On one side lies the Forbidden City. On the other is the house of the late Deng Xiaoping. All around are the lawns and flowers of a Beijing Olympic beautification park.
Between them, however, stands the home of a nut-seller who refuses to make way for the demolition of old Beijing.
Yu Pingju and her family have been selling roasted chestnuts, candied apricots and watermelon seeds from this shabby roadside store since late paramount leader Deng gave the go-ahead to launch a private enterprise some 30 years ago. One of the late reformist’s daughters even stops by every now and then to pick up a bag of peanuts.
She may soon have to shop elsewhere for snacks. The Western City district authorities have ordered the Yu family to leave their 'nail house' - a name given to properties whose owners refuse to allow the state hammer them down - by June 26. But the 14-member family says it will not go. More...
See also: Can China handle its emerging nationalistic youth?
And this: Boycott Beijing 2008?
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