China's Insanity Timezone

image via EarthScienceEducation

Time zones were invented around the time of train travel in order to coordinate the time of arrivals and departures. This way time became universal and everyone could tell what time it was in a given location. The continental US is spread across four of them in order to best try and match "solar" time, or so that when it's noon, the sun is directly above.

Most nations across the world adhere to this method. Except for China. In China, the entire nation runs on the same time-zone, all other neighboring countries be damned.

The nation of China used to be spread across five time zones, much like the United States. But in 1949, Mao Zedong sought to fix this anti-communist influence, said "screw it" and put the entire nation on "Beijing Time".

image via ChinaHistoryPodcast

"Also, no more capitalist-dog 'leap' years."

This turned out all fine and well for Beijing, which is located on the far eastern edge of the country, but residents in the far western Xinjian region felt a little slighted by this move. Mostly because now instead of having the sun rise in the morning and set in the evening, they were left with a sunrise happening at noon, and a sunset around midnight.

image via QuantumEagle

The only place in the world where even the sun isn't a morning person.

If that doesn't sound absurd, keep in mind that if they set foot in a neighboring nation, they have to reset their watches three and a half hours. A flight from the capital Urumqi to neighboring Kazakhstan while lasting and hour and a half, will actually send you back in time a half hour.

image via EpicRapBattles

"Great Scott!"

In response to this, the native Uygher people of the region have adopted their own unofficial Xinjiang-time as opposed to the government imposed Beijing time. This has led to the unusual circumstance of an area run on two different times. The Uygher people follow Xinjian-time while relocated Han people follow Beijing-time.

image via PostGradProblems

Creating all new excuses for avoiding that blind date of yours.

All official government operations, schools, and airline schedules run on Beijing-time. On the other side, all bus schedules, local shops, and city related events run on Xinjiang-time. Even Apple's iPhone defaults to the unofficial Xinjiang-time when in the city.

It's a weird coexistence that works since the Uygher and Han people don't normally congregate with each other and operate independently. And it's one that's not likely to change while the communist government remains in control of China.