介绍:
It's 3pm in the afternoon and Miranda from Shanghai is waiting outside a Beijing subway station--alone.
"Another friend is on the way, and an American friend and a French friend, but I don't really know if they're going to come."
The worry is that they'll chicken out.
Miranda's organising this year's 'No Pants Day' in Beijing.
It's an annual celebration of sillyness that involves riding a subway with a distinct lack of trousers.
"I'm proving we Chinese... they say it's a very conservative culture, but we have people who are very open and are willing to do this. I want to show we're internationalising now."
The event's popular in many cities around the world.
But so far, apart from Miranda, the media are the only ones waiting.
"Hello, are you here for 'No Pants Day'?"
"I am, yeah."
"Nice to meet you."
"I'm Tom, but I'm just here to report about it."
"Oh my God, so we have two reporters and no participants? Are you going to take part?"
"I don't think I will. But, erm, sorry about that."
But as they were talking, Robin, a student from Sweden turns up carrying a backpack he plans to put his trousers into.
"You shouldn't be afraid to do slightly crazy stuff in public. It's just for fun."
Nancy from Beijing has also arrived. She works in a law firm.
"You're not worried someone would stop you, or..."
"No, it's not illegal or anything, it's just for fun."
Eventually a group of around 10 forms made of both foreigners and locals.
They head into the subway.
Inside the car it's standing room only.
Within seconds the group is kicking off shoes, unbuckling belts and pulling off jeans.
The idea is to act as though you don't know anyone else doing the same thing.
As if getting undressed on the subway is completely normal.
Passengers watch with puzzled expressions, and a few take pictures.
Robin stands in the middle of the carriage wearing a black winter coat barely covering some blue trunks and pale legs.
Miranda is sporting grey panties with pink spots.
"Right now I've got on a cotton mesh striped, I believe they're Haynes boxers. I've got on one of my best T-shirts, a hoodie and a blazer."
Jason from Ohio is a big guy, but that didn't stop him feeling nervous before stripping off.
"It was just awkward, looking from person to person, like, 'Are you going to do it?' 'Are you going to do it?' 'Are you going to do it?' and then you look around and there's like a four-year-old kid there and you feel like a pervert so you don't want to do it so then you move down the train and then it's ok."
"I didn't see any disgust, it was more intrigue than anything else."
Trevor is another participant from the US.
"I mean, how many opportunities in your life can you say that you got to ride the Beijing subway without your pants? Like a few in the sea of millions and I just wanted to be able to say in my life, 'I've done that.'"
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