Editor's Note: The drastic plunge in the stock markets has caught investors unprepared. But not everyone is losing heavily. Excerpts from interactions with a cross section of some investors.
Jiang Meifeng, 57, retiree, Xianyang, Shaanxi
I am part of the earliest group of stock market investors in the Chinese mainland, and I always make a point of studying all the available charts and indexes.
For all these years, I made my decisions based on the changes in these charts and indexes. But the year 2015 has proven that investing in the stock market is no different than gambling. You may have thousands of reasons to support your investment decision, but the stock market just simply does not work that way.
Luckily, I have become smarter and wiser to know that one should not pin his hope on making a fortune on the stock market. So I don't invest a lot, and my earnings and losses can break even despite the huge market slide that put many small investors under pressure.
We know the government introduced a lot of encouraging measures during the weekend to stabilize the market. However, it seems that the effect of these measures has yet to be felt in the stock market.
We all know that policymakers have a say in the performance of the stock market. I hope the government can do more to buoy up stocks before we enter a bear market.
Lu Yao, 24, first-year graduate student, Harbin, Heilongjiang
I started investing in the market in August because my mom has been trading in stocks for 10 years. According to the boom and bust cycle, she said the markets were heading for a bull run. This comes along every seven years, she told me.
My mom then gave me 10,000 yuan ($1,600) to buy shares. Back then, the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index was hovering around the 2,000-point mark. Within 10 months, it hit the 5,000 barrier and I made 10,000 yuan?a 100 percent return on my original investment.
Before the market started to tumble, I managed to sell most of my stocks. Even so, I was still terrified when I saw the share prices of about 1,000 companies drop to their daily limit of 10 percent every day.
Naturally, I'm glad the government has decided to intervene. I think the drop has been too drastic. I also believe it is just a matter of time before the index bounce back to around 5,000 points.
Gu Mingjuan, 61, retiree, Hangzhou, Zhejiang
I invested about 1 million yuan ($161,000) in the A-share market in 2010. All my holdings were bank shares, because I used to work for a bank and I believed that banks would continue to perform well.
My approach toward investment is to look for a long-term yield, and I am not easily affected by short-term fluctuations. In fact, my shares remained quite bullish amid the ups and downs in the market. By early this month, I had gained around 400,000 yuan. In fact, many of the gains were not from the share price growth, but from dividends.
Of course I will continue to invest in the A-share market, and focus on the banking sector. I may also buy some shares in engineering companies, as they remain strong due to the robust demand in the sector, and I will rely on dividends from these. Once you have chosen a company, then just hold on to it. It is not wise to jump from one company to another.
Wu Jinbiao, 48, taxi driver, Wuhan, Hubei
I invested about 10,000 yuan ($1,610) in the stock market in 2004 after receiving compensation for relocating from an old property. I put about 20 percent of the money into stocks. Taking into account inflation, I haven't earned much, but it's been entertaining.
As a taxi driver, I can't trade on my account while I'm driving. But I usually talk to my passengers about the market. I even argue with them if their opinions are ridiculous. I also listen to radio programs to hear what the experts make of the situation.
All the stocks I hold are blue-chip shares and if they rise 40 percent, then I sell them. I simply buy shares in other companies. If the share price of a company I have invested in drops by 20 percent, I sell the stock. This is the way I have always traded.
Dong Yazhou, 30, free trade zone policy researcher with a Shanghai-based company
I invested about 100,000 yuan ($16,100) in the A-share market at the beginning of the year. I have sold all of them except those in a company that has been suspended from trading. After six months, I have barely earned a penny. But, thank goodness, I haven't lost much either.
I estimated that the loss could be 20 percent when the benchmark index dropped lower than 3,700 points. Now I only have a small amount of shares in one company, which I will sell immediately when trading resumes. I will stay away from the market for a while. I need to lead a calm and peaceful life.
