That writes the guard. Grandmothers gather in squares and gardens, in the early morning or early evening. They dance to loud Chinese music. This leads to real discontent and riots because the music, according to others, disturbs the quiet peace – and the cities are already busy and full.
Last week, a cure for noise pollution went viral: a type of pistol-shaped remote control that shuts down music boxes. Reviews are positive. “The basement is finally quiet,” the message reads.
“A great invention. With this I am the boss in my neighborhood,” another writes.
According to the Guardian, there are 100 million ballroom dancers in China. They are, of course, very right. State media describe dancing as a “positive and effective way to break physical and financial boundaries” and “improve the quality of life of the elderly”.
But things are getting out of control. Different groups compete with each other for available public spaces. They compete with each other in terms of music volume. The videos also show how they fight or break into basketball players during a soccer match and dominate the field.
Sometimes it becomes hostile. In Shijiazhuang, locals throw unpleasant tofu, paint and gasoline at women as they dance. It has even been dumped with human feces. Chinese authorities have struggled with this tradition for years.
Square dancing has its origins in the 1960s during the Cultural Revolution. “Square dancing is a shadow of the past. Many old people believe that all of China was built by their generation. They have the strongest voice and prestige. We young people have nothing and are not qualified to say anything against it.” However, the remote control shows that young people are serious now.
