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The article focuses on the condition of poor miners in China. When miner Wang Man-hsi, who had just reached the age of sixty, returned to his home, the young people vied with each other to greet him, and surrounded him in the house. The newly painted parlor had been redecorated by the young people. Pointing to a side lantern used by miners in the old society that was hanging on the wall, a mischievous youth jokingly commented to his mother. Everybody laughed after hearing the comment. Old man Man-hsi, who was then sitting in his chair, jumped up, and taking the side lantern in his hands, said that in the old society, when miners went down into the shaft, they used two kinds of lanterns. The haulers used a lantern which was put on the head, and it was called a head lantern, the coal cutters used the lantern hung on the colliery wall, and it was called a side lantern. These lanterns burned vegetable oil, and rags were used as wicks. After his parents' death, his brother became dependent on him. Some of the uncles who used to work in the mine with his father would sometimes give them some money and grain.