Recently, a Hong Kong documentary "Caged People" has attracted widespread attention. The image of one tenant in the film is impressive: his appearance and demeanor reveal a former brilliance, as if simply changing the background to a luxury residence would allow him to re-emerge as a successful person full of spirit. However, time is merciless, and now he can only curl up in a small cage-like room, which is quite lamentable.

This reminds me of a Hong Kong man I met in Guangzhou a few years ago. He was over fifty, and despite living in a poorly conditioned urban village, he still maintained an extraordinary demeanor. According to his account, he was born in the famous Kowloon Walled City, and with excellent grades, he was admitted to the University of Hong Kong, becoming a local pride. On the day of the results announcement, the entire walled city held a grand celebration banquet for him, feeling proud of the "top scholar" produced by this special area.

This Hong Kong person was once successful in his career and made significant achievements in business between the two places. However, as fate would have it, he claims that due to the involvement of a "godfather" in Kowloon Walled City, he ultimately lost everything, his family fell apart, and he could only survive with great difficulty in Guangzhou.

Looking at this person who still maintains a meticulous appearance, I can't help but recall the words of the ancient scholar Cai Jing: 'Five times I have served as a minister in the Golden Hall, ten times I have announced the edicts in the Jade Hall; looking back at the past's fleeting splendor, it has all become a dream talk...' These lines express the impermanence of life's ups and downs.

The story of the tenants in "Caged People" and that of this Hong Kong person both narrate similar life trajectories: from glory to destitution, from peak to trough. These experiences remind us that the wealth and splendor in life are like flowers in a mirror and the moon in water, ever-changing. They prompt us to ponder how to maintain inner resilience and dignity when facing the ups and downs of life. At the same time, this also calls for society to pay attention to those who were once glorious but are now in distress, providing them with necessary assistance and care.