The volunteers in full protective gear — called big whites here in China — have packed up and moved on for the day; the apartment complex where I live is once again sequestered in silence. From my 18th-floor window, I can see the koi ponds and gardens below, empty; the hedge maze, empty; the fountain, somehow turned off, its waters unmoving as though in allegiance, in reprieve. It is Day 1 of lockdown here in Puxi, our half of Shanghai west of the Huangpu River, and we have just finished our first round of city-sponsored Covid testing. Through our building’s WeChat group (one of 19 group chats for the 19 buildings in my complex), we were called down floor by floor by our assigned big white. In our lobby, a big white was stationed, taking roll call. Another acted as traffic controller, motioning for us to walk […]