Chinese Voices Project: City Life

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Beijing's Disappearing Neighborhoods (1.1 / 370)
Joanna Hsu
     The narrow alleyways and courtyard houses of Beijing's hutongs have been a characteristic feature of the city since the Yuan dynasty. They're being bulldozed aside now to make room for a more modern but perhaps less colorful capital.

 

The Great Blizzard of 2008 (1.1 / 495)
Joanna Hsu
     The snowstorms came at the worst possible time: just as millions of Chinese were preparing to return home for the Spring Festival. Major disruptions of transport, electricity, and water services made for a chaotic several weeks, bringing out the worst in some people and the best in others.

 

A City on the Move (1.1 / 383)
Joanna Hsu
     Getting around in Beijing is becoming a bit easier and more pleasant these days, with newly opened subway lines, fewer billboards, and better manners among drivers.

 

A Perfect Day (1.1 / 500)
Joanna Hsu
     In a city like Beijing, you can never run out of things to do, even if you have the time to do them. A perfect day, though, might involve doing very little at all.

 

Addressing Beijing's Traffic Snarl (1.4 / 310)
Chun Juan
     With 1000 new cars added to the streets of Beijing every day, the traffic can be a nightmare. Discount passes for public transportation might go some way towards reducing the gridlock.

 

The Case of the Missing Bicycle (1.4 / 806)
Emily Fang
     If you lose a nice bike in Beijing you're pretty much out of luck, unless you happen to spot it in a neighborhood bike shop the following week. In some cases, though, that might just be the beginning of the story.

 

Women in White (1.4 / 309)
Joanna Hsu
     Who are the ghost-like women waiting under a tree outside their doorway on a cold Beijing night?

 

The Trouble with Dogs (2.1 / 676)
Alice Yue
     Small dogs have replaced the pigeons of old as the pet of choice among Beijing residents. But the Chinese have traditionally not looked kindly on dogs, and given many residents' experiences with their new neighbors, this attitude seems unlikely to change.

 

No Answer is Also an Answer (1.8 / 261)
Joanna Hsu
     Beijing buses are frequently packed, and sometimes tempers can flare.

 

Sweet Potato Pedlars (1.5 / 260)
Joanna Hsu
     There's nothing like a freshly roasted sweet potato on a cold Beijing winter day. For the street pedlars who sell them, though, it's a rough and risky way to make a living.

 

Where's my Bike? (1.5 / 318)
Joanna Hsu
     They say you're not a true Beijinger until you've lost a bike--and then bought someone else's 'lost' bike to replace it from the repairman down the street.