Budget Hearing Overflow on Beijing City Hall Steps

Crisp high-altitude light cuts through dramatic clouds above the wide stone steps of a city hall building in Beijing. Late autumn air brings a fine, persistent drizzle that wets the grey pavement and creates reflective surfaces on the stone treads. A crowd gathers on the landing, their coats of muted browns, greys, and deep blues huddled against the damp air. Architectural lines of the facade create strong leading lines drawing the eye upward toward the entrance where officials and citizens stand in close proximity. Raindrops bead on the shoulders of jackets and pool in the shallow grooves of the stairs. A red banner hangs limp against the white wall in the background, its color sharp against the grey stone.