A science teacher performs an experiment with water via a livestream in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, last month. Online classes have become increasingly popular since schools were closed to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus. HU JIANHUAN/FOR CHINA DAILY
As China continues to battle the novel coronavirus outbreak, large numbers of people are working from home.
That will continue for an indefinite period, despite growing optimism that the situation on the Chinese mainland is gradually returning to normal and a growing number of sectors are tentatively returning to work.
Farmers harvest agricultural produce in Qianjiang, Hubei province, this month. WU YANJUN/FOR CHINA DAILY
To reduce the risk of infection being transmitted via large gatherings and human interaction, the central leadership in January urged people from the hardest-hit areas or those not involved in urgent or essential work to make use of remote systems or online platforms to work from home.
Engineers explain water-disposal equipment to clients via a livestream in Shandong province last month. TANG KE/FOR CHINA DAILY
Though many people have simply swapped their daily office routines for online work from home, such as holding meetings with colleagues via the internet, a few have found new ways to promote their work remotely.
For example, a lawyer in Beijing is taking advantage of livestreaming to explain the law, while a woman who runs three coffee shops in the capital uses the internet to teach customers how to make coffee. Meanwhile, a noted drama enthusiast has organized people with a passion for performing to take part in voice acting and radio plays online.
The three shared their stories with China Daily, explaining how they work from home and outlining their recent achievements.
Play planner Tong Jing coordinates an online audio performance in Beijing last month. CHINA DAILY
Online plays create new drama for performers
Until the novel coronavirus outbreak swept across China, Tong Jing, a photographer and drama enthusiast, never imagined that plays would be postponed indefinitely and she would be unable to take photos of performers in the capital's theaters.
"It has prevented people from gathering and reduced the flow of humanity to curb the spread of the virus, which has caused great difficulties for rehearsals," the 24-year-old said. "I was unable to do my job."
Anti-virus measures have seen theaters closed nationwide, while scheduled movies and plays may be delayed for a long time to come.
Tong said she missed participating in dramatic activities with her working partners, such as the Wuzhen Theater Festival in Zhejiang province, in addition to days spent planning plays or discussing scripts and screenplays with friends.
As she became more frustrated and even annoyed at the suspension, she asked herself, "Do we have to study a play or organize a performance face-to-face, or is there any way we can transfer our activities online?"
She ran with that idea and began using broadcasting software and smartphone applications to plan plays with actors and other performance enthusiasts. Then, she urged them to perform and read scripts in cyberspace.
After a couple of attempts, she found online audio performances were more popular with cast members than livestreaming. "That's because audio performers at home don't need to apply makeup or prepare props for the shows," she said.
"In other words, what we're doing is voice acting, and I have realized that performing this way, which is like a radio play, is also powerful."
In one period, from Feb 11 to the middle of last month, she organized more than 10 online audio plays, averaging two or three a week.
As a play planner, Tong said she is responsible for preparing scripts, making posters and arranging roles for her peers, adding that they usually meet online at about 3pm to read and analyze scripts.
The online performances begin at 7:30 pm, with each play lasting about two or three hours, she said. The dramas are aired via a gaming platform, which allows people using the service to tune in.
One unexpected bonus is that she discovered the activities are being followed by many people, which encouraged the young play planner to continue with the online performances.
"That's to say, our plays have an audience. When I saw that some people had left comments and shared their feelings about our performances after long plays online, I was surprised and very moved," she said with excitement.
"They can listen to our plays while dealing with their own affairs and audience members can interact with us or try to play a role if they are interested. Such impromptu involvement is cool. The outbreak has stopped my job, but it cannot dampen my enthusiasm for planning plays and performances."
She added that being forced to stay at home not only prompted her to innovate in her work, but also helped her discover more enjoyment and satisfaction in the performances. When asked if she will continue to provide online plays when the outbreak ends, she replied, "Of course!"
Yang Beibei makes takeout coffee for customers last month in Beijing. CHINA DAILY
Coffee expert brews up fresh opportunities
In January, the novel coronavirus outbreak forced Yang Beibei to temporarily close two of the three coffee shops she runs in Beijing.
At the time, she had already decorated the shops, all called Visitant Bay Coffee, with red paper-cuttings and was ready to celebrate the Spring Festival holiday with customers.
Yang, who was born in the 1980s, said she had grown accustomed to shuttling between her three outlets to see how things were going and make coffee for customers every day, but the epidemic has brought this routine to a temporary halt.
After closing the two coffee shops-one in Guloudajie, a popular tourist spot, and the other close to the Forbidden City-to reduce outgoings, she focused all her energies on her remaining outlet in Qianmen, south of Tian'anmen Square.
She found the lack of customers depressing and felt a little lost, especially when looking at her empty shop. "After all, the hustle and bustle of people flowing around and being busy making coffee for them were the norms of my work," she said.
However, a special experience changed her situation and encouraged her to discover a new way of maintaining her business during this troubled time.
A few days after the epidemic was announced, a medical worker who regularly visited the coffee shops, told Yang she was eager to have a cup of coffee. She suggested that Yang should leave the drink in a designated spot and then head for a safe place to reduce the risk of becoming infected.
"My shops rarely prepared takeout coffee for customers, because the whole point of opening them was to help me meet interesting people and become friends with them," Yang said, describing the difference between her operation and large coffee chains.
"The medical worker is one of my closest customers. When I discovered that we could only 'talk' with each other in such a special way, I was upset and wanted to do something more to thank her for her efforts in fighting the virus," she said.
Yang made a liter of espresso and put it in three bottles. She added four bottles of milk to the bag in the hope the customer would be able to share her favorite coffee with colleagues.
After she realized that demand for takeout coffee was high, Yang began developing livestreams so she could teach people how to make coffee at home. It also allows them to buy her products as a way of maintaining sales during the lockdown.
In addition, she is working with the owners of bars and flower shops, bundling their products together as takeout packages.
"I'm happy to see that private coffee shops such as mine can offer takeout products and have good online sales," she said, adding that when the virus has been defeated she will promote the takeout coffee service and optimize sales of products online.
Li Ya offers legal consultations via livestreams from his home in Beijing during the outbreak. CHINA DAILY
Legal eagle hits new highs via livestreams
In recent weeks, the novel coronavirus outbreak has prevented Li Ya from meeting clients and attending case hearings, but it has not stopped him providing legal services.
Since the outbreak started, Li, a lawyer with the Beijing Zhongwen Law Firm, has been busy online, helping clients to solve legal problems and answering their questions.
The remote activity is partly the result of not being allowed to leave home for fear of becoming infected, but also because many trials have been postponed to prevent large gatherings and stop the virus spreading.
After collecting and studying "hot" legal issues among his clients, Li gave online analysis and answers via livestreams on Feb 13 and March 1.
In the first, he shared his opinions and legal solutions for clients troubled by contract disputes resulting from the epidemic. In the second, he focused on how to protect the interests of private equity investors, which was a popular issue among his clients and had prompted many questions.
"Livestreaming, which is more usually seen on e-commerce platforms, was new to me," the 39-year-old said. "I felt good when I tried this new thing, as it has not only answered my clients' questions efficiently during this unusual period, but also helped others to understand what we lawyers do."
He compared livestreaming to holding an open law class, and expressed his new passion for interacting with netizens in this manner.
"If we could find the time, when the epidemic ends I would like to provide regular training for business clients via livestreams to help meet their legal demands," he said.
Like Li in Beijing, a number of law companies and justice bureaus in other provinces have introduced innovative working practices as a result of the outbreak.
For example, the justice department in Chancheng district, Foshan, Guangdong province, has encouraged local attorneys to teach netizens about the law to help them distinguish fake information and messages from genuine information in cyberspace.
As of March 20, more than 2,400 people had improved their legal awareness as a result of Li's livestreams.
"The unexpected outbreak disrupted my work plans, but it did not break my will and desire to provide people with legal advice," he said. Now, his law firm is considering applying internet technologies and services such as livestreaming in more areas of its work, he added.
"In this way, the epidemic could be said to be helping us expand our working practices," he said.
"I believe the broadcasting equipment and environment in the office would be better and more professional than the stuff I have at home now."
