By staff reporter JIAO FENG & MENG XIA

GU Xumei is a celebrated tailor in a village of Yining County in Ili Kazak Autonomous Prefecture. She makes clothes for fellow villagers and teaches sewing for free. So far she has had nearly 3,000 apprentices. What makes her so popular? What is her motivation? Armed with these questions and more, we visited Gu Xumei.

A Promise Kept for 31 Years

Gu’s cooperative is tucked away down a nondescript lane with a special name – National Unity Business Incubator. “My home is also in the lane. I understand very well that local villagers struggle to make ends meet; their income from crops is far from enough. In winter, many families have no income at all. I wanted to help women in the village to learn sewing skills so that they could work to earn some extra money,” Gu told China Today.

In 1985, Gu opened the first tailor shop in the village and offered free sewing lessons for a few interested women. “People were very poor then. Some families could barely make ends meet. I told them that I would charge nothing if they wanted to learn with me,” said Gu.

Gu has kept her word to this day, some 31 years since she opened her business. In the very beginning her apprentices were made up of fellow villagers. Later people from neighboring villages also came to learn with her. She has helped those who are very poor take the first step on the business ladder. She has also been to other counties to give lectures for free. To date she has trained nearly 3,000 apprentices.

After learning with Gu for seven months, Kapsay, a Uygur, opened her own tailor shop. Influenced by Gu, Kapsay teaches others sewing skills for free. “What makes me happiest is to see my apprentices learn the skills and then go on to teach them to more people in need,” said Gu. “My factory currently has more than 150 employees. Some enterprises in the county have given us contracts to produce work uniforms for them and their orders are very important to us. I think that if you help others, others will help you in return. The more you give, the more you receive,” Gu said.   

A Grateful Heart

Gu was visibly upset as she recalled her childhood. She came to Xinjiang with her parents from Shandong Province in 1958, the year before the so-called Three Years of Natural Disasters (1959-1961). The locals – hailing from various ethnic groups in Xinjiang – received them. They provided this migrant family with housing and food such as milk and naan (flatbread). “I grew up with naan and buttered tea offered by many ‘moms’ of the Uygur and Kazak minorities. My little friends played with me and taught me Uygur. During Ramadan, kids were always given a piece of steamed bread made of maize meal or wheat flour when calling on other’s homes and they always shared what they had with me.”

In the 1960s, the Chinese economy was laggard and food was in great shortage. However, the villagers voluntarily took care of Gu and her family. “I can still remember clearly how, when my neighbor picked fruits from trees, she always saved one for me. Whenever I was hungry, I would go to her home, where I could always have a bowl of warm buttered tea. Such memories will never fade as the picture of kindness is embedded in my mind. Although they were not affluent, they were willing to share with us,” Gu recalled, wet-eyed, as the realization dawned that most of the seniors who took care of her have now passed away.

Gu’s parents had always wanted to do something to thank the local villagers. At that time, there were no tailors in the village, so Gu’s mother, who excelled at sewing, made clothes for fellow villagers for free. During the planting and harvest season, Gu’s father helped neighbors with farm work. The parents often told Gu that they would never be able to enjoy such a good life without the help of local villagers.

In 1982, Gu started to learn sewing from her mother and also helped make clothes for neighbors. In 1985, she rented a 15-square-meter space and opened her own business, and started to take on apprentices for free. “The villagers’ selflessness warmed our hearts during our most difficult time. I have grown up with a grateful heart,” said Gu.  

More Happy Families

Gu has earned her reputation by virtue of her fine technique and credibility. Last year, she entered partnership with a local garment factory, and soon saw a spike in orders. Her small tailor shop however was not big enough to complete the huge volume demanded, so she wanted to open a factory near her home. The premises were provided by her community, the buildings were funded by the township government, and she purchased the equipment herself. Last September, two workshops that covered 95 square meters were constructed in only 20 days. The factory adopts a shift work practice (day and evening). Women who don’t have time during the day time can come to work in the evening.

“Such employment practice is welcome,” said Gu. Women who have to take care of children and elderly relatives can also work.

So Qeng is the only male apprentice at Gu’s factory. He is a deaf-mute. Gu met with So Qeng last year and she got to know that his family was struggling; both parents were old and two of the three children in the family were deaf-mute. Gu took So Qeng on as an apprentice and gave him food and accommodation. Although it was a little difficult to communicate with So Qeng at first, he proved diligent and willing to learn, and quickly picked up the sewing techniques. When he received RMB 800 after the first month, he told Gu in sign language that it was the first wage he had ever earned in his life. When Gu visited his home, his mother took Gu’s hand and said: “Thank you so much. I have never seen So Qeng this happy. Now, he looks forward to seeing the sunrise every day, so that he can set off for the factory.”

Many rural women are now earning their own income, enhancing not only their statuses in their families, but also their self-confidence. Gu feels gratified and proud for them. “In my small tailor shop, my apprentices not only learn a technique, but also make friends with people of other ethnic groups. We are like one big family and love each other,” said Gu.

Gu is now responsible for winning contracts and her husband is for purchasing fabric and assigning tasks to workers. “I want to thank my husband. My achievements today would not have been possible without his consistent support,” said Gu.

Gu hoped to help local women master a craft so that they may find employment or start their own businesses. Last year, she discovered that hand-knitting was another good vocation suited to local women, and with a ready market. She started cooperation with Qian Meirong, an artist in Xinjiang, whereby Gu is responsible for assigning tasks and Qian for winning contracts. Gu is confident that the women in the village will soon master hand-knitting techniques as another way to swell their incomes.