A small emerald pot
An old man from Japan
A handmade full-glazed earthen pot
I heard that he died last year
So no one will ever be able to buy it again
These are luxuries for me
Tea room, a space to nourish the body and mind
Outside the window are some greenery
Like a cabin in the woods
I like folk art and folklore stuff
Handmade clothes, tapestries by folk craftsmen and ethnic minorities
Can be found everywhere in the apartment
Like a small folk museum
A large table was placed on the ground floor
It's where I do painting and calligraphy
I feel like speaking to ancient people
You can hardly find an apartment with such a big yard in these residential buildings
There are Chinese roses, clematis, hydrangea
This season you only see pomegranates hanging on the trees
Our parents live nor far away
One to two minute walk
My preference for objects
Is inherited from my parents
When I was a child, I wandered around the antique market with them
In their home, they have old cabinet of the late Qing Dynasty and old iron cabinet of the Li Dynasty
All antique furniture
My mom has been practicing the art of incense burning lately
The way that ancient people used to do it
She has dexterous fingers and very good sense of aesthetic
Would grind beans manually when time permits
When we need to be together we hold on to each other tightly
But we respect the boundaries
This year, the epidemic broke out in Xuzhou
We brought our parents and their cat
To our apartment
And we lived together for a month
We camped in our yard and held all kinds of activities
Free of fear, worry and anxiety
I followed trends blindly when I was young
Life simplifying was popular in the last years
I tried that, having nothing at home
But there are so many things I can't bear to give up
The older you get, the better you know what you really want
Now I'm simplifying my social relationships
To be able to live in such a comfortable space after the epidemic
I feel lucky and grateful