I just learned that my landlord in Beijing, 王伟 (Wang Wei) has passed away:

This is a photograph I took in the spring of 2007, while I was in his office in apartment #505 to pay the rent. five-o-five – me and my other friends in the building used to call him just that.

I liked 505. He looked like a happy Boddhisatva when he was counting his cash, and I always thought he was treating me quite fair. To us young guys it was a big delight to see him parade around the block on one of his three chopper bikes.

Now he is gone, and word is that it happened in a motorcycle accident.

I hope he died smiling and happily rode on to the other side.

Rest in peace 王伟, 505.