Guo Zuliu cuts hair for a customer in Kunming. In recent years, traditional barbershops has been decreasing gradually as the rapid spread of hair salons in modern society. Traditional barbershops, or state-owned ones, can seldom be seen by people in urban areas. However, in some pars of Kunming, one can find several traditional barbershops still functioning.

An aged has his head shaved in Guo's barbershop in Kunming.

In recent years, traditional barbershops has been decreasing gradually as the rapid spread of hair salons in modern society. Traditional barbershops, can seldom be seen in urban areas. However, in some pars of Kunming, one can find several traditional barbershops still functioning.

Guo Zuliu, 56, still persist in running his traditional barbershop with no decoration but simple equipments, such as old-fashioned razors and chairs, on the south Shulin street in Kunming.

Guo learned the traditional skill from his father at the age of eight. In 1974, he started working as an apprentice in a service company of Kunming. After that, he worked in a barbershop named "Rongguang" on Huguo Road and then in another barbershop on Nanping street.

He began to run his own barbershop in 1982 after resigning from state-owned shop. Due to street construction, Guo's shop had been relocated for several times and finally was moved to the Shulin street. "In 1980s, it costed only a few cents to get one's hair cut. Customers paid 5 yuan for a haircut in my shop until the year before last. But the expense was more expensive in other new-style hair salons that time, which usually costed about 15 yuan or 20yuan. With the rise in price of house rent, water and electricity, price of haircut of my shop increased from last year's 6 yuan to this year's 7 yuan. "said Guo.

"It is impossible for one to earn from such kind of barbershops. But if you keep working hard, you can also make ends meet. I've always been a barber over the past years, and i will stick to the job in the rest of my life. I just want to serve the public." he added. According to reporter's calculation, Mr. Guo has cut hair for more than 150000 people since 1974.

With the change of the time, the traditional skill of barbering is gradually fading from the society and facing a dilemma. "Few people are willing to learn the skill for more than ten years, including my daughter. " introduced Guo. Depending on some regular customers, a few barbershops can exist up to now. "More occupations are available for young people, so they don't need to choose the traditional barbering. I only regret that the precious skill may be lost at last. "

Guo Zuliu once worked in the Rongguang barbershop, which was located at Baoshan street in Kunming.

(Editors:Hyesung,Minnie Mao)