SERIES HIGHLIGHTS WORK DREAMS AND REALITY

Jingdezhen, Jiangxi province, is regarded as one of the "three capitals" of porcelain-making in China, along with Dehua county, Fujian province, and Liling, Hunan province, and has attracted a large number of drifters. These are the people who go to Jingdezhen in pursuit of their ceramics-related dream, but without permanent resident status.

Liao Chongyang, 25, a native of Chengdu, Sichuan province who resigned from his job at a bakery shop, is one such drifter. He has had an interest in making porcelain and pottery from a young age, and attempted to open a pottery bar when he graduated from university three years ago. Unfortunately, things didn't work out and he had to close the bar soon after and find other work.

But the burning desire to make porcelain didn't die out, and he tried again.

He left for Jingdezhen, improved his porcelain-making skills, and tried to sell his works. He didn't make much profit during his early attempts. To generate an income he sold bingfen, or ice jelly, a dessert usually sold in the summertime as a street food.

However, with continuous efforts, he has gradually received some orders, and remains hopeful for his future as a craftsman.

The story is told in a four-episode documentary Aspiring Jobs in China 2022, which began airing on Dragon TV and streaming online through Chinese video platforms Bilibili and Tencent Video on Dec 13.

Produced by the Shanghai Media Group, among others, the documentary recounts the stories of eight ordinary Chinese people, showing their bittersweet working experiences.

According to Qin Bo, general director of the production, everyone can shine in their career, although, for ordinary people, a spotlight is rarely shone on their achievements.

What crew members tried to accomplish was to highlight such moments.

Each episode features stories of one age group, namely those in their 20s, 30s, 40s and people above 60.

"It shows people who have just entered the workplace, those who are trying to maintain a career, those that persist to achieve a goal and, finally, those who have grown old but are still ambitious," says Qin.

Qin is impressed by a story told in the third episode, which focuses on a 40-something couple who make a living by transporting goods by truck. Crew members followed and shot their 33-hour journey driving 18 metric tons of furniture from Foshan, Guangdong province, to Wenzhou, Zhejiang province.

Episode director Hu Yudi recalls her first communication with Cao Haiyan, the wife. "She said: 'Many people regard truck drivers as crude and look down upon us, but if we do not travel day and night, how can people in North China eat fresh fruit from Sanya, South China's Hainan province? Of course, we work for money, but we make a contribution to society.'"

During the long and tiring journey, the husband Tang Jijun only slept intermittently for about four hours, and Cao was responsible for communicating with cargo receivers, and solving problems on the way.

"I'm impressed by the detail of their cooperation, like Cao massaging Tang, reading jokes and preparing fruit to cheer him up when Tang was sleepy or tired. It not only shows the difficulties of the job, but also their perseverance in trying to fulfill their duty," says Qin.

"Everyone hopes to be content in their job, but in reality, most people are struggling and are far from realizing their dreams. But, I still believe the process of working hard to create a better life is the most precious thing," he adds.

But for some, who have done the same job all their lives, work seems to have a more profound meaning. Symphony conductor Zheng Xiaoying hasn't stepped back from her career even at 93, and received the invitation to conduct a chorus at a conference in July last year. The fourth episode recounts how she prepared for and accomplished the task.

"In the early stage of a career, people often rush to achieve something. But, in the latter stages, the desire often changes to belief, which contains complicated emotions, and not only about love for the job, or a wish to realize a dream. Behind all the struggles and hardships shine human qualities," says Qin.

The production team carefully selected the jobs depicted in the series. It also features new and lesser-known jobs, like test pilots of prototype aircraft, people who provide attendant services for hospital out-patient visits and those who protect wild animals.

"The appearance of these new jobs reflects market demand and the changing of the times. They present new opportunities for individuals to realize their dreams, while creating social value for people who strive for a better life," says Zhou Quan, deputy director of the documentary center of Shanghai Media Group.