Repairs put quack back in huge duck

Source: Xinhua | September 9, 2013, Monday |

Print Edition

A GIANT rubber duck has been repaired after it was found to have a drooping beak and wrinkled skin after it made its Beijing debut on Friday.

Visitors to International Garden Expo Park were surprised to see the inflatable duck, created by Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman, with a drooping beak, which some said made it look like a chicken. The beak was supposed to be upturned and flat.

The duck also looked wrinkled and not as plump as it was when exhibited in Hong Kong in May and June.

The disgruntled looking 18-meter-tall duck became a hot topic on the popular microblogging service, Sina Weibo.

“He must have disguised himself as a chicken so that he won’t be taken away by Quanjude,” an Internet user said in jest.

Quanjude is China’s most famous restaurant chain that serves Beijing roast duck.

“There were some flaws when inflating the duck, and we have adjusted it overnight,” said Zeng Hui, deputy manager of the Beijing Design Week Organizing Committee Office, which is in charge of the duck’s copyright import.

Zeng said the duck wasn’t fully inflated while the beak was not assembled properly.

A maintenance team deflated the bird on Friday night and spent eight hours reassembling its beak, made of more than 30 pieces of rubber.

“A good design will not have the ideal display effect without good manufacturing,” Zeng explained, adding that the duck has now perked up.

The duck will be on the Yongding River until September 23, then move to the Summer Palace, a famous tourist spot, where it will be on display until October 26.

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