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A short-lived holiday
At 10pm, the first little devils arrive, followed by their white winged rivals. Nurses in suspenders flirt with thirsty vampires. Princesses in fluffy dresses dance with French maids. Little by little, the dance-floor fills up. Whilst for most people, Halloween is a reason to have fun and dress up, the club owners sees it as being more practical. "For us, it's a good way to make money," confesses Jack Zhao.
This ghoul-like godsend has only been in China for few years. As John Floretta, a 29 year-old American who's been in China for 5 years, remembers. "At that time, there were only a couple of bars that celebrated Halloween". By his side, Yang Shuo is wearing a tee-shirt and jeans just "because she was too lazy to dress up that night." Originally from Hunan in central China, this 27 year-old web designer seems to be one of the few who actually know the origins of Halloween. "It's the return of ghosts in town, isn't it," she asks. On the other hand, she admits, blushing that "she doesn't really know about Chinese holidays."
But as all good things have to end, for the Chinese, Halloween remains an ephemeral holiday. "Once they're over thirty, the Chinese are no longer interested in this kind of party," Wei assure me. Zhao is an example of this. If he justifies the fact that he hasn't dressed up for Halloween by saying "I already look like a ghost". However, he adds more seriously: "I am married now. I'm almost 40. Before, I always went out and I would have celebrated Halloween. Now I prefer quiet places."
The Bank: Gongti Donglu, Chaoyang District (opposite Gate N°9 of the Worker's Stadium). 朝阳区工人体育场东门院内. Tel: 010-6553-1998. Website: www.beijingbankclub.com
Text: Aurélie Palancher
Photos : Wang Zhuo
November 2007
