Under the title, Bang Bang, My Brothers, he sent four painting to an exhibition in Beijing last November and three of them were sold for 3,000 yuan ($428) each.

Recently, he finished a self-portrait also featuring his bamboo stick.

"My paintings express a combination of urban and rural cultures, which reflects the bang bang's life," says Tian, who wants people to respect the contribution his fellow workers make to the city.

Tian is not the only artistic bang bang working the Yangtze River.

Huang Jinwei is a song writer and has recently penned a hit song. One line says: "I am one of the bang bang army wandering in Chongqing, working hard for a better life."

Huang, 33, says he never thought his song would become so popular.

Working on the ferry port for 15 years, the veteran bang bang has composed 24 songs about the hard labor of farmers.

"I wrote the songs because I love music," he says. "I find inspiration from what I have experienced in the city. You can find both happiness and depression in my music. I want to record the real life of bang bang through my songs."

Bang bang live a hard life. But, not everyone truly understands their feelings.

"I want to tell people living in the city what is inside the bang bang," Huang says.

(China Daily April 21, 2008)