Quirky China: Zoo denies it gave a lion a cute fringe, Mao-tai ice cream and a police officer patents noise-reducing square-dancing tool
- Lion with fabulous fringe has gone viral internationally, with a zoo worker explaining the hairdo is the result of humidity
- Mao-tai said it plans to launch an ice cream that uses the famous liquor as a main ingredient
A zoo worker in southern China denied allegations that they gave a male lion a “neat fringe” haircut after a photo of the animal delighted the internet.
The lion, named Hanghang, brought joy to people who saw the picture, with many people saying that the image is “hilarious”.
“After seeing this, my long-time unhappiness has completely disappeared,” wrote one person on Weibo.
Chinese baijiu-flavoured ice cream anyone?
China’s most famous baijiu brand, Mao-tai, announced that it was launching an ice cream product in collaboration with Mengniu, a domestic dairy company.
According to Quanshang China, a news portal, the Mao-tai is being used to make three flavours of ice cream – tiramisu, “classical original” and vanilla – which will cost from 50 yuan (US$7.50) to 66 yuan per cup.
That price range will make the ice cream more expensive than the average cup of ice cream and will only be available in the southwestern city of Guiyang to start.
The liquor makes up two per cent of the raw materials to make the ice cream, so it comes with a warning label that juveniles, pregnant women and people with alcohol allergies should not eat it.
Mao-tai said it developed the ice cream to cater to younger consumers. At present, several other Chinese baijiu brands also produce ice creams, but their market shares remain small.
Boxed-in square dancing
According to news.cn, a Chinese news portal, the 56-year-old Chen Shuxin designed a box that allows the sound to be projected only through one side to limit the noise so dancers can hear the music without disrupting nearby residents.
The rustic-looking invention is 1.2 metres tall, and Chen said the design lowers the sound for nearby areas by 20 decibels.
Square dancing is a popular leisure activity in mainland China and is usually popular among older women. The group activity is also infamous for noise complaints that often result in conflicts between dancers and nearby residents.
