Google Maps City Time-Lapse

Text on the meme

Google map historical changes of a random Chinese city 历史变迁观测站 Historical Change Observation Station 山西省晋中市沿江路盘径址晋 2003-11-21 中 2024-10-14 风翔路晋中师范高等专科学校广安街怡和天誉保利金地水木芳华山西传媒学院文华街山西中医药大学文津街保利时光印象山西卫生健康职业学院鸣谦大道晋创新区希望园

What it means

Google Maps compares the same area of a random Chinese city in 2003 and 2024, showing barren farmland and rough terrain transforming into dense neighborhoods, roads, campuses, sports fields, and modern urban infrastructure. The dramatic before-and-after development is presented like an escalating visual joke, set to the music “Mao's Red Sun” by Shabl1, whose energetic, propagandistic mood makes the rapid transformation feel grand and absurd. EN: Google Maps compares the same area of a random Chinese city in 2003 and 2024, showing barren farmland and rough terrain transforming into dense neighborhoods, roads, campuses, sports fields, and modern urban infrastructure. The dramatic before-and-after development is presented like an escalating visual joke, set to the music “Mao's Red Sun” by Shabl1, whose energetic, propagandistic mood makes the rapid transformation feel grand and absurd.

Sound

♪ Shabl1 — Mao's Red Sun

music / музыка

Objects

satellite map / 卫星地图 farmland / 农田 dirt fields / 荒地 mountains / 山地 riverbed / 河床 roads / 道路 high-rise buildings / 高层建筑 residential blocks / 住宅区 schools / 学校 university campus / 大学校园 sports stadium / 体育场 running track / 跑道 swimming pool / 游泳池 parking lots / 停车场 trees / 树木 industrial buildings / 工业建筑 construction site / 工地 city blocks / 城市街区 before-and-after comparison / 前后对比