THE SITUATION OF CHINESE WOME (Information Office of the State Council of the People's Republic of China)

On June 2. the Information Office of the State Council of the People's Republic of China issued a White Paper in Beijing about the situation of Chinese women.The 20, 000-word white Paper consists of a foreuord and eight parts. Through a large number of facts and data, it introduces in details hou' Chinese uomen obtained historical liberation during the new' democratic rerolution and socialist rerolution led by the Chinese Communist Party, and how under the socialist system Chinese women hare stepped onto the path of equality and derelopment and become an important force in China's construction, derelopment and progress.In Seplember 1995, the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women is to be held in Beijing. To satisfy our readers' desire to knou' about the situation of Chinese women, we will publish the excerpls of the White paper, "The Situalion, of Chinese Women," in this and the Norember issue of our, magazine.     

足下春秋——中国少数民族鞋文化(下)(英文)

Cloth shoes are those most widely worn by Chinese minorities. The beautiful decorations on them show their rich culture. Cloth shoes are a national art and craft, an ornament for view and admiration, integrating color with embroidery. These shoes also serve as a practical daily necessity. The Pumi, Puyi, Miao, Tujia, She, Maonan and Yi minorities all wear embroidered shoes that encompass their aesthetic approach, local habit and social information. Cloth shoes of the Dong minority are embroidered with the smooth and fluid lines of botanic, expressing the lively and subtle character of Dong women. While the Naxi like to use bright red, broad-edged shoes which have livelv and colorful embroideries of birds, animals and flowers that relate to their philosophy of "living together with heaven and earth." The Mongolian minority resides in northern China, where the weather can be severely cold, They wear cloth boots to keep themselves warm. Although the ground is covered with snow, the colorful embroideries of     

A Thousand-li Journey Is Started by Taking the First Step

FOUR years ago, Hu Ping, then the Minister of Commerce, was doing an investigation in Hubei Province in central China. This busy minister took the opportunity to stroll through the market and buy himself a pair of brown mesh oxhide shoes which he put on immediately. Coming back to Beijing the next day, he took off his shoes only to find the heel of the right shoe was missing. With joy and expedition, a newly-married couple went to buy a pair of stylish women's shoes in Xidan, a shopping area in Beijing. The bride put them on at once and only walked a hundred meters before the heels dropped     

The Changing Fate of Cloth Shoes

ONE day I found by chance one of my old photos taken 30 years ago. In it I was still a serious 17-year-old girl with my hair in two short braids and dressed in a blue cloth coat, brown corduroys and a pair of black cloth shoes each fastened by a strap at the side My eyes fixed on the shoes and lingered for quite a long time. A smile quietly crawled over my lips. Isn't it the fashionable "little girl's shoe" which is expected to prevail in the market this year?     

简易气功健身法:易筋经(英文)

Qigong (an ancient Chinese exercise that focuses on breathing) is a way to balance body and mind. Qigong's long history makes it a Chinese cultural treasure, but it is also an important aspect of Chinese traditional medicine. It has a valuable role in preventing and curing illness, strengthening the body, prolonging life and even increasing intelligence. Qigong has made a great contribution to the Chinese nation health both in the past and today. Yijinjing is a Qigong exercise passed down from ancient times, which strengthens the physique and adds muscle tone. This exer cise couples hard movement with soft move ment, like 'yin'and 'yang'. Loose clothing and flat, cloth shoes should be worn before doing exercise. Try to regulate your breathing     

Emancipation Began When Foot-Binding Ended

MY late grandmother was one of the last generation of women who had bound feet. In the beginning of this century, she was born in a small remote village inhabited by the Mongol and Han nationalities. In those years her mother bound her childish feet tightly, using strips of cloth, so her feet remained small and pointed. Although I didn't know much about life when I was a child, I often felt constrained at the sight of my grandmother's bound feet. While I was growing up, I read some books about women's emancipation and started to be more concerned about the fate of women. Chinese women have struggled up a long     

读书(英文)

1 The Insider's Guide to Beijig《北京指南》Editor:Adam Pillsbury Publisher:True Run Media Beijing is an overwhelming place.The language barrier,urban sprawl,gridlock and culture shock combine to make expats'first weeks in the Chinese capital a baffling experience.How is a newcomer,who can't even direct a taxi driver to his apartment,supposed to find a block of cheese,a pair of shoes or a Western hairstylist in this metropolis? The answer is in the"Insider's Guide to Beijing."     

Women and the Environment: Declaration Encourages Active Participation

JUNE 5, 1994 has been mandated World Environment Day. On this day the first meeting on Women and the Environment in China was held in Beijing and the Declaration of Chinese Women on Environment was established. According to the declaration, environmental pollution and the destruction of the ecology have posed a serious threat to the survival of the human race. It has become a great issue of common concern. The functions of women in procreation and social development are directly affected by the deterioration of the environment. It is the common interest of the populations of the world to protect the environment. The declaration notes that Chinese women are greatly concerned about the environmental conditions of their     

Joint Exhibition of Women Painters from Beijing and Hong Kong

Hong Kong's return to China is another supreme symbol of peace and dignity. Celebrating this historical occasion, Beijing Women Painters' Association and Hong Kong Contemporary Women Painters' Association held a joint exhibition in Beijing, providing women painters from Hong Kong and the mainland an opportunity to learn from each other. Over more than a century time has brought great changes to the world. The Chinese women's profound love and pursuit of a unified culture for the Chinese nation makes their arts all the more splendid.     

To Our Readers

WE, the staff of Women of China would like to wish you a happy new year. Last autumn, the Seventh National Congress of Chinese Women was held in Beijing. It summarized the experience of the women's movement, the kind of work done by women during the reform and opening over the last 15 years, and defined the task for the women's movement in the 1990s. The successes have greatly insoired millions of Chinese women to thrive for the country. Our magazine will report more about all nationalities of women who are involved in the reform and     

LEARN TO CARE

IN April, the Beijing Education Commission, Beijing Women's Federation and the China Institute of Family Education jointly decided the theme of China's family education for 1997: Learn to care and teach good behavior. This theme reminds us of the requirement of young generations in many other countries: Learn to survive, learn to care. It reveals that learning to care about others is not only a problem faced by Chinese children, most of whom grow up as an only child, but is a common problem in children's education     

关林朝圣(英文)

Guan Yu, a symbol of loyalty, is well known by all women and children in the country. He made great contributions as a valiant and faithful general to the kingdom of Shu Han (221-263). Many stories about the life-and-death friendship of Guan Yu, Liu Bei (the monarch of the kingdom) and Zhang Fei (another general) have been circulating widely among people and the three later became the leading characters of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms. The Chinese classic written by Luo Guanzhong described the struggles     

Looking Back to Make a New Start——The 40th Anniversary of Women of China Magazine

ON June 26, 1996, Women of China held festivities in the International Hotel of Beijing to celebrate the 40th birthday of this English monthly. Chen Muhua, Vice Chairperson of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress and President of the All-China Women's Federation, Lei Jieqiong, Vice Chairperson of the Standing Committee of the NPC, Ma Yuzhen, Deputy Minister of the Information Office of the State Council and more than 200 female celebrities from all walks of life, as well as some foreign experts in Beijing were present at the celebration. With beautiful pictures and comprehensive reporting, Women of China started publication in 1956, aiming to introduce China and the situation of Chinese women to the outside world. China's only English-language women's magazine, Women of China consistantly gives comprehensive coverage of issues of concern to the international community. Its writers focus on the empowerment of women, Chinese women's advancement in the market economy, women lifting them     

An Epic of Anti-Fascist Fighters——The 60th anniversary of the International Brigade

DEFEND MADRID, an antifascist song composed in 1936 toraise Chinese awareness against fascists invading then Republic of Spain and who invaded China one year later, played once again in the Chinese Revolutionary Museum in Beijing on 9 October 1996. The song brought participants of the 60th anniversary of the International Brigade back to the days when peaceloving people the world over, despite their differences in nationalities and beliefs, gathered in Spain to fight against the common foe of mankind—fascism. Mr. Cheng Siyuan, Vice President of the Chinese National People's Congress, Mr. Huang Hua, President of China     

Beijingers Talk About Their Views on Family

IN order to understand the family situation of Beijingers, the Research Office of Family and Marriage under the Research Department of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences conducted a large-scale random survey. It was conducted in eight urban and rural areas of Beijing, where researchers collected information on 1,920 cases from 48 neighborhood committees of 16 residential districts. The interviewers devised a way to interview people in their homes and had them fill out forms at the same time. These very typical examples reflect the changing views Beijingers have about family life during the process of urbanization and industrialization in recent years.     

Splendid Arts Fram Ancient Capitals

IT was in the golden autumn in Beijing, when the sky was high and the air clear, that I hurried to Zhongshan Park to witness the display of the songs and dances of the seven Chinese ancient capitals. The flower beds arranged for the celebration of National Day were still there and the colorful blooms looked especially bright in the sunshine. The seven cities which have served as capitals in Chinese history are Beijing,     

Memories of Home

COUPLES invited to participate in the '96 Beijing Golden Wedding Anniversary for the World's People's Tour stayed in the Shangri-La Hotel in western Beijing. The large contingent included Chen Dong and his wife Zhang Shujie. Shortly after arriving, one segment of a TV program featuring a Canadian woman recounting her experiences in China in the Chinese language aroused the attention of Zhang Shujie. That woman said she was born in Beijing at a time when her family lived at No.47 Waijiaobu Street. Zhang muttered to herself: "It's No.32 and not No.47." Zhang suddenly remembered     

Grand Gathering of the Chinese Women

Hu Jintao, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau and vice president of China, offered congratulations to the Eighth Chinese Women's National Congress on behalf of the CPC Central Committee. The ECWNC convened at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on the aternoon of August 31, 1998.     

Beijing Silk Figurines

The Beijing silk figurine is a traditional Chinese handicraft. It originated in the Northern Song Dynasty and has been around for more than 1,000 years. It is called a silk figurine because all parts of the handicraft are made of highquality Chinese silk. The figurine comes in sizes ranging from 16-46 centimeters to suit many decorating tastes. If you look closely you will find that the head and hands are quite exquisite, and the clothes and ornaments are true to lire. The process of making a figurine includes dozens of steps, from sculpting to painting, sewing to doing inlay work. The subjects of Beijing silk figures are wide-ranging and come mostly from Chinese     

A gilt from Heaven

DR.Martin Wilbur,an American historian,recently gave a speech in the United States entitled "The Influence and Contribution to Contemporary Cultural Development by the Chinese." Apart from his study on the history of Chinese contemporary political and social development, Dr. Wilbur talked about significant contributions made by Chinese in the fields of science, architecture and art. There are about 1 million Chinese-Americans living in the U,S.,Composing 0.5 Percent of the American population. About 100,000 of them immigrated to