Despite the freezing weather, Chen Xiaozhuo weaves through his usual route in his old minibus, and stops from door to door to ask for old newspapers and books.

Chen works about eight hours a day. He ends his day at the scrap center, where he sells his collection before returning to his suburb home in Changping district of Beijing.

"This is my life since I came to Beijing eight years ago," says the 32-year-old native of Hebei province, as he sorts out the paper from his vehicle.