In the Year of the Monkey, it is difficult for the Nuggets to ＂the Monkey King＂ on the street, from group photo to live broadcast to online celebrity.
Seventy-two changes of "the Monkey King" on the street —— From taking a group photo to collecting money to transforming Shang Yan to live online celebrity.
On the evening of November 15th, Xiao Mo, dressed as Wukong, and Sung Jae Lee, who played "Tang Priest", made a live broadcast near Shangxiajiu. Many citizens came to watch and asked for a group photo.
In a rented house of less than 10 square meters, Xiao Mo and Li Cheng, dressed in the Monkey King costumes, pose for the camera.
Three years ago, Chen Shuiqing, who worked hard in Guangzhou for many years because of his life, turned into a street performer "Monkey King" and attracted attention from all walks of life after being reported by the media. A year ago, a deaf-mute "Monkey King" Mo Guangzhi appeared at the entrance of Shishi Cathedral, which also attracted attention.
According to the investigation of Guangzhou Daily reporter, although they are incarnated as miraculous the Monkey King, most of them still live in a narrow village in the city, and they are still facing the battle of fierce competition. Today, Chen Shuiqing, who has suffered a lot, has switched to Shang Yan; Mo Guangzhi met another "Monkey Brother", Li Cheng, and then they became "Tang Priest and Mentor" and embarked on the live broadcast of "online celebrity".
Guangzhou Edge of Three Monkey Kings
38-year-old Kung Fu "Monkey King" Chen Shuiqing: Change to "Monkey King" for a way out
Chen Shuiqing is the earliest "Monkey King" in Guangzhou in recent years. Nineteen years ago, Chen Shuiqing and his wife came to Guangzhou to work hard. Six years ago, they once owned a small sewing factory. However, the small factory closed after more than three years due to the sluggish business.
In the Spring Festival of 2014, he returned to his hometown to take care of his parents. The three children who are studying, their parents on their deathbeds, and the triviality of life have overwhelmed Chen Shuiqing. In the same year, his father died.
"During the most difficult time, I was very annoyed and often wandered around the street with nothing to do." Chen Shuiqing, who lost his father, couldn’t afford mental work any more. His beard and hair grew long unconsciously. He walked around the park in confusion like a sloppy tramp. The Monkey King!’ One day, an uncle’s cry in the park reached Chen Shuiqing’s ear, which inspired him.
"At first, I just asked others for money after putting on makeup, but I felt it was wrong. Later, I followed the TV to learn the action and went to the street to perform." At the beginning of 2015, he performed at the Pearl River for the first time and was widely reported by the media.
35-year-old "Monkey King" Mo Guangzhi: Taking a photo to support the couple
Because he can’t speak, Mo Guangzhi’s story is not known to outsiders except for a photo captured by the media.
More than a year ago, Mo Guangzhi, born in 1981, came to Guangzhou from his hometown of Huazhou to work hard. Because he had no skills, he chose to be a "Monkey King" who took photos with people outside the scenic spot. "Basically, every day from 11: 00 noon to 5: 30 pm, I will appear in Shishi Cathedral. My income in a month is about two or three thousand yuan, and I have to send 500 yuan to my wife in my hometown." Although he can’t speak, he can type on his mobile phone. In WeChat, his reply speed is not slow. He told reporters that he has been married for many years and has a 4-year-old child.
He has been in the role-playing industry of "Monkey King" for more than one year, and Mo Guangzhi wandered around various tourist attractions and squares in Guangzhou. In the second half of 2015, a photo of him was captured by the media and began to be known.
25-year-old live broadcast of "Monkey King" Li Cheng: Doing "live broadcast" after unemployment
Compared with the first two "old-timers", Li Cheng is the latest one to join the business.
At the beginning of October this year, he came to Guangzhou for the first time and just started working in a coffee shop. Before that, he had been working as a pay-off builder on the construction site with his father to support his wife and children. After his father died, he began to find another way out.
Li Cheng said that after he came to Guangzhou, he was recommended to work in a coffee shop with a monthly salary of more than 4,000 yuan after paying the 280 yuan agency fee. Unexpectedly, the coffee shop closed down after only working for two or three days. In desperation, he thought of webcasting. So Li Cheng bought a suit of the Monkey King’s clothes from the Internet, turned into a "Monkey King" and started the live broadcast. However, he did not tell his family about the live broadcast. "I am afraid that they will worry and want to make some achievements."
Affinity: a pair of real "mentoring" and a pair of fake "mentoring"
Although they entered the business at different times, there was a wonderful connection between them. After Mo Guangzhi’s story was reported, he was recommended to Chen Shuiqing and became his apprentice.
Although he met Chen Shuiqing, Mo Guangzhi still made a living by taking photos. Until a month ago, he met Li Cheng. "I explained to him that after I was doing the live broadcast, we decided to work together." Li Cheng said. After their cooperation, with the advice of fans, he became the Tang Priest, while Mo Guangzhi was still the the Monkey King, and they also became a pair of mentoring.
"Monkey King" appears frequently in the Year of the Monkey.
Address: Dwelling in a village in a humble abode
The income of the three "Monkey Kings" is not high. Mo Guangzhi takes photos with people, and his monthly income is about two or three thousand yuan; Li Cheng has just entered the business and has no substantial income; Chen Shuiqing was the earliest in the business, but his income was also unstable. Today, all three people live in the village in the city.
Li Cheng lives in a large single room on the eighth floor of a house rented by Mo Guangzhi in Qinghu Village, Baiyun District. The room is less than 20 square meters, and there is only a big bed and a small bathroom at the entrance. The cooking place is combined with the balcony. Space is limited, and clothes can only be hung in the room. The rent is only in 260 yuan every month, and they are divided equally.
Chen Shuiqing, together with his wife and two children, rented in the vicinity of Qingfeng Archway in Baiyun District, which is also a village in the city. His house is 50-60 square meters with one room, one living room, one kitchen and one bathroom. There are three beds in the room. The couple and a pair of children live in one room, and the monthly rent is only a few hundred yuan.
Dilemma:
There are more and more "Monkey Kings"
"In the Year of the Monkey, we may not have earned as much as in previous years. After all, there are many Monkey Kings this year!" A "Monkey King" said with emotion.
"When I first started doing it, Guangzhou could hardly find anyone who made money by playing Monkey King; In 2016, because I happened to meet the Year of the Monkey, a lot of’ Monkey Kings’ came out at once. " Chen Shuiqing said that some "Monkey Kings" don’t make money by skills, but by taking photos.
Wearing thick costumes, masks and golden hoops every day is not an easy task for the "Monkey King". "I am also very tired at the end of the day, especially when the clothes are thick and it is very hot in summer." Mo Guangzhi said.
Dress:
Several hundred yuan to several thousand yuan.
Being a "Monkey King" requires a beautiful outfit, but these outfits are not cheap: clothes, pants, masks, hats, belts, boots, and golden hoops.
The reporter learned that a set of costumes will cost at least a few hundred yuan, and expensive ones will cost thousands of yuan. "My wardrobe is relatively simple, and I spent a total of 500 yuan; Mo Guangzhi’s is more expensive, spending thousands of dollars. " Li Cheng said.
In contrast, Chen Shuiqing’s is more expensive. "I didn’t have a mask before, just relying on my face; Later, a friend suggested me to buy it. I also bought a set two or three months ago. The more realistic it is, the more expensive it is. " His clothes cost more than 2,000 yuan, his mask also cost more than 2,000 yuan, and he has changed 10 gold hoops.
"Monkey King" breaks the problem and transforms Shang Yan.
On the evening of November 15th, Li Cheng played the role of Tang Priest for the first time and went to a square in Guangzhou with the Monkey King. "The live broadcast effect is not bad, and 1500 people watched it in two hours." Today, Li Cheng regards live broadcast as the direction of their livelihood.
From Baiyun Mountain to Yuexiu Park, from Liwan Square to Shangxiajiu, as of November 15th, Li Cheng and Mo Guangzhi had broadcast live for thirteen days and visited many scenic spots in Guangzhou. According to Li Cheng, there are more than 2,000 people watching it at most, but because it has just started, the traffic is not much. "I have opened a daily 3G traffic package in 10 yuan, but the daily gifts and rewards are not enough for the traffic fee." Li Cheng said.
Because it has been a long time, Chen Shuiqing joined the WeChat group, which gathered the "Monkey King" of the whole country. His nickname in the group was "Guangzhou Monkey King", but he didn’t expect to find an opportunity in Shang Yan through this group. "There are more than 300 people in the group, all related to playing the Monkey King, and they occasionally exchange information." Last month, it was through this group that Chen Shuiqing got an opportunity to go to Shang Yan. "More than 400 yuan a day, only a few days off in a month, and earned more than 10,000 yuan." However, he hasn’t received Shang Yan before, and since this month, he hasn’t received a single activity.
"I met a lot of peers when I was performing arts, and now many of them are not on the street. They took Shang Yan or walked into KTV." Chen Shuiqing said that perhaps this is also a way to break through.
In fact, there are many successful cases in the transformation of Shang Yan. The 27-year-old "Monkey King" Yuan Tixin entered the art school at the age of 11 and stayed in the drama troupe for 11 or 12 years. This year is the seventh year of his imitation of the Monkey King. His price for a Shang Yan is 3,000 yuan to 5,000 yuan. Cheng Fei, a 25-year-old "Monkey King", began to study opera in an art school when he was 8 years old. After graduating in 2002, he entered the Peking Opera Troupe and has been imitating the Monkey King for 6 years. Now, the fee for each performance is 3,000 ~ 8,000 yuan.
However, there are risks in the transformation of Shang Yan, mainly income instability. "Business is not good now. Before, my price could be 2,000 yuan. Some bosses like to be cheap. Please invite some amateurs to perform. Like we perform with professional equipment, the price of 200~300 yuan can’t go. I am now doing business with some old customers." Ye Wenhua, a the Monkey King from Dongguan, said. (Reporter Qin Song, Xie Xin, reporter Chen Youzi)