Preface
This series documents some numbers I have observed—
highly subjective and for reference only.
Water Delivery Worker
One bucket of water earns about ¥3; delivering 100 buckets per day is considered an acceptable income.
In the past, reaching this target was effortless: office buildings generated strong, concentrated demand, making deliveries efficient.
In recent years, however, over half of Beijing’s office buildings have gone vacant, forcing workers to deliver to scattered individual customers across wider areas.
Water prices are as follows:
- Nongfu Spring: ¥30 per 19L bottle
- Wahaha: ¥25 per 19L bottle
- Jingtian: ¥23 per 19L bottle
- Yibao: ¥23 per 19L bottle
- Longquan Gorge: ¥18 per 19L bottle
Most of my time is spent at work—I drink whenever thirsty. At home, one 19L bottle of Nongfu Spring lasted me 20 days.
Barber
I asked a young shampoo assistant (who claimed to be 18, though I estimate he’s no older than 16):
“It takes three years as an apprentice before you’re allowed to start learning haircutting. During those three years, you only do odd jobs—shampooing clients, cleaning the shop, etc. Accommodation and meals are provided, and monthly income in Beijing is roughly ¥1,000.”
I asked a senior barber (aged 40–50):
“For an apprentice of average aptitude, it takes three years just to begin learning haircutting hands-on—and five years to cut hair competently. Even after that, continuous training is essential to keep up with evolving aesthetic trends.”