Changing the equation

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After repeated moves and donating or selling much of his collection, Ge has relegated his collection's remnants to an indoor antique market with so few shoppers that stall owners gathered around Ge when journalists arrived.

"Few people are interested in the obsolete abacus," Ge says.

"I love them. But it's just too difficult for me to hold on to my collection."

Ge's tiny shop not only sells but also repairs old abacuses. He also hawks vintage gramophones and vinyl records.

Rent costs 500 yuan a month.

"I can afford this on my police retirement pension," he says.

Across from his shop is Yang Jinmei's antique ceramic shop, where abacuses are becoming more abundant among the displayed cups, teapots and Buddha statues. Ge's apprentice, Liu, is her son.

"I want my son to learn from Ge and carry on abacus collecting," she says.

"We want to do all we can to keep the ancient Chinese calculator alive in modern times."

The 70-year-old antique ceramics dealer believes the abacus' value will rise.

"When I was young, my family was so poor that we couldn't afford an abacus," Yang says.

"I had to borrow one from our neighbor's son."

Yang once bought a small redwood abacus for her little granddaughter from an open stall for 600 yuan.

She told the girl: "I want you to keep it as an heirloom from grandma."

Wu Ni contributed to this story.

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