Shanghai wonders: voting for buses, dung desserts and fake weddings (10 photos)
China continues to surprise: passengers vote for bus routes, restaurants serve desserts made from elephant dung, and grooms even decide to marry two at once. 
The three most discussed Chinese trends balance between innovation and absurdity. Where is the line?
1. Passenger voting for a bus route 
You can guess the country by the news. If we are talking about technological innovations, where everyone has a smartphone and the Internet, then this is definitely... China. In Shanghai, they are launching experimental buses, the routes of which are chosen by passengers. If you want, you can vote for a school on weekdays, or for a cemetery on weekends. The DZ system (from dingzhi - "individual") allows residents to propose routes through a city platform. If there are 15-20 people willing, the route is launched. 
Routes on the vote
Through the website, passengers indicate points A and B, time and frequency of trips. One of the first routes, DZ301, connected the metro with residential areas and offices. "During rush hour - up to 180 passengers," they say at the depot. 
The price is the same as a regular bus, but without discounts. In fact, it is a compromise between a taxi and public transport. The main thing is to book a seat, and not just vote, otherwise a thousand relatives will "pump up" their route. There are already 220 such routes in Shanghai. And this is not the limit.
2. Authentic Dung Dessert 
A posh Shanghai restaurant serves elephant dung desserts for $550. The founders of the establishment, a Frenchman and a Chinese, spent 7 years studying the tropics of Yunnan Province to surprise gourmets. 
The restaurant specializes in the theme of the tropical forest, which is reflected in both its dishes and its mysterious atmosphere
"Flowers in elephant dung" is the main hit of the menu. Sterilized dung is mixed with honey, fruit jam and herbal flavoring. Served with a ritual: the guest climbs the stairs, chooses a scent and ... immerses himself in the "jungle atmosphere". 
In addition to elephant dung desserts, the menu also features unconventional ingredients such as insects
The 15-course set for 3,888 yuan ($550) includes bush leaves (you pick them yourself), ice cubes with pollen, a black mass that smells like a corpse flower, and insects as an appetizer.
User reactions to the new product were unanimous and unequivocal:
I'm from Yunnan Province, and we DO NOT eat dung!
The rich are ready for anything. Shanghai is a city of magic... and humiliation.
This is not food, but a quest for millionaires. 
The highlight is the dessert "Flowers in manure", the base of which imitates crispy crumbs, and on top it is decorated with fruit jam, flower pollen and honey sorbet
Although the droppings are sterilized, and in China they even make paper from it, the compliance of desserts with sanitary standards remains questionable.
3. A Wedding Prank That Got a Chinese Groom Into a Lot of Trouble 
In China's Guizhou Province, a man posted a wedding photo with two brides and caused a storm of indignation. In the photo, he is wearing a formal suit, and on either side are two women in wedding dresses.
An invitation to the ceremony in a prestigious banquet hall quickly spread across social networks. Some admired: "What a lucky groom!", others were indignant: "Three? Is this even legal?"
Chinese Divorce 
It turned out that one of the "brides" was the man's ex-wife, the second was his new flame. According to friends, all three and their families gave their consent to this performance.
But the police quickly stopped the prank. The photo and invitation were recognized as a prank. The banquet hall cancelled the reservation, citing the law against bigamy. The groom was thoroughly "educated" by law enforcement officers. Now he plans to marry only one of the women.
Lawyer Wang Danni warned: such jokes can lead to 15 days in prison or a fine for "violating public order." So in China, even absurd trolling can have real consequences.
