Wang Lixin takes an after-dinner stroll every day in her lakeside community in Tianjin. However, the usually tranquil lake has been transformed since Friday with the arrival of a giant inflatable rubber duck.
The yellow duck is one of many of its kind that have sprung up nationwide, attracting hordes of tourists, but raising concerns over copyright issues.
The first such duck, designed by Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman, can be seen floating in Hong Kong's Victoria Harbor until Sunday.
Many Chinese mainland residents, who had scoffed at their Hong Kong counterparts' fascination with the duck in Victoria Harbor, have also found themselves transfixed by the giant rubber arrivals.
Although the ducks scattered around the country look different, they have given equal delight to residents, but have triggered concerns on copyright infringement.
An Internet user in Guangdong province using the name "A fish born in a tropical area" on her micro blog said she was planning to go to see the duck in Wuhan during the upcoming Dragon Boat holiday, having recently seen the one in Hong Kong. "But I found out it was a much smaller duck," she said.
The Wuhan duck is considerably smaller than the one in Hong Kong, which is about 16 meters high.Xi'an, the capital of Shaanxi province, is playing host to a "landlubber duck" - one placed on the ground rather than water.
Hofman posted on his website that his duck is heading for the United States after completing its tour in Hong Kong, indicating that the ducks on the mainland have nothing to do with him.
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Wang Lixin takes an after-dinner stroll every day in her lakeside community in Tianjin. However, the usually tranquil lake has been transformed since Friday with the arrival of a giant inflatable rubber duck.
