赵占兵，84岁，被视为中国最年长的理发师。在河北省会石家庄附近的一个县城集市上为一个老顾客剃须。（1月29日）
A man lies in a decrepit deck chair with his eyes closed while an old man standing behind him jerks a razorblade up toward his throat. But rather than a gore flick scene, this close-shave situation is merely the traditional way of getting groomed in China - that is, by a barber.
一个男子闭着双眼坐在一个破旧的椅子上， 他身后站着的男人手持剃须刀朝向他的喉咙。但是这不是一副戈尔电影场景，这种和刮脸的情景仅仅是中国形象修饰的一种传统方式－－－这就是剃头师。
Barbering is one of China's oldest professions - one that requires high skill levels from its practitioners. However, except for in some remote villages and counties, this time-honored way of earning a living has been essentially replaced by the beauty salon industry.
剃头师是中国最古老的职业之一，其需要从实践中而来高超的技艺水平。然而，除了在一此偏远的城市和农村， 这种历史悠久的谋生方式从根本上被美容院所代替。
Perhaps the oldest barber in the country is 84-year-old Zhao Zhanbing, who has plied this trade for 72 years in Sijiazhuang, a small township near Shijiazhuang, capital of North China's Hebei province
84岁的赵占兵也许中国最年长的剃须师傅，他已经在中国北部的河北省石家庄附近的一个小镇四家庄从事这个行业72年。
He spent four years as the apprentice of a master starting from age 12.
他从12岁开始跟着一个师傅做学徒。
"My family was very poor and my younger brother had some mental disabilities, which forced me to learn some skills to support the whole family," he said.
他说： “我家里非常穷，弟弟有精神病，迫使我学些技术来养活整个家”
Ancient Chinese said barbers would never starve because people always need to shave their heads and beards, Zhao said.
赵说：在中国古时，剃头师傅不是会挨饿的，因为人们总是需要剃头和胡子。
The young Zhao used a shoulder pole to carry his tools - shavers, hair-clippers, and a small stove and a washbasin - while walking among the alleyways and villages to seek business.
年轻时的赵用扁担挑着他的工具，有剃刀，剪刀，一个小火炉和一个洗脸盆，行走于胡同和乡间以寻找顾客。
As age has set in, his left leg has become increasingly difficult to walk on, and he requires medicine daily. He started taking an electric tricycle, loaded with his gear, to a county fair market stall. And he shows up fewer days a month.
当年纪日益增大，他的左腿渐渐的走路困难，他需要每日用药。他开始用电动三轮车，带着他的工具，一个月中有几天会到农村集市的摊位上。
All of my clients are older guys in their 60s and 70s who come from adjacent villages," Zhao says
赵说：“所有的顾客都是60或70多岁来自附近农村的老人”
"They prefer me not only because I've cut hair for so long but also because we're friends. I remember what they like, such as whether they prefer warmer or colder water rinses after the shaves. But my oldest friends are disappearing as we get older, which is so sad."
“他们喜欢我不仅仅是因为我给他们剃了很长时间的头发，而且因为我们还是朋友，我记得他们的喜好，比如说当他们剃过头后清洗，是喜欢热一点的水还是冷一点的水。但是我最老的朋友已经不见了，因为我们都老了”他悲伤的说。
Zhao usually finishes a session within 40 minutes. A head shave costs 3 yuan (46 cents) and a beard shave is 2. On the best of days, working from 8 am until nightfall, he earns 50 yuan.
一般赵完成一次剃头需要40分钟。剃头3元剃胡子2元。最好的日子里，从上午8点到傍晚，赚50元
"The job doesn't bring in much money and can be tiring, but our family built houses on this trade," Zhao said.
赵说：“这项工作赚不来很多钱，而且很累，但是我家盖的房子就是靠这来的。
"I like barbering. It's more than a job to me."
我喜欢剃头，这对我来说不仅仅是一份工作。
Speaking of his declining health, he says, "I don't want to place any more burdens on my grandson."
提到他日益下降的健康，他说：我想给我的孙子带来任何负担。
Zhao's oldest son died years ago, and his younger boy was born with mental disabilities. The grandson his deceased son gave Zhao has become the family's sole bread-earner.
赵的大儿子几年前去世了， 他的小儿子一出生就有精神病。他去世的儿子留给他的孙子现在成了这个家庭唯一的生计来源。
"I'm afraid I may be the last barber in my county, but I'd like to work until my final day," Zhao said.
我恐怕是我们乡最后一个剃头师傅了，我愿意这样一直工作到我最后的一天。他说
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