Shooting the Suns

On September 30, 1984, Beijing Municipality opened to the public its first modern subway track, Line 2. For about US$0.035, Beijingers could now conveniently circle the capital along the route of its former imperial walls—a far cry from the impractical Line 1, which had been built by, and for a time reserved for, the People’s Liberation Army as part of Mao-era dual-use “civilian-defense” to deter a Soviet attack. The new stations were not only modern and functional; several were also adorned with large, colorful murals celebrating the great achievements of Chinese civilization.