Trending in Beijing: China's Singleton Cities, Lao Ganma Factory Catches Fire, and a Waterlogged Uncle
The fun, the strange, and the what-on-earth-is-this? Trending in Beijing is a wrap-up of top stories in Beijing as told by the trending hashtags, local press, and general power of the internet.
Chinese cities with the most singletons revealed
Movie ticketing platforms Taopiaopiao and Dengta recently released an infographic that they claim reveals the top 50 Chinese cities with the highest number of singletons. The results are based on the percentage of sales for single movie tickets, versus group purchases.
One netizen pointed out the obvious flaw in the data of the otherwise fun infographic: "So if I buy a single movie ticket, that immediately makes me single?" Besides the top 50 single cities, in which Beijing occupies an honorable second place (go Beijing?), the infographic also states that men are more likely to purchase a single movie ticket than women, making up 54 percent of purchases. Lone movie watchers also prefer to go to screenings in the afternoon (midday-6pm) and first-tier cities have the most "single dogs" overall, with 34 percent of total single-ticket purchases.
One contemplative user put all the pieces together and came up with a grand unifying theory: "the bigger the citiy, the higher the education level, the more difficult it is to get married. The feeling of individualism and freedom is stronger." Netizens are discussing going to the movies alone under #中国五十大单身城市# (China's top 50 single dog cities).
He isn't dead, just slightly wet
We have to admit that, upon first seeing the thumbnails of this trending Weibo video, we thought it was yet another example of awfully inappropriate footage of a horrific accident; you know, the kind that nobody should want to watch and which is sadly rife on Weibo. To our relief, we were wrong! #faithinhumanityrestored.
On Aug 2, a Beijing couple noticed a man in a red shirt floating in one of the city's canals. They called the police, but while they were waiting for the authorities to arrive, the man, to everyone's surprise, simply regained consciousness, stood up, and started making his long trek home (or so we assume). The couple are heard talking in the video, wondering if he had a bit too much to drink.
For other netizens, it was yet more proof that Chinese uncles can truly sleep anywhere. Weibo users are following the river uncle's adventures under #北京红衣河漂大爷# (Beijing red-shirted river drifting uncle).
Lao Ganma factory catches fire
Universally loved for its rich and spicy properties, and the perfect accompaniment to almost anything, fans of Lao Ganma hot sauce were dismayed to hear that one of the condiment's factories caught fire earlier this week. At around noon on Aug 6, thick clouds of smoke could be seen rising from one of the Guiyang-based chili sauce factory's buildings.
The fire was extinguished by 1.20pm and, fortunately, no one was harmed in the blaze (and hopefully no chili sauce, too). Authorities assume that waste paper in the factory had caught fire.
Despite the threat to the chili sauce we all love and need, Weibo was soon alight with jokes. One comment, which now has over 7,200 likes, reads: "Perhaps old daddy set it on fire?" referencing a slightly more obscure but weirdly similar-looking sauce called "Old Daddy" (老干爹).
While no one got hurt in the fire, we recommend you stock up on Lao Ganma just in case. The thought of getting through the next few years without it would be the bleak cherry on top of this dark world pie. Netizens are discussing the incident under #老干妈厂区一厂房失火# (Lao Ganma factory on fire).
Square dancing, watching loud videos, and disorderly queueing are no-nos in Beijing
As we previously reported, this week Beijing public administrators published an online questionnaire about punishable ‘uncivilized’ conduct, in an ongoing effort to curb undesirable public behavior. The list includes several cornerstones of Beijing behavior such as spitting on the streets, square dancing, making noise at sporting events, and exposing one's torso à la the Beijing bikini. Food wastage and seat-stealing have also joined the list of no-nos, with violators facing a range of penalties, from mild chastisement and community service to the possibility of detainment.
So far, netizens have reacted with skepticism at such measures. "To stop public spitting everywhere in China, would require no less than a 1911-style revolution," wrote one user referring to the Xinhai Revolution that overthrew the Qing dynasty. Users are following the new rules under #北京拟处罚20种不文明行为# (Beijing plans to punish 20 kinds of uncivilized behavior).
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Images: Weibo, China Daily
