Sure, they’re not exactly members of the Balsoi ballet, but you have to admit fat guys never looked better in a tutu.
In an effort to raise awareness to the protection of Pinglu Wetlands, five Chinese members of the workers’ union dressed in ballet costumes and danced gracefully in front of the cameras. I have to say they picked a wacky way to protest against pollution, but hey, whatever gets people’s attention to the environment issue, right?
Here are the chubby performers:
Boxing in the hockey ring seems dangerous enough, but the Chinese take it one step further.
Wearing nothing but a pair of shorts and sneakers, a group of winter swimmers entertained passers-by during a series of boxing matches performed on a block of floating ice. Held in Harbin City, the wacky competition had contestants punch each other with over sized boxing gloves while struggling to keep their balance on the slippery ice.
One of the ice boxers lost his temper when the referee tried to stop him from hitting his downed opponent and knocked the “official” in the ice-cold water surrounding the ring.
It’s a crazy event, but the Chinese don’t even come close to the neon-fighting Japanese.
via ImagineChina
I love a good omelet and I’ve been known to gobble down boiled eggs from tme to time, but Century Eggs? No freaking way!
Known also as preserved egg, hundred-year egg, thousand-year egg or thousand-year-old egg, the Century Egg is a Chinese delicacy used in many traditional dishes. Fresh duck, chicken or quail eggs become Century Eggs after weeks, sometimes months of preservation in a mixture of clay, ash, lime, salt and rice. The process of “cooking” Century Eggs is believed to date back 600 years, when someone apparently found some old eggs preserved in a pool of slaked lime. Upon tasting them, he decided to produce some more, but this time with some added salt.
After the preservation is complete, the hull mixture and egg shell are removed to reveal the now dark-brown egg-white and a dark-green, creamy and pungent yolk. It’s the alkaline that raises the ph of the egg from 9 to 12 or more and gives it a strong smell of ammonia and sulfur.
Century Eggs are consumed either raw, or as ingredients in other Chinese foods. There are those who associate them with smelly cheese, pungent but really delicious. Sadly there are others (myself included) who just can’t get past the disgusting colors and smell.
To make sure they squeeze some money out of them, young Chinese beggars have begun clinging to the legs of their victims.
Picture this: you’re walking down the street, minding your own business when this helpless little beggar girl comes up to you and asks you to buy a flower. You say something like “no thanks” and move on. But wait, one of your legs seems to be immobilized. You look down at the leg and see that same girl wrapped around it saying she isn’t going to let go until you buy a flower. This sort of harassment takes place more and more often on the streets of China’s major cities.
Now, considering there’s rarely any police around to help you with the issue, there are two things you can do. One way to resolve this would be to kick her with your other leg, but what kind of animal hits a child, right? So your only other option is to actually buy the flower and see to your business. Maybe you think there are other ways to escape the grip of these persistent beggars, but those already trapped by one say they don’t let go no matter how hard you try to reason with them or even hit them.
So the obvious question is: are these clinging beggars to blame? I would be inclined to say no, because they’re just doing what they must to survive. There are criminals that send them to “work” every day and if they don’t earn their keep, they’re in serious trouble.
via bbs.163.com
Over 100 height-challenged Chinese people perform in a show called Kingdom Of The Dwarves, close to Kunming, Yunnan Province.
Casting for the Kingdom Of The Dwarves show took place last summer, with only two conditions stipulated: the performers had to be between 18 and 40 years old and be shorter than 130 cm (4’3″). No other special skills were required. Now they take the stage of the Kunming World Butterflies Garden twice a day, singing, dancing and performing comedy sketches to entertain the crowds.
I know it looks like exploitation and discrimination, but the short performers see it only as another form of migrant labor and a haven away from people who mock and tease them on a daily basis. With discrimination and unemployment still high in China, the little people saw the Kingdom Of The Dwarves as an opportunity.
Just to clear things up, this is just a profitable theme park, not a community formed by the dwarves themselves as a shelter, and the mushroom houses only serve as decor and changing rooms, not as living quarters.
Photos by REUTERS
via Telegraph.co.uk
China’s singles needn’t look for their soul-mates any longer, they cam just go to the Love-Supermarket and buy it from there.
Actually it’s not that easy, but it is a viable way for singles to find a compatible match. the Love-Supermarket opened last month in Xizhimen and was the scene of a special party in celebration of Singles’ Day, on November 11.
The Love Supermarket has had over 500 visitors and has already established 60 successful love connections. Over 200 photos of single people hang on the walls of the establishment, along with personal information (age, gender, career, income,etc.). All clients have to do is pick someone and pay 100 yuan to sign up for a date.
opinions concerning the Love Supermarket are split. Some believe the tax is to high just to meet someone, others don’t care about the money, but doubt the singles info displayed is genuine and fear some of the “accounts” were set up by the owners so they can cash in on the date tax. But, with over 500,000 single women past the average marriage age, the Love Supermarket is bound to be a success.
via China.org.cn
Their shape may not be as complex as the Buddha-shaped pears, but these heart-shaped oranges spotted in a market, in the capital of South Korea are just as impressive. I’d like to get my hands on one of those for Valentine’s Day, but I doubt they’d ship those babies half way around the world. Oh well, I guess a heart-shaped box of chocolates will have to do.
via People.com.cn
I’m sure Michael Jackson would actually like the over-the-top design of this Chinese cell, it’s cashing in on the dead he might have a problem with.
This limited edit Michael Jackson Phone is apparently a replica of a Vertu, plated with gold and studded with plastic diamonds (gold and fake diamonds, a deadly combo). Technical specifications and prices aren’t yet available, but if you don’t live in China, you’ll probably never hold one of this babies in your hand. We do know it comes together with a Michael Jackson live performance DVD and has an impressive number of Michael Jackson ringtones.
via Shanzai
This man’s body may be broken, but his spirit is stronger than most people’s. While other healthy individual spend their days begging, this noble soul works on fixing broken tires…with only his feet. Sure, life can sometimes be very cruel, but this guy refuses to just lay down and die, just because he can’t use his hands. You have to admit this is really impressive and inspiring stuff.
Photos via Tiexue
The things people will do for money…
To advertise their new Chinese food products, KFC has hired seven young people to dress-up as shrimps and live together in a small glass house. That’s not so difficult if you’re doing it for just a day, but these guys have been sharing a small space since October 22.
I don’t see a toilet anywhere in the glass house, so I suppose they are allowed to go to the bathroom outside the confined space. Still finding stuff to do in there for around to weeks, with passers-by checking you out like animals at the zoo can’t be easy.
Photos by Imagine China
In the hills near San Chih, northern Taiwan, lies the Seashell Temple, one of the most amazing architectural works in the world.
I’m sure many of you have seen photos of it before, it’s almost on every spam photo site on the internet, sometimes listed as being in Bagkok or Taiwan, but I thought it deserved a spot among the oddities on Oddity Central.Almost completely covered with seashells and pieces of coral, Pei Khe Miao (as its known by the Chinese) takes your breath away the minute you lay eyes on it.
Unfortunately there isn’t a lot of genuine information concerning the Seashell Temple and I don’t want to make stuff up, so for now you’ll just have to settle for some photos and a video.
Photos via Awesome Asia
Chinese create a giant flag of China made from thousands of red hot peppers and corn cobs.
These days, there is a nationwide celebration going on in China, with just a few hours left until the country’s 60th anniversary and its people are going out of their way to prove how much it means to them.
In the village of Daxinzhuang, a giant Chinese flag is spread all over the road side. Nothing odd about that, only it’s made from hot peppers and corn cobs. If Israel has the world’s biggest flag, I think it’s safe to say China now has the world’s spiciest.
via ImagineChina
10,000 people gathered in Chongquing, China and laughed simultaneously, during a campaign to celebrate the 60th anniversary of People’s Republic of China.
In order to prove the love for their country, the Chinese have come up with some very original its 60th anniversary. After a Chinese hairdresser created a replica of Tianan Men Square out of human hair, 10,000 people gathered in Chongquing for what can be considered one the biggest collective laughter in history.
via ImagineChina
Huang Xin, a hairdresser from Beijing has created replicas of monuments and famous buildings around Tiananmen Square, using discarded human hair.
I’ve seen some pretty impressive models throughout the years, including a plywood helicopter, a matchstick Minas Tirith or a toothpick city, but never anything made from human hair. But, they say there’s a first time for everything, so today I stumbled over some photos of famous Chinese buildings made entirely from human hair.
Huang Xin, a young Chinese hairdresser wanted to celebrate the 60th anniversary of People’s Republic of China in a unique manner and used his talent to do it. Using discarded human hair, mostly from women, he spent almost an entire year creating some very impressive models of Tiananmen Square.
photos via ImagineChina
It might also be the biggest, but Cho Woong’s Star-Wars collection is by far the coolest one I’ve ever seen.
Cho Woong is a Korean dude who managed to put together what might actually be the ultimate Star-Wars collection and actually made it a part of his home. Everything in Cho’s apartment, including his entertainment system, coffee table and even the bathroom is somehow connected to the Star-Wars universe.
Some people collect coins, stamps or even cigarette packs, but this is on a whole other level. And unlike the crazy Pokemon collection, his Star-Wars collection actually looks neat and well-organized, managing to complement his apartment.
Photos by Cho Woong
