Beijing: a sky of two colors

BEIJING -- "It's the humidity, huh?"

Those of us living in Beijing have learned that the weather is in fact not a safe topic for small talk. Especially with the Olympics around the corner, Beijingers are very sensitive about atmospheric conditions. Many quarrels begin over whether that stuff in the air that makes it impossible to see the building across the street is smog or fog, air pollution or simply bad weather. Speaking just enough Chinese to get into trouble, I have had the following conversation repeatedly with taxi drivers.

TAXI DRIVER: "Today's weather is really bad?''

ME: "It is the air quality that is bad, no?''

TAXI DRIVER: "No, the problem is the weather.''

In Chinese, the word for air quality (kongqi) and weather (tianqi) are similar and so the debate revolves around the proper word to describe the air until my language abilities are exhausted. To some extent, the taxi drivers are reciting what they've read in the newspapers, which in turn are parroting the government line -- it is not the pollution, it is the humidity.

The Chinese do have a point. This is the rainy season and the high summer humidity traps pollution in the city. Blue skies are a rare sight in Beijing until September. Guo Wenli, director of the Beijing Climate Center, says that initial plans had called for a July 25 opening for the Olympics, but that the date was pushed back to Aug. 8 because of the weather. Chinese meteorologists would have preferred an even later date, but further delays would have turned the 2008 Summer Games into the autumn Games. And that would have cut into the National Football League season.

Two photos taken from my apartment building show the difference. The top one is from October 2007. The other was taken this morning at 10 a.m.. -- 10 hours before the opening ceremony.

-- Barbara Demick

Photos by Barbara Demick / Los Angeles Times

Comments

[jcrn]

My husband recently got back from there. He would call and tell me of the smog and the fog in the sky. He has had worse asthma since getting back so it is hard not to think of the impact on the Olympic performers.

[Carlos]

I shot two very similar pictures earlier this summer - at Griffith Park...

[Alan]

How many people were murdered in LA today? How many people were murdered in Beijing today?

[Dan]

How many massive international sporting events are taking place in LA today, Alan?

[Kana]

I went there last summer and yeah, there is a TON of humidity, especially at this time of year, its wet season. And yes, there is smog there, but what big city doesn't have smog.

But wow, this coming from the LA Times, like Los Angeles is one to talk. Smog heaven no? If that's the case, I think there'll be even more protesters if LA were to ever get the games again.

Did you know? California uses more gasoline than all of China. Food for thought.

[Kana]

I went there last summer and yeah, there is a TON of humidity, especially at this time of year, its wet season. And yes, there is smog there, but what big city doesn't have smog.

But wow, this coming from the LA Times, like Los Angeles is one to talk. Smog heaven no? If that's the case, I think there'll be even more protesters if LA were to ever get the games again.

Did you know? California uses more gasoline than all of China. Food for thought.

[Gene]

Very insightful Alan. You do realize it's a little easier to avoid a bad neighborhood, than oh let's see... breathe.

[SoCalSurferPunk]

49 people died in LA today city today
14 from unnatural causes

over "there" in human-rights-no-good city 90 people died today
59 from unnatural causes

you do the math.

(counterfactual numbers --> someone wanna find the real numbers?)

[Mike]

Alan,

How many people live under a well-developed set of human rights in LA? How about in Beijing?

How many people are able to read newspapers unaltered by the government in LA? How about in Beijing?

How many people are free to practice their religion of choice in LA? How many people can even practice any religion at all in Beijing?

How many people in LA are free to see who they'd like, talk about what they'd like, research and learn what they'd like, and become what they'd like? How about in Beijing?

How many people can trust their government to tell them the truth in LA about the poor air quality? How about in Beijing?

And you think LA air quality is bad? How about Beijing's?

[Tyler]

I wonder if this will have any effects on the athletes over there? That doesnt look healthy at all

[tipalm]

How many people will speak their mind in LA today? How many will speak their mind in Beijing today?

Risk vs reward?

[Kara]

I was in China about 5 years ago, and it smog there was already terrible. It's going to take a mammoth job to convince the government to change their stance, when the mentality of most Chinese are to make as much money as possible, and the last thing on their minds will be on pollution!

[Ben]

I don't think kongqi means what you think it means.