Why did the chicken cross the road?
 |
| it didn't want to get smushed by a truck! |
It’s no surprise that China is indeed shaped like a chicken. “You are what you eat,” Confucius did not once say. At the joy of sounding like Bubba Gump, here are some of the many chickens I have encountered so far:
 |
| xingning chickens |
 | |
| mountain chickens |
 | |
| captive chickens |
 |
| escaped chicken |
 |
| farm of chickens |
 |
lonely sidewalk chicken |
 |
| living room chicken |
 |
| village chickens |
 |
| chicken-in-a-bag |
 |
| lotsa chickens! |
Unfortunately there is a huge stigma of sorts that comes with Chinese chickens, notoriously known for carrying avian diseases that have killed many people, including a few recent cases in Shenzhen. Back in December there was a news report showing a massive declaration for chicken vendors to wash their chickens well and keep them behind glass barriers in shops. This was followed by a stern warning from my mother to not go up and kiss chickens, in mockery of my innate fascination with farm animals. It’s too bad these playful creatures, rather than shady health and food regulations, have to take the hit to their reputation.
 |
| There was even some strange contemporary art piece in Hong Kong involving traveling chicken statues that were supposed to embody the "ideal" well-behaved chicken, with no diseases. Art, yes. |
