Two Years Ago - Errr, does this symbolize anything?

Our "township" of Hongguang (红光) means "Red Light" in Chinese, and no, that phrase does not have the same connotations here as it does, say, in Amsterdam. (Though I've been told that there is a small, err, business district outside of the University's side gate) Chairman Mao visited a collective farm in this neck of the woods in the sixties, and in his honor, the locals decided to rename their town to reflect the triumphant and illuminating red light of Communism.

When we first got here, the main street from the highway into town was flanked by a large public square on both sides, followed by a roundabout with a statue of the Chairman surrounded by followers and eager nation-builders, like so:



Then came the road construction. For the next year and a half, our walk to the bus looked something like this:





And now we have a nifty brand new underpass!



Notice anything missing?



No word on if the Chairman and crew will make a future reappearance in the public square next to the road, which is still being refurbished...