Beijing Courier's Hand Drawn Maps Reveal Secret, Traffic-Free Routes

You wouldn’t think a crudely-drawn map would be all that exciting (or useful), but a bunch of freehand maps have recently been circulating around Beijing – and they're creating a lot of buzz among the city's commuters. 

The maps were drawn by Dou Liguo – a longtime courier who knows Beijing like the back of his hand. He’s been navigating the capital’s streets for the past decade, so he recently drew a series of maps to help guide his fellow couriers around the city’s most congested and traffic-riddled areas. 

The maps became so popular that they recently went viral online. Many map users are even claiming the maps are better than common traffic and navigation apps, People’s Daily Online reports. It appears that Dou's routes cut through campuses, residential areas, back alleys and even park paths. 

The maps even feature details like little dogs, which warn drivers to watch out for roaming animals.

[Images via People’s Daily Online]