Two LED boards with “happy” and “sad” smileys were fixed on 10 bus stations in Beijing. Over 460 thousand Beijingers voted “happy” among the 820 thousand participants, a 56.06% ratio. Dengshi Xikou Station is the happiest spot among the 10 because of its closeness to Dongdan shopping malls and tourist attractions. Children’s Hospital Station is the saddest spot for obvious reasons.

Shanghai is awarded the second happiest city, the rest are Kunming, Xi’an, Guangzhou, and Chengdu.

“It is not a scientific and detailed statistic evaluation, but the result reflects certain facts”, according to “experts”.

Are you currently living in Beijing? Or have you been to Beijing? If yes, please share your experience by posting comments.

Be happy!

He’s a self-employed tourist guide. He’s had no proper training, no official certificates of any kind.

He spoke randomly to tourists and tried very hard to find someone to hire him as a guide.

He spent 10 minutes telling him the story behind the gate as a test drive. The badge on his chest was probably self-made.

The man finally walked away, not interested, not impressed, or simply didn’t want to spend money on some stories.

He was still smiling but a slice of disappointment can be found on his face.

He started to look around again,

trying to find someone that can appreciate his stories and buy him dinner.

Looking outside my window in the next morning, only the river is still covered with snow. No trace of it can be found on the streets due to heavy morning traffic.

These 2 were taken the next day when the snow became a little heavier.

Taken from above the river.

Some say the snow was man-made using rockets fired up to the sky. I don’t know for sure. But it does look like the effect of global warming is getting serious. I guess it wouldn’t be long when we have only one season on earth, a hot, sweaty summer. Or, extreme cold in some places and extreme hot in others.

But no need to worry, we intelligent humans are always capable of alter the nature using freaky machinery, equipments, techniques, technologies… We will have whatever season we want using rockets, a beam of laser light, a bunch of fire crackers, or just a simple click on the keyboard. We are the lord, if nature refuses to act in our favor, we’ll simply make it!

Until, until one day, everything looks like nature on this planet is actually man-made. You see why there must be a God? We humans can create a fake earth, why can’t God create a universe?

Maybe everything around us is actually created on purpose, with precise and complex design in mind.

God doesn’t need to be all divine, godly, and intangible, he maybe right now comfortably sitting in his armchair, clicking on keyboards, watching us little plastic toys running around in a computer screen, and laughing.

A little off topic. All I wanna say is climate change may takes decades or centuries to be evident for us living in it. But look from the perspective of the whole course of human history (from the 1st Homo Erectus to the day we die out), it will be just a blink of an eye, and a couple of pages in the Nature text books for the next batch of intellectual beings on earth (cockroaches or rats?).

There’s a famous ancient poem in China pretty sums up my feelings: “You don’t see the real Mount Lu, only because you are in it”.

A boy enjoying the ride.

“There are 9 million bikes in Beijing…”

And a lot of taxi cabs, too.

College students dancing at a public square, some were bare foot.

Girls sailing at Beihai park.

While others were talking about love.

The tallest building…

before this.

Roads seemed wider.

Bridges seemed simpler.

The old (or should I say older?) President Bush came to visit in 1988.

The 1990 Asian Games was successfully hosted.

And the Olympics was just a hope.

The following pictures were taken in Beijing during the time between 1978 to early 80s.

One of the first advertisement billboards on the street. The girl image used to be a huge impact on most people’s aesthetic conception. Taken at Shatan Street in 1979.

There was no soda, coke, mineral water, or anything like that at the time. Made popular in 1981, big bowl tea was the only kind of beverage that can be purchased on the street. Taken in front of the Forbidden City in 1981.

Sunglasses like this were really popular. The brand label must be intact, otherwise it wouldn’t be cool. The nation’s brand awareness was awakened. Taken in Beihai Park in 1980.

Young people dancing after the dancing ban was removed. Note the people watching and taking pictures. Taken at the Summer Palace in 1979.

The most fashionable people in 1980s. Army cap and coat, long scarf, and huge sunglasses were key fashion elements. Taken at Beihai Park in 1980.

In 1980s, domestic travellers were more interested in foreigners with brown hair and blue eyes. Taken at the Forbidden City in 1980.

Newly wedded couples were allowed to buy 1 piece of furniture with a coupon. Though most had to wait in the queue for a whole night, they were sure happier than us ’cause we are now always overwhelmed by the number of choices. Taken in 1980.

People were allowed to sit in the Hongqi (meaning “red flag”) car to take pictures. It costed 20 cents. Taken at the Forbidden City in 1980.

First art exhibition on the street (the famous “Star Exhibition“). Artists and organizers of the exhibition are now key figures in China’s art scene. Some of their works are being sold for tens of millions. Taken outside of China Fine Art Hall in 1979.

Have you found a part of yourself in the pictures?

Stay tuned for pictures from 1988 to the 90s.

The entrance.

Immediately after stepping into the temple, you’ll find a row of stone tablets standing on the right side of the gate. Names of those who passed the national level exams in ancient times are carved on the tablets. Anyone who passed the exam was guaranteed a job in the government, not like today, a master degree cannot guarantee anything.

The surface of the tablet is now like a long lost map of treasure. Names are hard to identify.

More these stone tablets on all 4 corners, on which are names of the well-known historical figures, good and bad alike.

A stone sculpture of Master Confucius.

Stepping on the, well, I don’t how how many years old steps.

Stone sculptures of dragon, along side the steps to the entrance of the sacrificing hall.

To be continued…