: The sea of blue and grey Mao suits was starting to break. Younger people began wearing "Western-style" colorful down jackets or trench coats.

: The sound of the rhythmic "thwack" as vendors prepared the cane.

: For a few fen (cents), a vendor would chop a section of the stalk and peel back the tough outer rind with a sharp cleaver.

: The city was a "Kingdom of Bicycles." Cars were rare, reserved for high-ranking officials.

In a city that was just beginning to see the influx of processed sweets and foreign snacks, sugarcane was a staple "natural" street food.