Daily commentary about China by TIME correspondents.

A Nail House No More

The Beijing nail house mentioned here has been torn down. At the site earlier today there was nothing but workmen moving the last bits of rubble, planting flowers and painting the red wall behind where the Yu family store once stood. A person at a nearby store said the destruction work began at 3 a.m. on Friday. From an aesthetic standpoint that section of Di'anmennei Street looks a lot better without the store sticking out amid the newly planted greenery. But whether flattening a house in the middle of the night contributes to social harmony is a question that's not as easily answered.

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