The Zhuang Women

A Zhuang bridegroom has to carry his bride on his back and walk on a single-log bridge. This symbolizes the couple's promise to support each other in happiness and hardships and live to ripe old age in conjugal bliss.     

Guoqiao Mixian, A Local Flavor in Yunnan

YUNNAN Province, at the southwest border of China, is one of the main rice producing area in China and much of its culture is connected with the planting and consuming of rice. It also has a rich variety of local snacks. The most popular snack is guoqiao mixian (rice noodles that go across the bridge). Local people like to serve this treat to their guests and visitors from faraway lands. Mixian, a fine noodle made of rice flour, is popular in many southern regions like Hunan, Guangxi and Guangdong provinces. It looks quite similar to the common noodle, except     

Colorful Dong Culture

Among all the nationalities of China, the Dong group enjoys one of the best reputations for architecture.Since ancient times, a saying has been popular with the Dong: "The drum tower is built before the village."With the drum tower as an important landmark, some villages even have three or four. They look magnificent. Their unique style is regarded as a masterpiece of the architectural arts, absorbing the essence of traditional pavilions and towers and breaking through the staid, conventional form of drum towers.The corridor-style bridge, also typical of the Dong, is built over green waters.The wooden bridge, with no use for nails, can provide shelter against the wind and rain and usually a serene view.The Dong also enjoy singing. At the 1986 Paris International Art Festival, the Dong chorus, with their unique singing style and melodious rhymes, caused a sensation in international musical circles.Their soulful singing is said to be the most important discovery in Chinese music history and a miracle of w     

Xiang Hongjia:Writing About Tibetan Culture

EVEN with no formal training in Tibetan studies, Xiang Hongjia works to bridge the gap between Tibet and the rest of the world. In 1978, when the national college entrance examination was restored and teachers were badly needed at the college     

Earliest Woman Pilot Quan Jiyu Considered "Grandmother" of Air Force

AS one of the earliest women pilots in China, Quan Jiyu has earned honors and has had unique experiences. She has held an important position in the history of aviation in China and the Republic of Korea. Quan Jiyu was born in Pyongyang, Korea in 1901. When she was nine years old, the Japanese invaded her country. The struggles against Japanese aggression were ongoing everywhere which significantly influenced young Quan Jiyu. In 1919 in Korea, the March lst Independence Movement occurred and Quan Jiyu, just 18, became involved     

FROM THE CHINESE PRESS

Dr. Zhao Honored Dr. Zhao Xuefang is in charge of the Obstetrics/Gynecology Department of the Changzhi City People's Hospital in Shanxi Province. On April 23, 1994, she received from the hands of Qian Zhengying, Vice-Chairman of Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, the first Norman Bethune Medal, granted by the Ministry of Public Health and the Ministry of Labor and Personnel. Since Dr. Zhao began working in the medical field in 1963, she has continued to improve her techniques. After more than 30 years in medicine, she has treated thousands of patients without incident. Though Dr. Zhao has been diagnosed with cancer and has had two operations, she has continued to heal the wounded and rescue the dying. Her only wish is to relieve the pain of more patients as long as she can. —China Women's News     

凤城妇联：关爱妇儿权益 构筑幸福家园

The Yinchuan Women＇s Federation （in Northwest China＇s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region）, in recent years, has scored outstanding achievements in improving women and children＇s lives, and in encouraging women to participate in the management and decision- making of social affairs.To protect women and children＇s legal rights and interests, the federation has taken the lead in establishing the home for women and women＇s rights-protection work station, and in formulating the system, in which lawyers take turns to handle （for free） women＇s letters and visits.     

Yan'an—Forever a Land of Promise

Over the past 10 years, several new streets have been built along the valleys and flood plains in Yah'an. As a result, Yan'an has taken on a new look and travel in the area has been greatly improved.     

“小额担保贴息贷款”助妇女走上幸福路

Lack of access to funding is the main obstacle to women in rural China who want to start their own businesses.
To counter that problem, Liaoning Women＇s Federation has made unremitting efforts to implement the Small Secured-Loan Discount-lnterest Policy in recent years. For example, the federation has monitored the policy＇s implementation in villages, and it has conducted research in the villages to determine what women need and how it can meet those needs.     

Maternity and Child Care in Yinan County

YINAN is a poor county in the Yimeng Mountain Area in Shandong Province. It has a population of 900,000, over 80 percent of whom live in rural areas and about 600,000 of whom are women and children. Protecting the health of women and children is not only important to reach the goal "Everyone Enjoys Health Protection by the year 2000" and the goals set out in the "Program for Chinese Children's Development in the 1990s," but also has a crucial influence on the