Naughty stuff in Chengdu
Wow!! Pr0n!
Not really!
That is the poster for a "Stunning Chengdu Human Photography" exhibition at a local museum, touted as the world's first 3D nude exhibition. Chengdu locals like Ou take pride in their city's boldness in breaking taboos. According to Ou, the models are ordinary residents who volunteered when the call for models went out. When I asked what motivated these women to bare all, she nonchalantly remarked, "A woman wants to preserve the memory of her youthful body."
At a Chengdu bookstore, I was surprised to find a translated copy of Fahrenheit 451, the classic novel about censorship. There's also a riverside spot we often go to where vendors openly sell banned or risquΓ© books β a glimpse into the local peopleβs interests. Pre-internet, designers would scour foreign magazines here for inspiration. This laid back atmosphere is one reason I love Chengdu. The people here seem more relaxed compared to other Chinese cities.
Among the wares at the riverside, I spotted an old Chiang Kai-shek posters with his face and name crudely crossed out in red ink β a workaround for selling prohibited materials. Ou joked that someday my photo might appear here with my face crossed out, banned in China for encouraging mischief among the locals.ββββββββββββββββ