Independence and Revolution Waving Above a Public Square in Hong Kong

On top of the Edinburgh Place Car Park looking out towards "The Grief of Us" protestor assembly last night

A Beatdown and a Blockade During Christmas in Hong Kong

As anticipated, there were large-scale protests yesterday in Hong Kong, and the protests continue today. I will post more about them later, including some of the ways they intermixed with the Christmas holiday spirit. For now, I will just share two photos I shared on Twitter recently along with the comments I made there.

I took the first photo not long before 2 a.m. this morning.

Man grabs a young woman's breast.
Crowd beats man.
Man pretends to be unconscious to avoid more pain.
Hong Kong's top riot police arrive.

The incident in Mong Kok didn't appear to have any direct connection to the protests, except that the large number of protestors around probably meant a more intense response, both from the protestors and the police. There is much more I can say and share regarding what happened, and perhaps that will happen as it touches on a number of issues. I will add that the only obvious involvement by the police was chasing away protestors in the area which enabled an ambulance to safely take the man away. I was told the young woman didn't wish to formally report the man. She did not trust the police would handle the matter fairly, which says a lot about how some people in Hong Kong view the police these days.

The second photo was taken several hours later.

If you thought that the protests in Hong Kong would be over by 5am today, you'd be wrong.

The photo was taken at Nathan Road also in Mong Kok. This certainly isn't the most remarkable photo I took of the recent protests, especially since they were far more intense earlier. But the scene is notable because the protests appeared to be lasting longer into the morning than some other protests that occurred in Mong Kok during the past couple of months.

Anticipating a Lively Christmas in Hong Kong

Compared to November, the protests in Hong Kong have been relatively calm lately. However, they continue, and there are signs they will soon intensify.

It could be a rather eventful Christmas in Hong Kong. 

Another Night in Hong Kong: Outside the Lai Chi Kok Reception (Detention) Centre

There were thousands. They were loud.

Perhaps the detained protestors in Lai Chi Kok heard them.

Photographing a Fisher and a Photographer at Victoria Harbour

He only had a line, yet he fished. He only had a camera, yet he photographed.

At Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong

Hong Kong Buses with The Force

Four years ago I shared photos of displays with a Christmas touch promoting the release of Disney's Star Wars: The Force Awakens at the IAPM shopping center in Shanghai. I haven't seen anything as grandiose in Hong Kong for this year's release of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Perhaps that is just because I haven't actively looked for anything. In any case, the best I can do now is to share photos of some of the buses I have seen in Hong Kong with advertising for the movie.

Given my previous interest in advertising on Hong Kong trams, I will keep an eye out for any Star Wars trams. No luck yet though.

Still Tilted in Hong Kong

The recent signs of protest have changed and lately are mostly removed. But some remain.

O Fortuna, the Wheel Brings Another Message

First there were ballerinas with umbrellas above "Free HK".  Then there was blackness. Now, there is a different message.

The "Stop Police Brutality" graffiti is on a number of beams on a pedestrian bridge connecting to the Central Piers in Hong Kong. In all of the examples I saw, they were placed directly on top of areas that had been painted black to cover previous graffiti.

It is now the predominant graffiti design on the bridge, though there is at least one example of partially symbolic graffiti expressing the protest slogan "Five Demands, Not One Less".

However, there appeared to be more examples of untouched painted-black areas than of recent graffiti. This is consistent with what I have seen in various parts of Hong Kong, whether Central, Tsing Yi, or Yau Tsim Mong. Newer protest graffiti, posters, and other forms of visible expression continue to replace older ones, but overall there is far less now compared to a few weeks ago.

And the wheel keeps turning . . . 

The Good Shop in Hong Kong

As one of Hong Kong's major shopping districts, you won't have problems finding a variety of items for sale in Causeway Bay. But if you simply want something good, there is a place on Lockhart Road to check out.

On the day I passed, items ranging from maneki-neko (Japanese lucky cat) figurines to stuffed toy carrots to sim cards. Perhaps the selection will change in the future, but it should still be good.

The Large Size of Hong Kong's Latest Protest March Captured in Tweets

After six months of protests, yesterday hundreds of thousands of protestors attended one of Hong Kong's largest recent marches:

Demonstrators returned in force, packing city streets to denounce [China's leader Xi Jingping's] government, rail against police brutality and reiterate demands for greater civil liberties, including universal suffrage. They beat drums, sang protest anthems and chanted, “Fight for freedom.” Though the march was largely peaceful, some demonstrators vandalized shops and restaurants and lit a fire outside the high court.

“We want Hong Kong to continue being Hong Kong,” said Alice Wong, 24, a biology researcher who stood among protesters gathered at Victoria Park. “We don’t want to become like China.”

As many as 800,000 people attended the march, according to Civil Human Rights Front, an advocacy group that organized the gathering.

The mood at the march was relaxed, with people taking selfies against a backdrop of the vast crowds. Children, some dressed in black, marched with their parents, holding hands as they shouted, “Stand with Hong Kong!”

I had expected that I would now be able to share photographs I had taken at the march. Unfortunately, a painful foot sprain kept me away from it. So instead, below is a series of tweets by a variety of people presented in the order they were tweeted. A few tweets hint at other aspects of the rally, but mostly they help provide a sense of the large number of protestors and their intensity.

The CHRF Human Rights Day march from Victoria Park to Chater Garden yet to kick off but Hennessy Road is already full of people #HongKongProstest pic.twitter.com/Wu5NoDW091

— Aria Chen (@ariahychen) December 8, 2019

Thousands of black-clad protesters from all walks of life start marching from Victoria Park calling for the government to response to the 5 demands, including democracy and setting up an independent inquiry committee. #antielab #hongkongprotests pic.twitter.com/I5iwNBrkh3

— Jessie Pang (@JessiePang0125) December 8, 2019

Holy shit, this is the view at Causeway Bay! It's a total gridlock on the march to Central. There's so many people everyone's only able to take a few steps a minute. Imagine being in the middle and you gotta pee#StandWithHongKong #HongKongProtests pic.twitter.com/kyEsKnC3a5

— woppa 🎗😷 (@Woppa1Woppa) December 8, 2019

#NOW #HongKong - 6 months on, HongKongers are still here.
Hundreds of thousands of #HongKongProtesters attending Human Rights Day rally organized by @chrf_hk right now. All six lanes filled with sea of black. #HongKongProtests pic.twitter.com/ClaN59sU9D

— Phoebe Kong 江穎怡 (@phoebe_kongwy) December 8, 2019

6 months into the protests (we were counting weeks initially), HongKongers are not giving in, showing in huge numbers for today protest organized by @chrf_hk . I believe today is another "million march" in Hong Kong. pic.twitter.com/8jHM2HWu3r

— LO Kin-hei 羅健熙 (@lokinhei) December 8, 2019

The crowd in causeway bay is moving very slowly pic.twitter.com/ToS1D5PvfH

— Aria Chen (@ariahychen) December 8, 2019

Here’s your majority, Carrie Lam. #standwithhk #sixmonths pic.twitter.com/CYAtYexhwP

— Denise Ho (HOCC) (@hoccgoomusic) December 8, 2019

The march just behind the front passing police HQ in Admiralty. There are so many protesters that tens of thousands were actually marching in front of the official front. This march now stretches several km from here back to Causeway Bay. pic.twitter.com/7fgUbrBZ6d

— Kong Tsung-gan / 江松澗 (@KongTsungGan) December 8, 2019

six months ago, there weren’t the “five demands,” and most wouldn’t have worn face masks to a peaceful march. so much has changed and we’ve swapped our black tees for dark jackets, but hongkongers are still here pic.twitter.com/5xKSLsdj4D

— karen cheung (@karenklcheung) December 8, 2019

Absolutely mind-blowing turnout for today’s march. The front of the march is about 4 subway stops from here. #HongKongProtests pic.twitter.com/XVoQQDvBIx

— Laurel Chor (@laurelchor) December 8, 2019

Moments of hopefulness and solidarity like these remind me of what I love most about Hongkongers and home. I just feel so proud and empowered. #HKProtests #antielab #HumanRightsDay #HongKongProtests pic.twitter.com/9SyRB4bMMi

— Jessie Lau (@_laujessie) December 8, 2019

Protesters urge eachother to retreat as the water cannon truck is spotted in Central. #hongkong #hongkongprotests #antiELAB #china The atmosphere at the endpoint remains tense but peaceful. pic.twitter.com/MmcjUd5yj9

— Hong Kong Free Press (@HongKongFP) December 8, 2019

This kid is so casual performing Hong Kong’s pro-democracy anthem 💁🏻‍♂️ pic.twitter.com/sStZk31T1w

— Rachel Blundy (@rachelblundy) December 8, 2019

Despite tens of thousands having completed the march and left at Central, the Causeway Bay section of Hennessy Road remains packed at 5:20pm.

Photo: iCable screenshot. #hongkong pic.twitter.com/BKb8bsC7GP

— Hong Kong Free Press (@HongKongFP) December 8, 2019

The drum circle makes its way past the Bank of China building and into Central. pic.twitter.com/8VUNWbjhcV

— Timothy McLaughlin (@TMclaughlin3) December 8, 2019

Lights out as the sun sets pic.twitter.com/AniV3ZPsOR

— Pak Yiu (@pakwayne) December 8, 2019

Nearly four and a half hour after the march started the streets of Hong Kong are still jammed with protesters. pic.twitter.com/wG9iiqv0yS

— Timothy McLaughlin (@TMclaughlin3) December 8, 2019

Police are clearing barricades and reopening roads in Central. Most protesters have left. #hongkong #hongkongprotests #antiELAB #china pic.twitter.com/99G5tdYyl3

— Hong Kong Free Press (@HongKongFP) December 8, 2019

Protecting the Traffic Control Boxes in Hong Kong

Several weeks ago around 3:30 A.M. on November 11, protestors lit an electrical traffic control box on fired on Nathan Road in Mong Kok, Hong Kong.

Many other traffic control boxes were decommissioned in one way or another during recent protests. This raises the question, "How does a city restore traffic control boxes while also not making them prone to similar repeat attacks?"

An attempt to address this question now exists at the intersection of Nathan Road with Kansu Street and Gascoigne Road in Yau Ma Tei, Hong Kong.

I didn't see any obvious way to open the barred protection. This may be a strike against usability, but that's probably the point.

O Fortuna, Painted Over

The ballerina for freedom is no more.

But the wheel still turns . . .

Precariously Photographing in Hong Kong

I hope he got a fantastic photo. At least he didn't fall.

Later I'll share photos not featuring photographers from today's police-approved (until they decided otherwise in the middle of it) protest march in Hong Kong that began in Tsim Sha Tsui.

From Tear Gas to Painted Records in Hong Kong

During the past several weeks in Hong Kong I have seen many people wearing heavy-duty respirator masks. Today was the first time they weren't being worn due to concerns about tear gas.

So that's kind of nice.

Later, I will share a number of protested-related photos from the past weeks. I held a number of them back due to wanting either to have a better sense of the protests or to wait for certain aspects of them to finish / reach a new phase. That seems to have happened, so more soon.

A Thanksgiving Dinner View of Police in Hong Kong

In the past, I have shared some of my Thanksgiving day experiences in different cities, such as drinking horse milk baijiu in Zhongshan and a rat running up my leg in Changsha. Like those times, today in Hong Kong offered me something new.

I observed the traditions by finding a buffet which included turkey, stuffing, and cranberry sauce. For a bonus, the restaurant staff kindly sat me at a location with a prime view of the world outside. As I ate way too much food, I had the opportunity to watch a number of police vehicles, sometimes with sirens blaring and likely containing Special Tactical Squads or Police Tactical Units, head southward.

Their activity was possibly related to a nearby protest rally. I later visited it and saw no outward signs of police in the immediate vicinity though. So for the first time on this holiday, I felt like I should give thanks that no police shot tear gas in my direction today.

O Fortuna, A Whirling Wheel in Hong Kong

Sors immanis
et inanis,
rota tu volubilis . . .

——————————————————————————

So now an explanation for those who would like one:

As I took the above photo today near the Hong Kong Observation Wheel, the opening section O Fortuna from Carl Orff's Carmina Burana came to mind and it stayed there for a while. Here is an excellent recording of the widely used piece, which many will recognize at least in part even if they don't know its name, with Robert Shaw conducting the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra & Chorus:

You can find the lyrics alongside an English translation here. The translation for the excerpt I shared above is:

Fate — monstrous
and empty,
you whirling wheel . . .

While much of Carmina Burana isn't as familiar to most people as the movement O Fortuna, it is certainly worth listening to in full while following along with a translation. There are even a few more references to the wheel.

Three Candidates With Shared Political Values and Fates Campaigning on Election Day in Yau Tsim Mong, Hong Kong

While taking a look at seven different polling stations yesterday evening during Hong Kong's District Council elections, by chance I came across three candidates while they were still campaigning.

One was Leslie Chan (Chan Ka Long), who was running for the Tsim Sha Tsui West constituency.

In front of iSquare

Speaking in both Cantonese and English, Chan made it clear he was supportive of the five demands made by many protestors in the city.


Another was Leo Chu (Chu Tsz Lok) who was running for the East Tsim Sha Tsui & King's Park constituency.

Alongside Nathan Road near Man Ming Lane

As Chu spoke to a couple of women, people campaigned nearby for other candidates.


The last candidate I saw campaigning was Ben Lam (Lam Siu Pan), who was running for the Mong Kok East constituency.

Outside Exit A of Prince Edward Station

Just 40 minutes before Mong Kok East's polling station a few hundred meters away would close at 10:30 p.m., Lam was greeting people as they left Prince Edward Station, where riot police stormed train carriages and beat people several months ago.

To my surprise, I later discovered all three candidates I happened to see were in the pro-democracy camp. Their results reflect the immense success of pro-democracy candidates across Hong Kong, as all three won.

So they all have reason to smile even more today.

Polling Stations With and Without Long Lines During a Record-Setting Election in Hong Kong

Hong Kong has just held its 2019 District Council elections. On Sunday morning and afternoon there were reports of long lines at polling stations.

Timelapse videos of long queues outside polling stations overwhelm my newsfeed. Here's another one in Taipo - northern district in #HongKong w/ highest turnout rate so far. Took me several mins to walk thru the whole line...still waiting to cast my vote. Turnout is the KEY today. pic.twitter.com/q4lWGBNEmW

— Phoebe Kong 江穎怡 (@phoebe_kongwy) November 24, 2019

Polling stations were open until at least 10:30 p.m. This evening I visited polling stations for seven different constituencies in the Yao Tsim Mong District roughly between 6 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. None had a line extending outside.

Tsim Sha Tsui West

Jordan South

Jordan West

Yao Ma Tei South

Mong Kok South

Mong Kok West

Mong Kok East

The same held true in some other locations, which had benefits.

Now: This is the best time to vote, I have the whole voting station to myself 😂 voted within 1 min. This station had 67.6% of assigned voters voted as of 8.30pm. Pretty high among other districts. #HKelections pic.twitter.com/jeT6UH8bQB

— Denise Tsang (@denise_tsang) November 24, 2019

However, there were still long lines at some polling stations not long before polls were to close, As long as people were in line before 10:30 p.m. the Electoral Affairs Commission said they would be able to cast a vote.

Regardless of when and where there were lines today, don't be fooled by my photos. People voted in record numbers. Early results strongly indicate the the pro-democracy groups made major gains against pro-Beijing groups. Words like "decimated" are already being used for the latter.

Still, many races have yet to be declared. More later, but it's already clear Hong Kong's people were very motivated to express themselves through voting after months and months of intense protests.

A Tsim Sha Tsui Sign of the Times in Hong Kong

Early this evening in Tsim Sha Tsui at one of many sites where protestors gathered last night hoping to help students surrounded by police at the nearby Hong Kong Polytechnic University

The Remains of Vehicle Set on Fire Sit for Days in a Hong Kong Street

Early this evening as I walked through Mong Kok, Hong Kong I saw something on Sai Yeung Choi Street that seemed remarkable even after seeing and experiencing so much recently in Hong Kong regarding the ongoing protests.

Using the word "dog" for "police", common practice for protestors in Hong Kong, the markings on the the vehicle "便衣狗車" claim it is a plainclothes police car. I can't confirm this is accurate. But the vehicle does look like some unmarked vehicles I have seen on multiple occasions set in the middle of a row of marked police vehicles making their way through the city. In any case, presumably the vehicle's current state is the result of protesters.

This tweet includes a video of a car on fire in Mong Kok which appears to be a perfect match in terms of vehicle type and location:

#Mongkok at night. More road barricades. A car has been set on fire. Several burst of explosion sounds. Bystanders watch on. #LiberateHongKong #HKprotests #StandWithHongKong #FreedomHK #GloryToHongKong #ProtestsHK #HKHumanRightsandDemocracyAct #StandwithHK #FightforHongKong #HKG pic.twitter.com/EcIGsOkcED

— Truth Live Hong Kong (@HongTruth) November 12, 2019

Perhaps just as remarkable that this car was lit on fire is that it was still sitting in the street. Another person commented on this issue yesterday:

Presumably the car that was set on fire yesterday. Government given up on trying to return the streets to normal each morning. #Mongkok #HongKongProtests pic.twitter.com/IzcWN8VF4X

— Ataraxis (@ataraxisfinch) November 13, 2019

So the car has been sitting there in this not so usable state at least for a couple of days. Of course this is far from Hong Kong's most pressing issue, which is one of many signs of just how widespread and intense the protests have been lately.

Fleeing the Tear Gas in Hong Kong's Central Financial District

This afternoon I observed the interaction of protestors, police, media, medics, and onlookers in Central — Hong Kong's main financial and business district. Suddenly the police started firing numerous tear gas canisters and rounds before leaving the area.

The below video begins with a large crowd following the police as they move away from the area with the frontline black-clad protestors. At 1:49 in the video, as I am standing next to a CNN crew the tear gas canisters begin to fly. As I headed westward on Pedder Street directly away from the police, I thought that quite soon either the firing would stop or that I would be out of harms way. However, the number of tear gas canisters and the distance they reached was more intense than I expected.

For more context, here is the report by CNN's Ivan Watson that was wrapping up while I recorded the above video just as the police began shooting this round of tear gas:

Amnesty International accuses Hong Kong’s police of acting “out of control.” The police reject that criticism. More than 5 months into this crisis, the scene we filmed in Central Hong Kong on Tuesday did not demonstrate a confident police force in command of the situation. pic.twitter.com/9Vevoe0htg

— Ivan Watson (@IvanCNN) November 12, 2019

Incredibly this tear gassing of protestors and many others is just a small part of the protest related events today in Hong Kong and seems to pale in comparison to some of them.

And thanks to the helpful Hongkongers who provided me with eyewashes after the tear gassing. I am fine now, folks. I can't say the same for some others here though.

Police Chase and Apprehend Protestors in Mong Kok, Hong Kong

Last night around 12:30 a.m. I thought all seemed relatively calm at my specific location in Mong Kok, Hong Kong. Certainly, it was much calmer than what I experienced related to the ongoing protests in Hong Kong at a nearby location in Mong Kok two nights earlier.

Suddenly, I saw a number of black-clad protestors running in my direction.

The video I took below captures that moment when all certainly was not calm and number of others including the police apprehending at least two people and a police officer forcibly removing the respirator of a person whose outwear I think indicates "Press" or "Media". Most of the action occurs during the first six minutes of the video. I decided to post the full version in order to share some of the immediate aftermath as well. There is much going on throughout. The video has not been edited in any way except for having been uploaded to YouTube.

It would be an understatement to say I have seen much since I returned to Hong Kong four days ago. It would be a bigger understatement to say much more has happened here regarding the protests during that time. Especially given today's terrible events which include police shooting a protestor, a police officer driving his motorcycle into a crowd, and protestors lighting a person on fire, it is easy to believe the protests and the reactions to them will escalate further.

Gone Fishing in Xuzhou

Next to Heping Bridge (和平桥)

Steps With Trees in Xuzhou

On some days it is much easier to appreciate the obstacles in one's path . . .

Zifang Hill (子房山) in Xuzhou

Encounters With a Lively Skeleton Queen in Xuzhou

As I have seen in past years at some shopping centers in China on the weekend of or before Halloween, on Saturday the Xuzhou Suning Plaza invited children to come to the mall dressed up in Halloween costumes. That afternoon it held an activity that wouldn't have been out of place any other time of the years except for the fact that some of the children were wearing costumes.

After watching a small part of a contest where children had to think of animals that hadn't been previously named by other children, I took a photo. Out of the corner of my eye I noticed a skeleton queen who had been helping some of the other children had now apparently taken interest in me. She quickly jumped onto the stage and approached me while making expressions ranging from ghoulish to charming.

So this happened:

About an hour later I watched a portion of a similar event at the Golden Eagle Pengcheng Square Store. Once again, the setting had a Halloween theme yet the activity — in this case children and teenagers singing — wouldn't have been out of place any other weekend of the year.

As I took a photo of the entrance to the area, I felt a light pat on my stomach. The most likely source of the rather unexpected pat seemed to be downwards, so that's where I looked. The next step to take was soon obvious, and this happened:

After a couple of photos, the skeleton queen darted off and disappeared into the crowd. Later, I saw she had returned to watch the performances, where as before she eagerly showed support — this time by applauding.

And that's the end of this story about an outgoing skeleton queen with a heart.

Time to Get Back on Whatever Animal

Yet again, I have not been posting as much as I had wanted. I really do plan to get back on the horse this time though.

Or maybe I should try a lion instead . . .

At Pengzu Park (彭祖园) in Xuzhou

More soon.

Very Fu Cats at Hanlin in Xuzhou

Hanlin (翰林) is a small neighborhood in Xuzhou with buildings from the Ming and Qing Dynasties. It stands out from surrounding historical areas because it hasn't been transformed into a polished tourist site requiring a ticket and people still live in several of the buildings. It also has some non-human inhabitants.

When I briefly visited this afternoon, several cats were examining the food options set out on the ground, which included various meat leftovers

福

The white cat didn't seem to find selection to be all that fortunate and merely observed. None of the cats showed any interest in the nearby likely-not-as-fortunate chickens tethered to a tree.

One of the three small dogs in a cage a bit farther away did express interest in me. I didn't get closer since it seemed a bit overprotective of the chickens.

After I finished looking at the old buildings in the area, I noticed two of the cats were now settled in somewhere a bit comfier for a rest and a cleaning.

And that is all for today from Hanlin.

Not Able to Perceive All the Views at Xuzhou's Zhulin Temple

This past weekend after reaching the top of the hill where Xuzhou's Zhulin Temple* (竹林寺) sits, I immediately sought out the Avalokitesvara Pavilion (观音阁). It isn't hard to spot.

This is the same pavilion which appears in front of a setting sun in a photo I earlier shared. I hoped to go to the top floor of the pavilion and take a photo in the direction of where I had taken the earlier photo to provide both symmetry and contrast.

However, my plans were thwarted.

Without being able to reach the pavilion's upper levels, it wasn't possible to see over the trees and bamboo in the direction I wanted to photograph.

Oh well.

At least I was able to see the large statue of Avalokitesvara inside the pavilion.

Normally I would have used the name Guanyin instead of Avalokitesvara in English, since that seems to be more commonly used when referring to this bodhisattva in China. But a few signs at the temple used the name Avalokitesvara for the pavilion's English name, so I will go with that. The Dunhuang Foundation helps explain the naming issue:

It is generally agreed among Chinese Buddhists and scholars of Buddhist studies that the figure Guanyin is the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara. . . .

Avalokitesvara is the bodhisattva who represents compassion. . . .

Guanyin in Chinese means "Perceiver of all Sounds," which refers to the way in which Guanyin is able to hear all prayers and cries for help.

In India, bodhisattvas are genderless or are referred to as male. The Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, or Guanyin, is often depicted as female in China.

One reason for this gender fluidity is due to the way the Bodhisattva has the ability to manifest on earth in many different forms.

I don't know why the pavilion's upper floors were closed. It reminded of several other pavilions and pagodas I have recently visited in China only to discover they were in similar states. Maybe Guanyin knows why.

Anyway, I don't have a photo to provide some symmetry with the earlier one, but at least I was able to capture the Avalokitesvara Pavilion with some pretty decent cloudage.






* Sometimes the literal translation "Bamboo Forest Temple" is used in English.

Seven Scenes During the Weeklong National Day Holiday in Xuzhou

The last day of the National Day holiday period was Monday, but the impact of the holiday will still be felt tomorrow, Saturday, by many people. As is typical for this holiday and the Lunar New Year holiday, to create seven consecutive days off, in addition to three official holiday days off work two weekday work days are moved to the weekends before or after the holiday. Tomorrow is one of those special shifted days.

In the spirit of the lingering National Day effects and to add to the earlier shared photos of night scenes on National Day, below are seven scenes in Xuzhou during the seven day holiday. None of the photos on their own would make me think "must be the National Day holiday". Yet they are still an opportunity to share a bit more of life in Xuzhou.


Day 1:

Fishing during the late afternoon on Xi'an Bridge (西安桥) at the Feihuang River (废黄河)

Halloween display at the Goldland Carrefour

Day 2:

Butcher stall at the Fengchu Street (丰储街) Market

Day 3:

Playing and sitting on Type 66 152 mm Field Howitzers outside the National Defense Education Museum and Xuzhou Anti-Japanese War Memorial Hall

Moon over the Xuzhou Tongshan Wanda Plaza Golden Street

Day 5:

Posing for a photo at Ximatai (戏马台)

Day 7:

Dress rehearsal for a performance at the Xuzhou Suning Plaza