Hundreds of Chinese office workers and students vented their anger last week by beating each other with pillows bearing the names of hated bosses and teachers.
The epic pillow battle is held annually in Shanghai, and this year attracted so much interest that two extra battles had to be scheduled.
“Nowadays there are many white collar workers and students that are facing huge pressures at work and at school, so we hope to give them an outlet to release their stress before the end of the year,” said Eleven Wang, the founder and mastermind behind the pillow fights.
Participants of the fight are invited to write the names of their oppressors on the pillows then beat each other with them, though many choose to simply throw them up in the air.
Battle goers believe that the fight is a very “meaningful” way to blow off stress and break out a sweat. Though attackers often become victims:
“I don’t know who pushed me, but all of a sudden I was in the pile of pillows, where I became the target of many people, and was beaten by all sorts of people,” said university student Zhu Shishan.
Brutal. Eleven Wang ought to consider taking his show on the road – to the next Euro summit maybe? Sarkozy really would be spitting feathers…
By Rebecca Jones
Twitter: @RebeccaEJones
