Man who was living underground offered job

A Beijing man who had lived in an underground utility compartment for about 10 years to save money has gotten a job in a local university, he told Beijing News on Dec 8.

Wang Xiuqing, a farmer from Luanping, Hebei province, had lived in an underground utility compartment near the Metropark Lido Hotel in Beijing's Chaoyang district for 10 years, according to previous media reports.

Wang made a living washing cars near the compartment, sometimes making more than 2,000 yuan ($330) a month. But that was not enough to support his three children and pay debt.

Wang's wife, Peng Xueling, was a single mother of a boy before she and Wang fell in love. They had two girls before registering for marriage.

Wang was fined 60,000 yuan for violating the family planning policy.

The fine left Wang in debt. He lived in the compartment to save money to pay back the debt and pay for his children's schooling, media reports said.

The underground utility compartment was sealed with cement by local officials for safety reasons on Dec 6.

Wang told the newspaper that the university offered him a job with a salary of 3,000 to 4,000 yuan, along with free meals and lodging. No further details about the job were available.

Wang also said he planned to start work on Dec 9 or 10.

The newspaper said Wang got donations and other job offers after his story became public.