Trending in Beijing: Hair Ablaze, Snakes Illegally Raised

Joey Knotts, Contributing Editor | Mar 24, 2021 8:30 am | Add a comment | 297 reads

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.

Didn’t your mother tell you not to play with fire?

A viral video from a KTV party on Sunday captured an inquisitive lad getting a close look at the flame of his lighter – a little too close because the young man’s wavy locks got caught in the fire.

Unfortunately, for those of us who are curious about the aftermath of this blazing tale, the video cuts out before he even notices that his hair is caught aflame. Yet, one must admit, there’s something poetic about the image of a boy staring deep into the fire, unaware of the one that’s made a home on his own head.

The majority of the Weibo comments, of course, went something along the lines of “this guy is a moron,” though other comments were also critical of his posture.

Another user recalled a similar experience: “Once, I was blow-drying my hair and got distracted talking to my mom, and wouldn’t you know it, my bangs caught fire!”

Snake seller ends up a cell dweller

A Chaoyang man’s apartment was raided last week when police discovered he was engaged in breeding and selling red-tailed boas, also known as a boa constrictor, without a license. The snakes are not endangered and are commonly kept as pets due to their calm nature, but the selling and breeding of boa constrictors in China is highly regulated.

After the arrest was made, video of the raid spread online Tuesday showing the officers collecting the snakes and depositing them in individual drawers. The suspect admitted to police that he was selling the snakes online as a side hustle, which he had picked up after reading about how profitable the selling of boas can be online.

The most-liked comment on Weibo reads simply, “Keeping snakes as pets is sick.”

Buddha carvings get an unofficial makeover

In yet another case of vandalism following the recent Great Wall-scratching, a cultural conservation hobbyist recently discovered that several ancient wall carvings of the Buddha in Yanqing district had been painted gold. Park authorities estimate that the painting may have occurred in early February.

Reactions by conservationists and netizens alike have been mixed – on the one hand, it’s clearly not right to spray-paint cultural relics, but on the other hand, the Buddhas actually look... pretty good. As far as amateur restorations go, this was no Ecce Homo job.