Asia Insight — Season 1, Episode 22: China's Traveling Handymen

Episode synopsis

Traveling handymen, who live and work from their vans, travel from town to town to fix leaking roofs and ceilings when called upon. This used to be a common profession in China about 20 years ago but as the country gets more developed and homes become better built, the need for such services is decreasing. But these traveling migrants from poor rural areas still prefer this nomadic lifestyle and feel it pays better than farming or factory work. This episode follows the lives of China's traveling handymen as they struggle through a summer of scarce work.

About Asia Insight

An in-depth portrait of Asia today, covering its dynamism as a center of growth as well as its traditions tossed around by the advance of globalization.

More episodes from Season 1

• E1Migrants Gain Upper Hand
• E2Indonesia's First National Car
• E3Diversifying Shanghai
• E4Vietnam's Court Music Revival
• E5Writers Fight Publishing Ban in HK
• E6Mongolia's Forgotten Slum Dwellers
• E7The "80's Writers" in China
• E8Hydropower for Indonesian Villagers
• E9Energy-Hungry Nepal
• E10China's Job-Hunting Inn
• E11The Year of the Dragon Baby Boom
• E12The Dancing Prisoners