Human pincushion welcomes Olympics with head of flags

Wen Shengchu wanted to welcome Olympic visitors from around the world to China, so he decided to set up over 200 miniature flagpoles on his head.

Attached to acupuncture pins, the flags represent competing nations and his hope for world peace.



The crowning glory is a needle shaped like the Olympic torch, which slides neatly into his brow.

"We are used to seeing people paint national flags on their faces in other Olympic Games, so I thought why not just put the flags in vertically?," said the 58 year-old doctor of traditional Chinese medicine.

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He insists that his training in acupuncture makes the two-hour stunt, which he has performed to gawping crowds across the country, an invigorating experience.

"It doesn't hurt at all, but instead every time I do it, I feel more energetic," he said as he inserted the flags into his scalp.