Last weekend, the Chinese government decided (some might say capitulated to public demand for) that it was time for a formal mourning period for the victims of the Chengdu earthquake. On Monday morning, notices went out via all kinds of media that there would be three days of national mourning, with appropriate solemnity to be marked through various means, including lowered flags, the abrogation of certain forms of entertainment including the temporary shutdown of online gaming and movie sites, muting or extiguishing lights along the traditionally vibrant nighttime river skyline, and the broadcast of nothing but earthquake-related coverage on all television channels and news websites. Also, at 2:28pm on Monday, commemorating the exact time and duration of the earthquake, three minutes of silent tribute would be paid, "and at the appropriate time the automobile, the train, the ships blow a whistle, the air defense warning resounds." (English version of a notice posted by my building's management company)
I'm not sure whether the official Chinese version was worded any more clearly, but the result was that for about three minutes on Monday afternoon, people halted, solemnly lined up on sidewalks or looking out office windows, traffic by and large stopped...and horns blared for the duration.
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Huh?No, I haven't seen the movie, and yes, I chose the name anyway. I'm told an Asian woman with green eyes is a plot point. Archives
July 2011
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