NANJING, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- The eastern Chinese city of Nanjing said Friday that it will intentionally leave fallen leaves on its streets for some time to give a pop of color to the scenery.
The rustling sound of municipal cleaners sweeping away fallen leaves is common background music in many Chinese cities during autumn and winter, but the Nanjing government said that this November, leaves can stay on the ground undisturbed for two to three days if the weather permits.
The new policy targets colorful leaves of trees including ginkgo, beech and platanus on 39 streets, parks and plazas, said Yuan Bixin, an official with the landscaping authority of Nanjing, capital of Jiangsu Province.
The city's cleaners will now only pick up litter, allowing leaves to become a new addition to the cityscape, Yuan said, adding that in times of rain and snow, the leaves will be removed in a timely manner to avoid rotting and traffic disturbance.
But it is not the first time a Chinese city has decided not to clean up leaves. The eastern metropolis of Shanghai has a similar policy for keeping fallen leaves as an attraction, after its several promenades and avenues became famous for their golden blankets of leaves during autumn time.
But the new leafy view may not be good news for cyclers, as the Nanjing government has asked riders to dismount and push their bicycles through the clogged areas out of concern for safety.
