We were in Beijing and went on a tourist bus to see the Great Wall. On the way back the tour guide said we had to stop for a government inspection of the bus. Which immediately seemed like complete bullshit - why would they go for an inspection when the bus is full of people? So we stopped at this warehouse-type place, and they ushered everyone off the bus and into a room inside with couches and chairs. Then some guy comes in and starts talking about his jade business, and how he wants us to check out his gallery and buy some jade. No big deal - this type of thing was quite common during my trip throughout China. When they released us to the gallery, some of us just went outside to wait by the bus. A few minutes later, when the bus is mostly full, a Chinese kid (about 20) from the tour group comes running onto the bus, frantically asking the bus driver to start driving. Apparently he had told some other people in the tour group that the place was a scam, and they were overcharging for jade. He also took pictures of the building and threatened to turn them in. The people running the place didn't like his actions and were coming after him. The bus driver very slowly drove off. The kid kept looking out the back of the bus, sure we were being followed. We were. Suddenly the bus driver pulls over to the side of the highway, and a dark sedan pulls over behind us. The kid (and his father - who looked like he was going to have a heart attack) begged the bus driver to keep driving and to call the police. The bus driver claimed he didn't know where he was and refused to drive. Then the jade gangsters (a couple mean looking dudes) get out of the sedan and board the bus. They talk to the kid (who is apologizing profusely) and threaten all kinds of bad things to happen to him and his family. Everyone on the bus was freaking out. We didn't know what was happening or if things were going to turn violent. The kid ended up giving the gangsters his phone (which contained the picture he took) as well as some money (I don't know how much). Then the gangsters went back to their car, and our bus driver continued to take us to our drop-off point. True story. If you travel to China, don't piss off the jade dealers.
