The poster of the documentary, Sign Language Age, hangs on the wall of the restaurant (WANG XIANG)

The age of sign language

The restaurant that was named after Mi Na opened in late autumn 2008. Since then, the couple's lives have centered on two things: running the restaurant and making documentaries. In the past, their lives used to be busy and tense, as the couple still had their own jobs and could only spend their spare time on making documentaries.

"I want to find a more flexible and free lifestyle. I can continue making documentaries with a focus on deaf-mutes, and at the same time give them some practical help and earn a living by running this restaurant," said Su.

Since married Su, Mi Na not only got to know this special group of people, but also has a different outlook on life. They were the first in Beijing to recruit deaf-mutes as waiters and waitresses, and no one could predict the future.  

"Su's dedication affected me. At that time, we didn't see any hope, as we were actually losing money for the first two years," Mi recalled. "But we still kept on doing it." Now she not only runs the restaurant, but also devotes herself to making documentaries.

Deaf-mute waitresses send a gift to Mi Na on her birthday (COURTESY PHOTO)

One can easily imagine how hard it is for the deaf-mutes to serve at the restaurant. Eighty percent of them are hearing impaired; some are deaf dancers; some are college graduates who failed to find jobs; and others are illiterate. The first obstacle they have to overcome is the psychological barrier. They often feel hurt when they cannot hear and understand what a customer says, and sometimes customers feel it is too much trouble to communicate with them.

At the beginning, the couple stayed at the restaurant every day, explaining to every customer that the deaf waiters and waitresses were friendly, and they could write the names of the dishes on the menu. Customers had different reactions: some understood; some didn't know how to communicate and even spoke English; some felt it was troublesome and shouted that they wanted to have someone who could hear.

To change this situation, the couple racked their brains. They printed booklets for customers to pick up some daily sign language; on weekends when many customers come to the restaurant, they have a 10-minute sign language class. Su often tells the waiters and waitresses, "It's not your fault that you cannot hear. But you should find other ways to communicate with people. Smiling is the best method of communication."