At first glance, it's just a standard advertisement for the Mingshi Snooker Hall, in the underpass where Wŭdū Lù (武都路) meets Zhōngshān Lù (中山路). 

In fact, it's a job ad. The first position is for 'snooker babes' (台球宝贝 táiqiú băobèi). Applicants must be female, 18-25 years old, with a lively personality. Preference will go to those with snooker ability. The second position is for a manager. Again, the applicants should be female, 25-35 years old, with management experience, good communication skills, with a warm personality.

Below the photos is a description of what the hall offers its customers, including "elegant surroundings, reasonable cost, and professional technology." 

So, what do 'snooker babes' do?

All is revealed: the hall provides "beautiful practice partners, and free coaching from female snooker players." 

Before I came to Lanzhou, I had read two pretty depressing accounts of the place, both in Time magazine, which my dad used to post to me.

The first concerned pollution, the second drugs. I've travelled to the Dongxiang area south of Lanzhou several times, and am always reminded of the article.

Well, it certainly explains why you come across anti-drugs posters in the Hui muslim communities around Lanzhou (although the article claims that the addicts are mostly Han Chinese). Here is a selection.

"One person takes drugs and disaster befalls everyone"
The large character in the background is 毒 (dú), meaning drugs, and the smaller message on the right reads "yourself, family, community":

"Treasure your life: stay away from drugs"
The smaller message on the top right reads "For a happy life, under no circumstances get into drugs":

"Trying it once can destroy your life"
The person in the picture is holding 海洛因 (hăiluòyīn), meaning heroin:

"Save yourself from addiction"
A very loose translation of this pun, based on a Buddhist saying "苦海无边，回头是岸", meaning "On the endless sea of suffering, repent and be saved [lit. you can see the shore if you turn around]." The first character 苦 (kŭ) has been replaced by 毒 (dú) on the poster (the two words also sound alike). So, to translate more closely, the slogan on the poster could also be "On the endless sea of drugs, repent and be saved." Note also the 毒 in the background, which represents a grave, into which the addict is about to topple:

"Mobilize and participate in the people's anti-drugs campaign"
In the picture, poppies are being "eradicated":

"Don't let drugs into our homes":
The figures in the picture can often be seen on the door frames of people's homes (especially in the countryside), as a 'protect this house' gesture: 

"Drugs will be taken seriously: traffickers will be punished, manufacturers will be investigated, and users will be warned."
The photo shows the "consequences":

This anti-smoking advertisement is in an underpass at Nánguān Shízì (南关什字)

The cigarettes have been arranged to make the word 生命 (shēngmìng), which means 'life'.

The skull caption below reads: "It's my choice, I like it. What about you?"

You see these quite often around the city. I saw this particular notice at the entrance to a park, pasted onto a sign telling people that it is forbidden to bring bikes in.

Roughly translated:
"Huang Donghua went missing on 8 August, after leaving home in an upset and confused state. Anyone with information should call the family. There is a reward between 8000-10000 RMB [1170-1464 USD]."

The noticeboard at the East Bus Station had several missing person notices when I was there earlier this year:

There was an outbreak of hand, foot and mouth disease in China earlier in the year.

This public information sign carries the slogan "Scientific knowledge can actively control and prevent hand, foot and mouth disease."

After you enter Xi Hu Park from the east gate, you pass through the "Legal Information Corridor" (法制宣传廊 lit. legal propaganda corridor).

To either side, there are public service information posters concerning laws, government services, and health. Here is a selection.

The 3 Stages of Civilised Spitting

1) Spit into a tissue, not on the floor
2) Wrap the tissue up, without spilling anything
3) Put it in the bin, don't just leave it anywhere

The Qilihe District city management law enforcement section reminds you:

For the sake of the city environment and everyone's health, please do not spit or litter

Information about the Law on the Protection of Disabled Persons:

Safeguarding women's rights, and promoting gender equality:

Marriage, divorce, and adoption laws:

It's not difficult to walk around China and spot poor translations, which makes it all too easy a target. For this reason, I'll try to keep this kind of thing to a minimum. However, this sign, in Qilihe District, was too good too pass up. Thanks to Jess for the spot.