A Gas Station

After 1987 when the government began allowing privately-run gas stations, the original 560 gas stations operated by the China Petroleum Corp. increased to over 2,500 in 2005. Whether rural or urban, it seems that every street has a gas station, making them almost as ubiquitous as convenience stores.
However, prior to 1967 cars were still a luxury item for the rich and powerful, and gas stations were few in number. Scooters drivers were the primary customers of gas stations, with the occasional bus or freight truck. This picture was taken in 1957. The style of the bus and gas pumps seem rather simple and amusing from today’s standards. The woman in the center is dressed in a western dress and sunglasses, which was on the cutting edge of fashion at the time.