'Purrfect' day means taking cat photos in the hutong

'Purrfect' day means taking cat photos in the hutong

北京胡同+猫猫+老外=?

I've developed an odd habit. Wandering, as I often do, along one of many of Beijing's historical hutong, I snap photos that I'll never print out. I take photos of strange architectural choices, traditional doors, statues of lions, hidden hipster cafes and, yes, photos of people taking photos of cats.

我养成了一个怪癖。我常常在北京历史悠久的胡同里漫步闲逛，拍一些永远也不会打印出来的照片:奇怪的建筑、传统的中国门，石狮子雕像、隐秘的潮流咖啡馆，以及，人们给猫拍照的照片。

The more gentrified of Beijing's hutong are visited upon by many furred felines, who lounge on doorsteps in the sun with hedonistic abandon as if they own the place. Like none other in the animal kingdom, cats give off this kind of rock-star vibe. They have the " I don't care" attitude, they are meticulously preened, and they attract swarms of paparazzi.

北京更为大型的胡同里有很多毛茸茸的猫咪，它们躺在门口台阶上晒着太阳，尽情地享受着，似乎它们是这里的主人。在动物王国中，只有猫能散发出摇滚明星的气质。总以一种“我不在乎”的态度示人，它们外表精致，吸引着成群的“狗仔队”。

It has become an ever-increasingly often sight to see a parading puss surrounded by keen paps, crouching, hunching themselves over, contorting their bodies into tantric positions and gurning in effort, to get the best snap of this cat.

我越发经常看到一只招摇过市的猫咪被兴冲冲的“狗仔们”包围，他们蹲下来，弓着背，将自己的身体扭曲成瑜伽一般的姿势，还扮鬼脸，为的就是拍到猫咪的精彩瞬间。

I remember the very first time it happened as if it were yesterday. I was rounding a corner of the Yangmeizhu Hutong to the west of Qianmen, when I stumbled upon a scrum of people jostling. I thought, " Hello? What's this? A fight on the otherwise peaceful streets of historical Beijing?"

我还记得第一次目睹的样子，仿佛昨天刚发生一样。我当时路过前门西杨梅竹斜街的一 个转角，无意中看到一群人推推搡搡。我想，“等等，这是什么情况?有人在这片祥和的老北京街道上打架吗?"

I was quickly proved mistaken. Instead, I discovered this excited rabble was eagerly taking photos of a cat. And it was loving it too, you could tell. It had its shoulders pushed forward, haunches tilted, head extended upward at 45-degree angle. What a pro. I swear it was even pouting. Or it winked at me, one or the other.

很快，我知道我错了。我发现这群人正争相给一只猫拍照。看得出来，猫也很享受。它两肩前推，扭着腰胯，45度角仰望天空，真会摆姿势!我发誓它还甚至撅着嘴。要么，它就是在向我抛媚眼呢。