The policeman was standing under the willows like a still picture.

Tourists passed by him and unconsciously laughed at his serious face. But they would get no reaction — not even a smile or a death glare. It seemed that they’re walking in parallel universes.

That must be something quite common for the young dude in green uniform. A bug landed on his face and flied away. Still no reaction at all.

It was outside the Forbidden City, located in the geographic center of Beijing. For 5 centuries, it served as the home of emperors and their households, as well as the ceremonial and political center of Chinese government.

Though Forbidden City has been renamed as Former Palace Museum, the area remains kinda “forbidden”. You can find police everywhere and taking pictures of them closely is a taboo.

What would happen there today? Nobody is able to predict. A number of historic events took place near the Forbidden City, and people keep forgetting them quickly. That’s the most beautiful place in the city, meanwhile, the most sensitive.

Last winter, I happened to see a group of migrant construction workers walking there. They were excited and talked very loud. They stopped by the willows, looked up at the red walls, and asked each other, “Hey, is this where the emperors have wandered?”

They hugged the trees, in a way that they could use up all the energy in their bodies. Everything got quiet at the moment. I guess they could even feel the breath of the century-old plants.

For a few seconds, I saw some bare smile on the police’s faces across the lane. That may be the most peaceful place on the planet. The brief moment didn’t belong to the crazy city I live in.

The police stand there silently, pretending they’re invisible. Day by day.