The Neighbourhood Canteen

在许多城市的老社区里，住着很多一个人生活的老人。

Zài (fourth tone, falling) xǔduō (third tone, dipping) chéngshì (second tone, rising) de (neutral tone) lǎo (third tone, dipping) shèqū (fourth tone, falling) li, (neutral tone) zhù (fourth tone, falling) zhe (neutral tone) hěn (third tone, dipping) duō (first tone, high and level) yí (second tone, rising) ge (neutral tone) rén (second tone, rising) shēnghuó (first tone, high and level) de (neutral tone) lǎorén. (third tone, dipping)

In the old neighbourhoods of many cities live a great many older people on their own.

他们的子女在外地工作，平时很少回家，每天的三顿饭成了这些老人最头疼的问题。

Tāmen (first tone, high and level) de (neutral tone) zǐnǚ (third tone, dipping) zài (fourth tone, falling) wàidì (fourth tone, falling) gōngzuò, (first tone, high and level) píngshí (second tone, rising) hěn (third tone, dipping) shǎo (third tone, dipping) huí (second tone, rising) jiā, (first tone, high and level) měi (third tone, dipping) tiān (first tone, high and level) de (neutral tone) sān (first tone, high and level) dùn (fourth tone, falling) fàn (fourth tone, falling) chéng (second tone, rising) le (neutral tone) zhèxiē (fourth tone, falling) lǎorén (third tone, dipping) zuì (fourth tone, falling) tóuténg (second tone, rising) de (neutral tone) wèntí. (fourth tone, falling)

Their children work elsewhere and seldom come home, and three meals a day have become these old people’s biggest headache.

自己做饭吧，年纪大了，买菜、洗菜都不方便，一个人吃的菜又不好掌握分量，常常一顿饭要吃好几天；

Zìjǐ (fourth tone, falling) zuòfàn (fourth tone, falling) ba, (neutral tone) niánjì (second tone, rising) dà (fourth tone, falling) le, (neutral tone) mǎi (third tone, dipping) cài, (fourth tone, falling) xǐ (third tone, dipping) cài (fourth tone, falling) dōu (first tone, high and level) bù (fourth tone, falling) fāngbiàn, (first tone, high and level) yí (second tone, rising) ge (neutral tone) rén (second tone, rising) chī (first tone, high and level) de (neutral tone) cài (fourth tone, falling) yòu (fourth tone, falling) bù (fourth tone, falling) hǎo (third tone, dipping) zhǎngwò (third tone, dipping) fènliàng, (fourth tone, falling) chángcháng (second tone, rising) yí (second tone, rising) dùn (fourth tone, falling) fàn (fourth tone, falling) yào (fourth tone, falling) chī (first tone, high and level) hǎo (third tone, dipping) jǐ (third tone, dipping) tiān; (first tone, high and level)

Cook for themselves? At their age, buying and washing vegetables is hard, and cooking for one makes portions difficult to judge, so one meal often lasts several days;

去饭馆吃吧，价格比较高，口味也往往太重，不适合老人。

Qù (fourth tone, falling) fànguǎn (fourth tone, falling) chī (first tone, high and level) ba, (neutral tone) jiàgé (fourth tone, falling) bǐjiào (third tone, dipping) gāo, (first tone, high and level) kǒuwèi (third tone, dipping) yě (third tone, dipping) wǎngwǎng (third tone, dipping) tài (fourth tone, falling) zhòng, (fourth tone, falling) bú (second tone, rising) shìhé (fourth tone, falling) lǎorén. (third tone, dipping)

eat at a restaurant? Prices are fairly high, and the food is often too heavily seasoned for older people.

为了解决这个问题，近几年，一些城市开始在社区里办起了“社区食堂”。

Wèile (fourth tone, falling) jiějué (third tone, dipping) zhè (fourth tone, falling) ge (neutral tone) wèntí, (fourth tone, falling) jìn (fourth tone, falling) jǐ (third tone, dipping) nián, (second tone, rising) yìxiē (fourth tone, falling) chéngshì (second tone, rising) kāishǐ (first tone, high and level) zài (fourth tone, falling) shèqū (fourth tone, falling) li (neutral tone) bàn (fourth tone, falling) qǐ (third tone, dipping) le (neutral tone) “shèqū (fourth tone, falling) shítáng”. (second tone, rising)

To solve this problem, in recent years some cities have begun opening “neighbourhood canteens” in residential communities.

记者访问了其中的一家。

Jìzhě (fourth tone, falling) fǎngwèn (third tone, dipping) le (neutral tone) qízhōng (second tone, rising) de (neutral tone) yì (fourth tone, falling) jiā. (first tone, high and level)

Our reporter visited one of them.

食堂在一栋楼的一层，面积不大，摆着十几张桌子，墙上的黑板上写着当天的菜单：两个肉菜、三个蔬菜，还有一个汤。

Shítáng (second tone, rising) zài (fourth tone, falling) yí (second tone, rising) dòng (fourth tone, falling) lóu (second tone, rising) de (neutral tone) yì (fourth tone, falling) céng, (second tone, rising) miànji (fourth tone, falling) bú (second tone, rising) dà, (fourth tone, falling) bǎi (third tone, dipping) zhe (neutral tone) shíjǐ (second tone, rising) zhāng (first tone, high and level) zhuōzi, (first tone, high and level) qiáng (second tone, rising) shang (neutral tone) de (neutral tone) hēibǎn (first tone, high and level) shang (neutral tone) xiě (third tone, dipping) zhe (neutral tone) dàngtiān (fourth tone, falling) de (neutral tone) càidān: (fourth tone, falling) liǎng (third tone, dipping) ge (neutral tone) ròucài, (fourth tone, falling) sān (first tone, high and level) ge (neutral tone) shūcài, (first tone, high and level) hái (second tone, rising) yǒu (third tone, dipping) yí (second tone, rising) ge (neutral tone) tāng. (first tone, high and level)

The canteen is on the ground floor of a building; it is not large, with a dozen or so tables, and the blackboard on the wall gives the day’s menu: two meat dishes, three vegetable dishes and a soup.

每份饭菜的价格比外面的饭馆便宜不少，七十岁以上的老人还能享受优惠。

Měi (third tone, dipping) fèn (fourth tone, falling) fàncài (fourth tone, falling) de (neutral tone) jiàgé (fourth tone, falling) bǐ (third tone, dipping) wàimiàn (fourth tone, falling) de (neutral tone) fànguǎn (fourth tone, falling) piányi (second tone, rising) bù (fourth tone, falling) shǎo, (third tone, dipping) qīshí (first tone, high and level) suì (fourth tone, falling) yǐshàng (third tone, dipping) de (neutral tone) lǎorén (third tone, dipping) hái (second tone, rising) néng (second tone, rising) xiǎngshòu (third tone, dipping) yōuhuì. (first tone, high and level)

Each meal costs quite a bit less than at restaurants outside, and people over seventy get a further discount.

中午十一点不到，食堂里就已经坐满了人。

Zhōngwǔ (first tone, high and level) shíyī (second tone, rising) diǎn (third tone, dipping) bú (second tone, rising) dào, (fourth tone, falling) shítáng (second tone, rising) li (neutral tone) jiù (fourth tone, falling) yǐjīng (third tone, dipping) zuò (fourth tone, falling) mǎn (third tone, dipping) le (neutral tone) rén. (second tone, rising)

Before eleven at midday the canteen is already full.

排队的人中，大多数头发已经白了，也有几位是带着孩子来吃饭的年轻父母。

Páiduì (second tone, rising) de (neutral tone) rén (second tone, rising) zhōng, (first tone, high and level) dàduōshù (fourth tone, falling) tóufa (second tone, rising) yǐjīng (third tone, dipping) bái (second tone, rising) le, (neutral tone) yě (third tone, dipping) yǒu (third tone, dipping) jǐ (third tone, dipping) wèi (fourth tone, falling) shì (fourth tone, falling) dài (fourth tone, falling) zhe (neutral tone) háizi (second tone, rising) lái (second tone, rising) chīfàn (first tone, high and level) de (neutral tone) niánqīng (second tone, rising) fùmǔ. (fourth tone, falling)

Most of those in the queue have white hair, though there are also a few young parents who have brought their children.

七十六岁的王奶奶几乎每天都来，她说：“饭菜软一些、淡一些，正适合我的口味。更重要的是，这里有人跟我说说话。”

Qīshíliù (first tone, high and level) suì (fourth tone, falling) de (neutral tone) Wáng (second tone, rising) nǎinai (third tone, dipping) jīhū (first tone, high and level) měi (third tone, dipping) tiān (first tone, high and level) dōu (first tone, high and level) lái, (second tone, rising) tā (first tone, high and level) shuō: (first tone, high and level) “Fàncài (fourth tone, falling) ruǎn (third tone, dipping) yìxiē, (fourth tone, falling) dàn (fourth tone, falling) yìxiē, (fourth tone, falling) zhèng (fourth tone, falling) shìhé (fourth tone, falling) wǒ (third tone, dipping) de (neutral tone) kǒuwèi. (third tone, dipping) Gèng (fourth tone, falling) zhòngyào (fourth tone, falling) de (neutral tone) shì, (fourth tone, falling) zhèli (fourth tone, falling) yǒu (third tone, dipping) rén (second tone, rising) gēn (first tone, high and level) wǒ (third tone, dipping) shuōshuo (first tone, high and level) huà.” (fourth tone, falling)

Mrs Wang, seventy-six, comes almost every day. “The food is softer and lighter, just right for me,” she says. “More importantly, there’s someone here to talk to.”

她告诉记者，以前子女不在身边，她常常一整天都不说一句话，晚上只能一个人对着电视坐到很晚。

Tā (first tone, high and level) gàosu (fourth tone, falling) jìzhě, (fourth tone, falling) yǐqián (third tone, dipping) zǐnǚ (third tone, dipping) bú (second tone, rising) zài (fourth tone, falling) shēnbiān, (first tone, high and level) tā (first tone, high and level) chángcháng (second tone, rising) yì (fourth tone, falling) zhěng (third tone, dipping) tiān (first tone, high and level) dōu (first tone, high and level) bù (fourth tone, falling) shuō (first tone, high and level) yí (second tone, rising) jù (fourth tone, falling) huà, (fourth tone, falling) wǎnshang (third tone, dipping) zhǐnéng (third tone, dipping) yí (second tone, rising) ge (neutral tone) rén (second tone, rising) duìzhe (fourth tone, falling) diànshì (fourth tone, falling) zuò (fourth tone, falling) dào (fourth tone, falling) hěn (third tone, dipping) wǎn. (third tone, dipping)

She told our reporter that before, with her children far away, she often went a whole day without saying a word, and in the evening could only sit alone in front of the television until late.

原来，对许多老人来说，社区食堂不仅是一个吃饭的地方，也是一个交朋友的地方。

Yuánlái, (second tone, rising) duì (fourth tone, falling) xǔduō (third tone, dipping) lǎorén (third tone, dipping) lái (second tone, rising) shuō, (first tone, high and level) shèqū (fourth tone, falling) shítáng (second tone, rising) bùjǐn (fourth tone, falling) shì (fourth tone, falling) yí (second tone, rising) ge (neutral tone) chīfàn (first tone, high and level) de (neutral tone) dìfang, (fourth tone, falling) yě (third tone, dipping) shì (fourth tone, falling) yí (second tone, rising) ge (neutral tone) jiāo (first tone, high and level) péngyou (second tone, rising) de (neutral tone) dìfang. (fourth tone, falling)

So for many older people, the canteen is not only a place to eat but also a place to make friends.

吃完饭，大家常常坐在一起聊一会儿天，交流一下最近的新闻，有时还会说好下午一起去公园散步。

Chī (first tone, high and level) wán (second tone, rising) fàn, (fourth tone, falling) dàjiā (fourth tone, falling) chángcháng (second tone, rising) zuò (fourth tone, falling) zài (fourth tone, falling) yìqǐ (fourth tone, falling) liáo (second tone, rising) yíhuìr (second tone, rising) tiān, (first tone, high and level) jiāoliú (first tone, high and level) yíxià (second tone, rising) zuìjìn (fourth tone, falling) de (neutral tone) xīnwén, (first tone, high and level) yǒushí (third tone, dipping) hái (second tone, rising) huì (fourth tone, falling) shuō (first tone, high and level) hǎo (third tone, dipping) xiàwǔ (fourth tone, falling) yìqǐ (fourth tone, falling) qù (fourth tone, falling) gōngyuán (first tone, high and level) sànbù. (fourth tone, falling)

After eating, people often sit together and chat for a while, swap recent news, and sometimes agree to go for a walk in the park in the afternoon.

食堂的工作人员也会注意老人们的情况：如果某位常来的老人连续两天没有出现，他们就会给老人或者他的家人打个电话，问问是怎么回事。

Shítáng (second tone, rising) de (neutral tone) gōngzuò (first tone, high and level) rényuán (second tone, rising) yě (third tone, dipping) huì (fourth tone, falling) zhùyì (fourth tone, falling) lǎorénmen (third tone, dipping) de (neutral tone) qíngkuàng: (second tone, rising) rúguǒ (second tone, rising) mǒu (third tone, dipping) wèi (fourth tone, falling) cháng (second tone, rising) lái (second tone, rising) de (neutral tone) lǎorén (third tone, dipping) liánxù (second tone, rising) liǎng (third tone, dipping) tiān (first tone, high and level) méiyǒu (second tone, rising) chūxiàn, (first tone, high and level) tāmen (first tone, high and level) jiù (fourth tone, falling) huì (fourth tone, falling) gěi (third tone, dipping) lǎorén (third tone, dipping) huòzhě (fourth tone, falling) tā (first tone, high and level) de (neutral tone) jiārén (first tone, high and level) dǎ (third tone, dipping) ge (neutral tone) diànhuà, (fourth tone, falling) wènwen (fourth tone, falling) shì (fourth tone, falling) zěnme (third tone, dipping) huí (second tone, rising) shì. (fourth tone, falling)

The staff also keep an eye on the older diners: if a regular fails to appear two days running, they phone the person or their family to find out what is wrong.

一位负责人说，有一次正是因为这样一个电话，一位在家里摔伤了的老人及时得到了帮助。

Yí (second tone, rising) wèi (fourth tone, falling) fùzérén (fourth tone, falling) shuō, (first tone, high and level) yǒu (third tone, dipping) yí (second tone, rising) cì (fourth tone, falling) zhèng (fourth tone, falling) shì (fourth tone, falling) yīnwèi (first tone, high and level) zhèyàng (fourth tone, falling) yí (second tone, rising) ge (neutral tone) diànhuà, (fourth tone, falling) yí (second tone, rising) wèi (fourth tone, falling) zài (fourth tone, falling) jiāli (first tone, high and level) shuāishāng (first tone, high and level) le (neutral tone) de (neutral tone) lǎorén (third tone, dipping) jíshí (second tone, rising) dédào (second tone, rising) le (neutral tone) bāngzhù. (first tone, high and level)

One of the people in charge said that on one occasion it was just such a phone call that got timely help for an old man who had fallen and hurt himself at home.

当然，社区食堂的发展也面临着不少困难。

Dāngrán, (first tone, high and level) shèqū (fourth tone, falling) shítáng (second tone, rising) de (neutral tone) fāzhǎn (first tone, high and level) yě (third tone, dipping) miànlín (fourth tone, falling) zhe (neutral tone) bù (fourth tone, falling) shǎo (third tone, dipping) kùnnan. (fourth tone, falling)

Of course, neighbourhood canteens also face a good many difficulties.

由于价格低，许多食堂的收入只能勉强维持日常开支，一旦失去政府的补贴，就很难经营下去。

Yóuyú (second tone, rising) jiàgé (fourth tone, falling) dī, (first tone, high and level) xǔduō (third tone, dipping) shítáng (second tone, rising) de (neutral tone) shōurù (first tone, high and level) zhǐnéng (third tone, dipping) miǎnqiǎng (third tone, dipping) wéichí (second tone, rising) rìcháng (fourth tone, falling) kāizhī, (first tone, high and level) yídàn (second tone, rising) shīqù (first tone, high and level) zhèngfǔ (fourth tone, falling) de (neutral tone) bǔtiē, (third tone, dipping) jiù (fourth tone, falling) hěn (third tone, dipping) nán (second tone, rising) jīngyíng (first tone, high and level) xiàqù. (fourth tone, falling)

Because prices are low, many canteens only just cover their daily costs, and once they lose the government subsidy they find it hard to keep going.

此外，一些老人行动不便，没办法亲自到食堂吃饭，如何把饭菜送到他们家里，也是一个需要解决的问题。

Cǐwài, (third tone, dipping) yìxiē (fourth tone, falling) lǎorén (third tone, dipping) xíngdòng (second tone, rising) búbiàn, (second tone, rising) méi (second tone, rising) bànfǎ (fourth tone, falling) qīnzì (first tone, high and level) dào (fourth tone, falling) shítáng (second tone, rising) chīfàn, (first tone, high and level) rúhé (second tone, rising) bǎ (third tone, dipping) fàncài (fourth tone, falling) sòng (fourth tone, falling) dào (fourth tone, falling) tāmen (first tone, high and level) jiāli, (first tone, high and level) yě (third tone, dipping) shì (fourth tone, falling) yí (second tone, rising) ge (neutral tone) xūyào (first tone, high and level) jiějué (third tone, dipping) de (neutral tone) wèntí. (fourth tone, falling)

In addition, some older people have trouble getting about and cannot come to the canteen themselves; how to get meals to their homes is another problem to be solved.

对于这些问题，一些社区想出了办法：他们邀请附近的大学生和退休的老人做志愿者，每天中午把饭菜送到行动不便的老人家中；

Duìyú (fourth tone, falling) zhèxiē (fourth tone, falling) wèntí, (fourth tone, falling) yìxiē (fourth tone, falling) shèqū (fourth tone, falling) xiǎng (third tone, dipping) chū (first tone, high and level) le (neutral tone) bànfǎ: (fourth tone, falling) tāmen (first tone, high and level) yāoqǐng (first tone, high and level) fùjìn (fourth tone, falling) de (neutral tone) dàxuéshēng (fourth tone, falling) hé (second tone, rising) tuìxiū (fourth tone, falling) de (neutral tone) lǎorén (third tone, dipping) zuò (fourth tone, falling) zhìyuànzhě, (fourth tone, falling) měi (third tone, dipping) tiān (first tone, high and level) zhōngwǔ (first tone, high and level) bǎ (third tone, dipping) fàncài (fourth tone, falling) sòng (fourth tone, falling) dào (fourth tone, falling) xíngdòng (second tone, rising) búbiàn (second tone, rising) de (neutral tone) lǎorén (third tone, dipping) jiā (first tone, high and level) zhōng; (first tone, high and level)

Some communities have found ways round these problems: they invite nearby university students and retired people to volunteer, taking meals every midday to older residents who cannot get out;

有的食堂则在晚上对社区里所有的人开放，用年轻人来吃饭带来的收入，补充给老人优惠所造成的损失。

Yǒude (third tone, dipping) shítáng (second tone, rising) zé (second tone, rising) zài (fourth tone, falling) wǎnshang (third tone, dipping) duì (fourth tone, falling) shèqū (fourth tone, falling) li (neutral tone) suǒyǒu (third tone, dipping) de (neutral tone) rén (second tone, rising) kāifàng, (first tone, high and level) yòng (fourth tone, falling) niánqīngrén (second tone, rising) lái (second tone, rising) chīfàn (first tone, high and level) dàilái (fourth tone, falling) de (neutral tone) shōurù, (first tone, high and level) bǔchōng (third tone, dipping) gěi (third tone, dipping) lǎorén (third tone, dipping) yōuhuì (first tone, high and level) suǒ (third tone, dipping) zàochéng (fourth tone, falling) de (neutral tone) sǔnshī. (third tone, dipping)

other canteens open in the evening to everyone in the neighbourhood, using the income from younger diners to make up for the loss caused by the discounts for older ones.

专家认为，随着老人在社会中所占的比例越来越高，类似的服务会越来越重要。

Zhuānjiā (first tone, high and level) rènwéi, (fourth tone, falling) suízhe (second tone, rising) lǎorén (third tone, dipping) zài (fourth tone, falling) shèhuì (fourth tone, falling) zhōng (first tone, high and level) suǒ (third tone, dipping) zhàn (fourth tone, falling) de (neutral tone) bǐlì (third tone, dipping) yuè (fourth tone, falling) lái (second tone, rising) yuè (fourth tone, falling) gāo, (first tone, high and level) lèisì (fourth tone, falling) de (neutral tone) fúwù (second tone, rising) huì (fourth tone, falling) yuè (fourth tone, falling) lái (second tone, rising) yuè (fourth tone, falling) zhòngyào. (fourth tone, falling)

Experts believe that as older people make up an ever larger share of society, services like this will matter more and more.

照顾老人不能只靠家庭，也需要整个社会共同承担。

Zhàogu (fourth tone, falling) lǎorén (third tone, dipping) bù (fourth tone, falling) néng (second tone, rising) zhǐ (third tone, dipping) kào (fourth tone, falling) jiātíng, (first tone, high and level) yě (third tone, dipping) xūyào (first tone, high and level) zhěnggè (third tone, dipping) shèhuì (fourth tone, falling) gòngtóng (fourth tone, falling) chéngdān. (second tone, rising)

Caring for older people cannot rely on families alone; it is a burden the whole of society must share.

一碗热饭、一句问候，看起来是很小的事情，却能让老人们感到自己并没有被忘记。

Yì (fourth tone, falling) wǎn (third tone, dipping) rè (fourth tone, falling) fàn, (fourth tone, falling) yí (second tone, rising) jù (fourth tone, falling) wènhòu, (fourth tone, falling) kànqilai (fourth tone, falling) shì (fourth tone, falling) hěn (third tone, dipping) xiǎo (third tone, dipping) de (neutral tone) shìqing, (fourth tone, falling) què (fourth tone, falling) néng (second tone, rising) ràng (fourth tone, falling) lǎorénmen (third tone, dipping) gǎn (third tone, dipping) dào (fourth tone, falling) zìjǐ (fourth tone, falling) bìng (fourth tone, falling) méiyǒu (second tone, rising) bèi (fourth tone, falling) wàngjì. (fourth tone, falling)

A bowl of hot food and a word of greeting may seem small things, yet they let older people feel that they have not been forgotten.