SHIJIAZHUANG - A giant quick response (QR) code in north China's Hebei Province has left social media users wondering what to make of the design, which can only be scanned from high above the ground. The QR code in Xilinshui Village, Baoding City, is made up of 130,000 Chinese juniper trees arranged to cover an area of 6.7 hectares. The QR code directs mobile users to an account that promotes local tourism. The account is managed by Haomeng Linshui Agriculture Technological Co. Ltd, which claims to offer a wide range of services, including agricultural tourism and catering businesses. The company was founded in 2016, according to the verified account. The story has caught the attention of netizens, but many mocked it as a publicity gimmick and questioned how mobile users were supposed to scan the code from mid-air. "Aren't we supposed to power off our phones on airplanes?" wrote user "Ouzhoudaxizuo" on microblog Sina Weibo. "First of all, you need a helicopter," read another Weibo comment. Xilinshui Village boasts forests, clean rivers and beautiful mountains. It was named one of the most beautiful villages in Hebei in 2015, according to the Baoding government. QR codes are becoming increasingly popular in China, particularly for making mobile payments, as the country moves toward a cashless society, and for publicity purposes. By the end of June 2017, China had 724 million mobile phone users. logo wristbandswoven braceletscustom rubber bandsmotivational wristbands for athletes
Giant panda Yuanzai celebrates its fifth birthday at the Taipei Zoo, July 6, 2018. [Photo/Xinhua] TAIPEI - Two birthday cakes. Five posters. Countless fans. A superstar shows up and the fans start screaming. It's not a celebrity's meet-and-greet session at a concert, but rather the birthday bash of a giant panda in Taiwan. On Friday, giant panda Yuanzai celebrated its fifth birthday at the Taipei Zoo, drawing large crowds eager to catch a glimpse of the chubby bear. Yuanzai is the baby of two giant pandas, Tuantuan and Yuanyuan, sent to Taiwan from the Chinese mainland in 2008. [Photo/Xinhua] The animal showed up at the zoo's Giant Panda House around 9:20 am, and fans immediately used their phones to record every move of the cute animal. It played around, and at one point, climbed up a platform and started to play with the posters on the ceiling, generating quite a buzz among the visitors. It is so cute! said a visitor surnamed Chung. I came here early to see Yuanzai. Giant panda Yuanzai celebrates its fifth birthday at the Taipei Zoo, July 6, 2018. [Photo/Xinhua] Yuanzai is the baby of two giant pandas, Tuantuan and Yuanyuan, sent to Taiwan from the Chinese mainland in 2008. The female, Yuanyuan, gave birth to Yuanzai in 2013. I have been following the pandas' news since they arrived in Taiwan, Chung said. We even formed a fanclub on Facebook, which updates everything about the pandas. Another visitor surnamed Li brought his daughter to the zoo to see Yuanzai. We heard in newspapers and on TV about Yuanzai's birthday, Li said. My daughter adores pandas. Wang Yi-min, with Taipei Zoo, said they frequently invited experts from the mainland to help with the protection and insemination of the pandas. It is an honor to be part of the protection efforts of giant pandas, she said. We hope to have more cooperation with experts from the mainland to help protect the animals.
