With apologies to Lu Xun, here's a Beijinger's diary of a madman:
Jan. 26, Day 1: What a wonderful celebration last night! It was so very exciting. I don't think I've ever been around so many fireworks in my life -- not to mention drunk happy people! Well, except my birthday party ;) LOL! I think the human spirit triumphed, I really do. Of course, this morning there is all this trash on the streets and the sidewalks and I wonder how they're EVER ever gonna clean it all up. Oh well, I guess that's why it's good to have 1.4 billion people! But poor workers, they are all migrant which means homeless and so they didn't get to partake in this festive season with their families. I wonder if they even have familes :( <--sad face
Day 2: I learned about miaohuis today and how they span back several centuries, to a time when the spring festival was a big excuse for commerce. Merchants from around China would go to Beijing (it was called Beiping at the time, I suppose) and hawk their wares, leave with a half-year's worth of money. Miaohuis are just big county fairs these days, but they're everywhere, and I'm happy seeing all these happy people.
Although -- this was weird -- they were still lighting fireworks today for some reason. I'll have to look into this.
Day 3: A bottle rocket hit me in the forehead today. I can't believe it. I mean, it hit me STRAIGHT in the forehead, so fast that I didn't react at first and didn't fall to the ground. Maybe if I did I wouldn't have bled so much, or have this ugly-ass scar IN THE MIDDLE OF MY FOREHEAD. Goddamn motherfuc--
Day 4: WHY WON'T THIS STOP? YOU CHINESE PEOPLE LIKE FIREWORKS -- I GET IT, OKAY? CHRIST ON A RAFT!
Red lantern, red lantern,
Hanging by life's thin noose:
If we cut you, would you bleed?
Would you renounce all your creeds?
I wonder, red lantern,
Reeking with booze,
Do you rhyme with redrum?
Day 5: BOOM Agh! BOOM Agh! BOOM Agh! BOOM!
Day 6: I have the itches. I can't sleep. I can't drink. I can't eat. Everywhere I look are the faces of the dead and depressed, the hollow-chested and craven-eyed. The orbitals of blank stare back. at m.e I am reminded of my days of combat. Sargeant! Sargeant! DON'T DIE ON ME. OH GOD OH GOD OH GOD OH GOD
Day 7: Wait a minute... wait just the fuck one minute... this celebration goes on for EIGHT MORE DAYS???
Ah, fuck it. Watch out, everybody, and Say hello to my little friend!
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