양팔 없는 아들의 눈물겨운 효도

중국의 한 효성 지극한 아들이 전 세계인들의 감동을 자아내고 있다.

어린 시절 엄마가 그래주셨듯, 이제는 연로하신 어머니께 숟가락으로 음식을 떠먹여드린다. 그런데 숟가락을 든 것이 손이 아니라 입이다. 이빨로 숟가락을 물고 바르르 떨며 뽀뽀하듯 어머니에게 다가가 간신히 음식을 넣어드린다. 손은커녕 양쪽 팔 어느 쪽도 없어서다. 두 어깨 아래로 아무것도 없다. 몸통과 두 다리뿐이다.

이런 장애에도 온몸이 마비된 어머니를 극진히 봉양하고 있는 천싱인(陳星銀·48)씨는 일곱 살 때 두 팔을 잃었다. 엄청난 감전 사고를 당했다.

14세 때부터 두 발로 씨앗을 뿌리고, 옥수수 속대를 벗겨내고, 바구니 엮는 법을 배우며 집안 생계유지를 도와야 했다. 그런 와중에 집안의 기둥이자 가장이던 아버지마저 돌아가시고 말았다. 28년 전인 20세 때였다.

이후 생계는 오롯이 그의 몫이 됐다. 형과 누나들이 있었지만 모두 집을 떠나버려 그와 노모만 남게 됐다. 홀로 작은 땅뙈기를 일구며 자리에 누워 계신 어머니를 밤낮으로 돌봐야 했다. 가난에 찌든 가정을 꾸려가야 하는 유일한 식구였다. 가뜩이나 약하던 어머니는 해가 갈수록 쇠약해져갔다. 그러더니 90세가 되신 지난해부터는 양팔도 움직이지 못하시게 됐다.

그의 왼발 발등에는 큰 식칼 자국이 있다. 어머니가 병약해지신 후 음식 수발을 들기 위해 오른발 발가락들로 큰 식칼 움켜쥐는 법을 익히다가 떨어뜨려 꽂힌 상처다. 양발 발가락들은 매년 겨울 동상에 걸린다. 양말 신는 것이 너무 힘들어 일년 내내 맨발로 지내기 때문이다.

주위에선 가슴 아픈 환경 속에 겨우 연명하는 그에게 구걸로 먹고사는 걸 생각해보라고 권하기도 한다. 그러면 성을 낸다. 두 발로도 어머니 모시고 살 수 있다고, 구걸 나간 사이엔 누가 돌봐드리느냐고….

선산(先山) 지키는 건 못나고 굽은 소나무라는 말이 있다. 이 아들은 뿌리 외엔 가지조차 뜯겨버린 못나고 굽은 몸뚱어리로 어머니 곁을 지키고 있다.

A 48-year-old man has overcome his disability to take care of his ageing mother on his own.

Chen Xinyin from Chongqing, south west China, lost his arms after getting a massive electric shock aged seven, reported People's Daily Online.

Since then, he's learnt to cook, farm and now even looks after his bed-ridden mother.

The disabled man's amazing strength of character has been captured in a series of moving photographs that's recently emerged.

Chen Xinyin (left) has been feeding his mother (right) since she became ill especially after becoming paralysed When he was 20, his father died. As his older siblings had already left home, his mother became the only person who kept the poverty-stricken family going.

Since 2014, the disabled man has had to take care of her full-time while running his smallholding.

Chen Xinyin's 91-year-old mother has been getting weaker and weaker each year.

About a month ago, she became paralysed and can no longer move her arms.

Without the use of his hands, he has to do everything using other parts of his body, including spoon-feeding his mother using his teeth to hold on to the instrument.

But Chen Xinyin has never let his disability stop him.

Since he was 14, he has been helping on the family smallholding by rearing sheep and buffalo.

When he was 20, his father died. As his older siblings had already left home, his mother became the only person who kept the poverty-stricken family going.

Chen Xinyin, 48 (above), from Chongqing, south west China, lost his arms after an electric shock aged 7 

The first time he tried to use the cleaver with his foot, he managed to lift it into the air using the toes on his right foot. Unfortunately it then fell down on to his left foot, leaving a scar that can still be seen today 

Chen Xinyin forgoes socks all year round (above) because they take too long and too much effort to put on

Chen Xinyin wanted to help as much as he can, starting with learning to cook. But with no hands, he had to learn to use a cleaver with his foot.

The first time he tried to use the cleaver with his foot, he managed to lift it into the air using the toes on his right foot.

Unfortunately it then fell down on to his left foot, leaving a scar that can still be seen today.

But this didn't stop him.

He eventually mastered cooking with his feet and has learnt to plant wheat, peel corn cobs and even weave baskets.

Now he is the only one who runs his smallholding of farmland and raises a flock of 24 sheep, two buffalos and four hens.

He has even managed to make a profit year on year.

He was indignant about the suggestion by neighbour that he should become a beggar and replied angrily: 'I have no arms but I have good feet. I can't go make that sort of money'

Local villagers say that despite having no arms, he is able to complete many farm tasks faster than others.

Working with his feet is not without cost.

Chen Xinyin forgoes socks all year round because they take too long and too much effort to put on.

This means that in the winter he often gets frostbites on his toes, making life even more difficult.

Once, a villager suggested that he should consider begging.

Beggars in the large cities can earn tens of thousands of Yuan per year, which is significantly more than Chen Xinyin currently makes.

He was indignant about the suggestion and replied angrily: 'I have no arms but I have good feet. I can't go make that sort of money.'

Dignity is not the only reason for rejecting the idea.

Chen Xinyin is also worried about who will be left to take care of his mother if he leaves.

While many would have reached out for help, Chen Xinyin is adamant about doing as many things himself as possible.

Somehow, he even finds the time to help his neighbours in times of need.

Chen mastered cooking with his feet and has learnt to plant wheat, peel corn cobs and even weave baskets

Since he was 14, Chen Xinyin has been helping on the family smallholding by rearing sheep and buffalo