The Charm of Autumn in Beijing

Autumn in Beijing is like a palette shattered by the wind. The fiery maple leaves first dye the mountain ridges, spreading like wildfire over the dark green outline; the golden ginkgo leaves, layered with sunlight, tint the gray bricks and tiles with a warm glow. Occasionally, a few leaves reluctant to leave their branches, under the gentle offensive of the autumn wind, also swirl and fall slowly, dotting the bluestone paths with bits of gold.