In the mid-afternoon glow, dried chilli's hang on an outside wall of a 'hutong' (Traditional Chinese alley dwelling) in a "nong tang" (alley) on the eastern edge of the city. Note: the old menues stuck on to the wall along side the chilliphoto: mhobbs
A man dressed in a suit carrys a bucket filled with 'food slops' along a narrow hutong, in the east of the cityphoto: mhobbs
On a busy "nong tang" (alley) on the eastern edge of the city, a shoe repair vendor sits in the bitterly cold wind of the afternoon repairing shoes
photo: mhobbs
Three 'workers' at 'Shandong Institute of Business and Technology' take a break in the early morning, after pulling up old paving stones/steps of one of the many teaching buildings with the campusphoto: mhobbs
Metal stairs on the outside of a large building, painted a bright blue with a yellow bottom wall, in the centre of the cityphoto: mhobbs
In a small backstreet in the centre of the city a woman stands by her "biketruck" loaded with oranges and catches-up on the news
photo: mhobbs
On a main street in the centre of the city a vendor sits by his "seed" stall in the early afternoon
photo: mhobbs
A woman pushes her "baked sweet potato" oven/cart along a small backstreet in the centre of the city, while another street vendor watches as she catches up on the news photo: mhobbs
A teenager walks by a traditional entrance to a Hutong (Traditional Chinese alley dwelling) in a "nong tang" (alley) on the eastern edge of the cityphoto: mhobbs
Two woman walk by an old building on the eastern edge of the city, as a man on a 'motorbike-truck' exits from the gate of the building
photo: mhobbs
Two of the many "workers" in canteen No. 2 at "Shandong Institute of Business and Technology" share a joke. George Orwell [pseudonym of Eric Arthur Blair] excerpt from "1984" - "Chapter 5" In the low-ceilinged canteen, deep underground, the lunch queue jerked slowly forward. The room was already very full and deafeningly noisy. From the grille at the counter the steam of stew came pouring forth, with a sour metallic smell which did not quite overcome the fumes of Victory Gin. On the far side of the room there was a small bar, a mere hole in the wall, where gin could be bought at ten cents the large nip.
photo: mhobbs
Smoke stack at "Shandong Institute of Business and Technology", the pollution is mainly carbon monoxide, because of the coal burning by the University, the coal is used to heat the water used by the staff and students of the University
photo: mhobbs
A Chinese character on the wall of a building in the centre of the city, the character means "clean" it is part of a larger sign on a wall that suggested to keep the streets clean photo:mhobbs
Workers at "Shandong Institute of Business and Technology" create cement to fill in trenches that had been dug to lay new pipes for the 'water' heating system within the cement block apartment buildings
photo: mhobbs
A steamed 'bun' street vendor with his "biketruck" in the centre of the city
photo: mhobbs
A man stands in the doorway of his small store in the centre of the city, in front of a large stack of Ghost festival, or ancestor worship items. The Ghost Festival is a traditional Chinese festival and holiday, which is celebrated by the Chinese. According to the Chinese Lunar (a lunisolar calendar), the Ghost Festival is on the 14th night of the seventh lunar month.(August 8th, 2006) In addition to Hell Bank Notes or Afterlife Money; (fake money) some Chinese stores also sell elaborately-made and multi-coloured paper watches, clothes, cars, Hell Credit Cards, and even refrigerators for the purpose of burning in the belief that doing so sends their essence to the afterlife world, where the recipient will be glad to receive such material goods. Other activities include, burying and releasing miniature paper boats and lanterns on water, which signifies "giving directions to the lost ghosts. A very solemn festival, the festival nevertheless represents a connection between the living and the dead, earth and heaven, as well as body and soul.
photo: mhobbs
