Yellow ribbons tied by China's empty nesters

Elderly locals in a Korean ethnic community in northeast China's Jilin Province attach yellow ribbons to their windows, a sign that they are in need of assistance.

At the beginning of her day, Wang Shuqing, the Communist Party chief of Danying Community in Yanji City, gets up at 5:30 a.m. to walk around the community.

"I need to check if any ribbons are tied to windows, and see what I can do to help," Wang said.

Yanji, capital city of Korean Autonomous Prefecture of Yanbian,

the country's largest inhabitancy for ethnic Korean people, has witnessed large numbers of its young people leave for the Republic of Korea or China's eastern and southern regions to seek jobs.

Therefore, elderly people are left behind, living alone in empty nests.

Yanbian prefecture has an estimated population of 350,000 elderly people, and its government is coping with the empty nest situation in various ways, including the introduction of yellow ribbons.

Wang said there are more than 900 empty-nesters, or about 10 percent of the total population, in her community.

"When they need help, the elderly just tie yellow ribbons to their windows," Wang said.

The elderly may need assistance in their home or with some shopping.

However, yellow ribbons are far from enough, especially when there is an emergency.

Telephones have been renovated so that the elderly can contact community workers by pressing one button.

In rural areas, the situation is more difficult for empty-nest families.

Zheng Mingzi, 79, said she has struggled since her husband passed away early this year, leaving her to endure loneliness as her children are living abroad.

In 2009, Yanbian prefecture government began building residential courtyards for the elderly in rural villages. People can entertain themselves with mahjong, chess, or join singing or dancing groups.

So far, 1,048 such courtyards have been set up across the prefecture, offering activities for the elderly.

Hong Qing, prefecture deputy chief, said the government is still facing many problems in coping with the empty-nest problem, especially when the elderly population is rising fast.

Statistics show that the elderly population in Yanbian prefecture will exceed 500,000 by 2020 from the current 35,000.

"We are trying to improve infrastructure, build associations for the elderly, and use legislation to ensure a more guaranteed and colorful life for empty-nest families," Hong said.