by Chen Si
Translated by Spencer Woodman
Chen Si spends his weekends on Big Bridge which crosses China's Yangzte River, attempting to stop people from jumping. This translation of excerpts from his blog will appear on Low Log in four parts.
07-11-09
Today at 2:50, just as I was patrolling from the North Castle to the South Castle bridge section, I saw a person by the Peasants Workers and Soldiers Statue. He suddenly bounded over the bridge’s parapet and jumped. I stopped my car, jumped out and looked over the parapet after him. He had hit the concrete and lay completely motionless on the ground below, in South Castle Park, by the water’s edge. The police came to discover his head completely broken, its blood and brains flowing out. The police used newspapers to cover the corpse. He was a very young man.
01-30-10
3:10: I am patrolling the South Castle section of the Big Bridge when I see a middle aged man, lying horizontal, his body already mostly off the bridges ledge. His still grasps his luggage. I sneak up behind him, pull him off the parapet, and hold him. Unfortunately, his luggage plummets off the bridge. He smells strongly of alcohol.
This week alone, six people have jumped off this bridge to their deaths.
03-21-10
Yesterday at 3:05 as I was patrolling the bridge I saved a young man. I discovered he had had quite a lot to drink. He wanted to jump over the bridge’s ledge. I sat and talked with him, and found that his story is quite funny. He promised his wife 200 Yuan out of his 1,400 Yuan salary for spending money. He and his wife had argued much throughout the past few days. He thought suicide would show her for sure, and ensure he would never have to pay her another cent. I sent him home.
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