BEIJING (China Daily Show) — An online poll conducted by Sina.com today named Beijing’s Winterless Center the most-voted in three categories, including “Bleakest Place to Work” and “Worst-Named”, narrowly beating The Forbidden City.
Its dull edifice standing wretchedly opposite the plush facade of Shin Kong Place luxury mall, the Winterless Center in Beijing’s Central Business District has long baffled residents and tourists with its name.
“By any reckoning of the English language, it should be a joyous title, evocative of endless summers in the Californian sun,” remarked 29-year-old Winterless Hotel guest, Andy Blaine. “Instead, it just makes me think of Narnia in the grip of the Ice Queen.”
“Even at the height of July, I shivered and grew depressed when I passed the Winterless Center,” commented white-collar worker Chen Shanshan, 23, on Sina. “And when I looked through the windows, I saw seemingly endless blankets of snow and ice, and strange creatures cantering past.”
The Winterless edged out The Forbidden City, 47,089 votes to 45,447 in the category of “Worst-Named.” Of the latter, disgruntled holidaymaker Dawn Hathaway, 45, asked, “What’s ‘forbidden’ about that place exactly? There were tourists everywhere.”
“I was expecting brothel-type stuff, opium pipes, maybe some erotic murals,” fumed husband Don. “All I got was endless courtyards.”
Got a tip? Contact us at cds@chinadailyshow.net
Follow this and other leading China news at @chinadailyshow on Twitter