Vocabulary Words

All of these words were derived from presentations in classes 061-064:

fable- a story about mythical or supernatural beings or events

metaphor- The transference of the relation between one set of objects
to another set for the purpose of brief explanation.

irregular- deviating from what is usual or common or to be expected

moral of the story- the lesson to be drawn from a story

bluegrass- a type of country music played at a rapid tempo on banjos and guitars

rockabilly- a fusion of black music and country music that was popular in the 1950s; sometimes described as blues with a country beat

alt-country- [From Wikipedia]: In the 1990s however, "alternative country" came to refer to a disparate group of musicians and singers operating outside the traditions and industry of mainstream country music. In general these musicians eschewed the high production values and pop outlook of the Nashville-dominated industry, to produce music with a lo-fi sound, frequently informed with a strong punk and rock & roll aesthetic, bending the traditional rules of country music. Lyrics are often bleak, gothic or socially aware.

role play- To act out the actions or activities expected of a particular person or group (it can be for the purpose of education or for entertainment, as in theater).

animation- The creation of artificial moving images

minority- a group of people who differ racially or politically from a larger group of which it is a part

tide- something that may increase or decrease (like the tides of the sea)

engagement- a mutual promise to marry

matrimony- The union of man and woman as husband and wife

bridal shower- a party of friends assembled to present gifts (usually of a specified kind) to an engaged woman.

bachelor- an unmarried man

norm- A rule or authoritative standard

centrally controlled economy- An economy that is planned and controlled by a central administration, as in the former Soviet Union

market socialism- economic system representing a compromise between socialist planning and free enterprise, in which enterprises are publicly owned but production and consumption are guided by market forces rather than by government planning.

bourgeois- a member of the middle class; often connotes ownership of property or shopkeeping

proletariat- a social class comprising those who do manual labor or work for wages

visa-an endorsement made in a passport that allows the bearer to enter the country issuing it

tuition- a fee paid for instruction

grant- any monetary aid

currency- metal or paper medium of monetary exchange (for example, the yuan)

competitor- a rival in a competition

motto- a short, suggestive expression of a guiding principle

relay race- a race between teams; each member runs or swims part of the distance

logo- a company emblem

freedom of worship- freedom to choose how (or whether) to practice religion

harvest- the season for gathering crops

pagan- a person who does not acknowledge your God

The Bund- old downtown riverbank district in Shanghai

canyon- (North America) a ravine formed by a river in an area with little rainfall; can also be described as a deep gorge

agriculture- the practice of cultivating the land (farming) or raising stock

mechanization- the replacement of human and animal labor by mechanical devices

Silicon Valley- a region in California south of San Francisco that is noted for its concentration of high-technology industries

foot-binding- mutilating women's feet in order to make them smaller

plague- any large scale calamity (especially when thought to be sent by God); a swarm of insects that attack plants; any epidemic disease with a high death rate

anti-Semitism- the intense dislike for and prejudice against Jewish people

surgeon- a doctor who specializes in surgery

feudalism- Political and economic system in which a king or queen shared power with the nobility, who required services from the common people in return for allowing them to use the noble's land.

biotechnology- The industrial use of living organisms or biological techniques developed through basic research. Biotechnology products include antibiotics, insulin, interferon, recombinant DNA, and techniques such as waste recycling. Much older forms of biotechnology include breadmaking, cheesemaking and brewing wine and beer.

genetic manipulation- The manipulation of an organism's genetic code by introducing or eliminating specific genes through modern molecular biology techniques.

nutrition- The process by which an organism uses food for growth and maintenance.

afficionado- an ardent follower or fan

cuisine- the practice or manner of preparing food

Three Poems

Hurricane Fred
by Pete Winslow

A guy came along on a horse
Shouting into a bullhorn that
the turtles were coming
We said so what
He told us they'd eat the furniture
Drink the gas from the cars
Run up the phone bill and keep the lights on in the daytime
Well we battened down the hatches
And sure enough they came millions of them
Moving in off the freeway
Eating doorknobs and drinking fuel
Wanting only to be loved.

We gave them love took them into our homes
Let them eat and drink what they wanted
Let them sleep with our daughters
And at last they went back into the swamp
Everyone pitched in to clean up the mess
We scrubbed the turtle poop off of everything
Until the town looked the same as before
Now there's just the children with shells on their backs
To remind us of Hurricane Fred.


War Memoir:
JAZZ, DON'T LISTEN TO IT AT YOUR OWN RISK
by Bob Kaufman

In the beginning, in the wet
Warm dark place,
Straining to break out, clawing at strange cables
Hearing her screams, laughing
"Later we forgot ourselves, we didn't know"
Some secret jazz
Shouted, wait, don't go.
Impatient, we came running, innocent
Laughing blobs
of blood and faith.
To this mother, father world
Where laughter seems out of place
So we learned to cry, pleased
They pronounced human.
The secret jazz blew a sigh
Some familiar sound shouted wait
Some are evil, some will hate.
"Just Jazz, blowing its top again"
So we rushed and laughed.
As we pushed and grabbed
While Jazz blew in the night
Suddenly we were too busy to hear a sound
We were busy shoving mud in men's mouths,
Who were busy dying on living ground
Busy earning medals, for killing children on deserted
.....streetcorners
Occupying their fathers, raping their mothers, busy humans
.....were
busy burning Japanese in atomicolorcinescope
With stereophonic screams,
What one-hundred-percent red-blooded savage would waste
.....precious time
Listening to Jazz, with so many important things going on
But even the fittest murderers must rest
So we sat down on our blood-soaked garments,
And listened to Jazz
.........................lost, steeped in all our dreams
We were shocked at the sound of life, long gone from our own
We were indignant at the whistling, thinking, singing, beating,
.....swinging
Living sound, which mocked us, but let us feel sweet life again
We wept for it, hugged it, kissed it, loved it, joined it, we
.....drank it.
Smoked it, ate with it, slept with it
We made our girls wear it for lovemaking
Instead of silly lace gowns,
Now in those terrible moments, when the dark memories come
The secret moments to which we admit no one
When guiltily we crawl back in time, reaching away from
.....ourselves
We hear a familiar sound,
Jazz, scratching, digging, bluing, swinging jazz,
And we listen
And we feel
And live.


The Cat's Song
by Marge Piercy

Mine, says the cat, putting out his paw of darkness.
My lover, my friend, my slave, my toy, says
the cat making on your chest his gesture of drawing
milk from his mother's forgotten breasts.

Let us walk in the woods, says the cat.
I'll teach you to read the tabloid of scents,
to fade into shadow, wait like a trap, to hunt.
Now I lay this plump warm mouse on your mat.

You feed me, I try to feed you, we are friends,
says the cat, although I am more equal than you.
Can you leap twenty times the height of your body?
Can you run up and down trees? Jump between roofs?

Let us rub our bodies together and talk of touch.
My emotions are pure as salt crystals and as hard.
My lusts glow like my eyes. I sing to you in the mornings
walking round and round your bed and into your face.

Come I will teach you to dance as naturally
as falling asleep and waking and stretching long, long.
I speak greed with my paws and fear with my whiskers.
Envy lashes my tail. Love speaks me entire, a word

of fur. I will teach you to be still as an egg
and to slip like the ghost of wind through the grass.

Hamlet, Free, Indoors (theater review)

May 16, 2007
THEATER REVIEW | 'HAMLET'
Workshop ‘Hamlet’: Free, Indoors, Uncut (He’s Still Angry)
By ANNE MIDGETTE
New York Times

It seems to take a gimmick to stage Shakespeare these days. For the last 15 years Gorilla Rep’s has been to offer free outdoor productions around New York City: “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” in Washington Square Park; “Macbeth” in Fort Tryon Park. The company’s next project is an outdoor “Hamlet,” scheduled for 2008, and it is now holding indoor workshops of it at the Times Square Arts Center.

But bringing a play indoors removes the gimmick. Instead of following the actors around from scene to scene, the audience is in normal folding chairs in a sixth-floor studio, watching an uncut version of “Hamlet” that runs more than three hours, without an intermission. And that turns out to be just fine. Indoors or outdoors, this is plain good theater.

It helps to have a strong cast, arrayed around a note-perfect portrayal of Claudius (Laurence Weeks) and Gertrude (a superb Elizabeth McGuire): he, long-haired and sleazy, but in a way that could convincingly appeal to a certain kind of woman; she as a strong, forceful woman utterly (and perhaps willingly) duped by him.

The Polonius family was also striking, all three Asian-Americans subtly playing off stereotypes about deference to the head of the family: here it is Al Twanmo, an insurance salesman type in a shiny suit, long-winded to mask forgetfulness. Calvin Ahn was an ardent Laertes; Frances You, a lovely Ophelia. But her mad scene rang slightly hollow; she and Christopher Carter Sanderson, the director, have yet to find this sequence’s life fully.

Jacob H. Knoll was able to pull off a worthy, angry young Hamlet. Coltish and blond, he was by turn awkward and aflame, enraged at his own powerlessness in the face of the world’s perfidy.

There are still passages to be ironed out, from Dennis Baker’s overhasty Marcellus to the slight dragging of the first traveling player’s long speech (though Jy Murphy, here and as the gravedigger, was very good). But the evening created memorable characters whose stories captured the imagination, which is, beyond all gimmicks, the point of the exercise.

Mr. Sanderson clearly understands the bottom line: Vivid theater comes not from tricking out a text but trusting it. And you know, “Hamlet” is a pretty good play.

Changes in Chinese Education

Web opens world for young Chinese, but erodes respect

By Peter Ford, Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor
Mon May 14, 2007

Excited and emboldened by the wealth of information they find on the Internet, Chinese teens are breaking centuries of tradition to challenge their teachers and express their own opinions in class.

Wearing jerseys emblazoned with the names of European soccer stars, downloading weekly episodes of "Prison Break," listening to 50 Cent, and reading Japanese comic books, China's current high school generation is plugging itself directly into international culture.

And it's giving the kids ideas. Ideas that could one day transform the way this country is governed.

"The Internet has given Chinese children wings," says Sun Yun Xiao, vice president of the China Youth and Children Research Center.

Many are using those wings to fly in the face of received wisdom about how and what they should learn, and about how much respect they owe to authority. "Today students ask you, 'Why?' And if you don't have a good answer, they won't necessarily accept what you say," says Zhao Hongxia, a young teacher at a private school in Beijing. "In my day, if the teacher said something he was always right."

The "post-90" generation of Chinese youngsters, named for the year the eldest of them was born, is "very different" from its predecessors, says Tony Hu, a Beijing high school student who has just turned 18. "We have far more ways to get information," he explains. "The generation before us knew nothing about anything except studying."

That judgment may be a little harsh, but Mr. Sun, whose research institute is linked to China's Communist Youth League, agrees with its essence.

"The post-90 kids are more confident and have more experience, and they are definitely braver and readier to challenge" their elders, he says. "The reason is that they have the Internet as a way to learn things, and because a lot more of them travel. They have more ways of acquiring knowledge."

137 million online in ChinaInternet use in China has exploded in recent years, and at the forefront of that revolution have been young people, hungry for a taste of life outside their country's borders. In 1999 there were just four million Internet connections in China; by the end of last year there were 137 million.

More than 70 percent of Chinese children between ages 7 and 15 had used the Internet at least once, according to a survey Sun's center carried out last year. That was nearly half as many again as the 2005 figure, and the total rose to 87 percent when only urban youngsters were polled. More than half of town-dwelling children today live in homes with an Internet connection.

That gives them opportunities to broaden their minds that teachers often cannot match. "I learned from books," says Jenny Li, who now trains teachers at a Beijing college. "These kids learn from the whole world."

That makes them more difficult to teach, says Ms. Zhao. "It's harder for me to keep their attention in class," she complains, "because they already know a lot. Teachers have to keep broadening their own horizons."

If Zhao, who has been teaching for six years, finds it hard to keep up with her students, older teachers are often baffled. "A lot of teachers over 40 feel uneasy and uncomfortable with the new knowledge their students have, and their lack of control," says Yan Ming, a young teacher at the elite No. 1 Middle School in the port city of Tianjin.

Teachers are also having to cope with an evolving curriculum. A series of reforms since 1997 have edged the Chinese education system away from rote learning and towards a more Western emphasis on independent thought.

"We are moving from a teacher-centered to a student-centered approach," says Wang Wu Xing, a professor at the Beijing Institute of Education. "If we want to produce top talent we need millions of inquisitive and critical-minded innovative talents. The new generation will develop the ability to explore things."

At the cutting edge of this drive is Tianjin's No. 1 Middle School, which teaches students up to the university entrance level. The school is experimenting this year with a history curriculum that breaks the old rules. For the first time, says Mr. Yan, students are allowed to write history essays that disagree with the textbook's conclusion about the political significance, for example, of the Boxer Rebellion against colonial powers.

"If they argue well, they get good marks," explains Yan. So far, however, this history test has only been administered at the middle school level in three school districts. "Whether they will allow this [latitude in answering the question] in the national exam [to get into university] we will have to see," he adds.

That exam is so critical for ambitious students desperate to get into China's top universities, says Wang Zhangmin, a veteran history teacher at the school, few of them dare to step out of line for fear of risking their chances of success.

That fear acts as a brake on change. Teachers at the Tianjin school, which prides itself on the high proportion of its graduates who get into the best colleges, say the pressure is so intense on elite students that they are still scared to challenge their teachers or to spend much time exploring topics outside the prescribed curriculum.

At more ordinary schools, too, teachers do not always encourage student-initiated digressions.

"We don't get many debates in my class," says Xi Haixin, a 17-year-old Beijing high school junior. "Sometimes we want to discuss something, but the teacher has too much material to get through and he drops the issue."

It is also difficult, Xi acknowledges, to hold a coherent debate when there are 50 or so students in the class, as is normally the case in China.

"Spider-Man 3": Already seen itEven if his teachers do not satisfy his Web-fueled curiosity, Xi says, the Internet has still changed him and his generation. "I'm part of international society now," he reckons, listing the Miami Heat as his favorite basketball team, rhythm and blues as his favorite music, and "Spider-Man 3" as the best film he has seen recently. "Kids my age all listen to the same stuff and watch the same films."

"As students learn from foreign cultures they will definitely feel more global and more international," says teacher Wang Zhangmin.

How far this globalized generation will change the face of China is a matter of debate among those following young peoples' attitudes.

Tony Hu is dubious. "I'm not sure that our individualism can change the environment much," he says. "The Chinese mold has been established for many years. And if we can't change the environment, the environment will change us. We have to survive."

Sun Yun Xiao, the researcher, has greater hopes. "The sense of participation among post-90 kids is very strong," he points out. "Their sense of democracy is stronger, and this is a definite trend."

At Tianjin No. 1 Middle School, Yan Ming is waiting and seeing. "If these kids really have the chance to think differently, the impact will be the same as in the West," he predicts. "They will be more creative, they'll be better at solving problems by themselves, and they won't simply do what they are told to do."

Wen Jiabao press conference

Reprinted from People's Daily


Premier Wen Jiabao answered Chinese and overseas journalists' questions on the concluding day of the National People's Congress annual session in the Great Hall of the People on Friday. Following is the full text of the questions and answers:

Premier: Ladies and gentlemen, comrades, this is my last press conference as the premier of this government during the sessions of the National People's Congress and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. People all over China have followed the two sessions with keen interest. Over 1 million questions have been posted for me on the Internet, which have been read by over 26 million people.

Yesterday, I browsed a website and came cross this question: How close does the Premier feel to us in his heart? What is on his mind? Yesterday afternoon, I received a letter written to me by pupils of a primary school and forwarded by a deputy. Busy as I was, I wrote a letter back to them with a writing brush, wishing them all the best.

I also read a news story on the Internet that a CPPCC member has put forward a proposal for four years in a row, calling for the establishment of medical insurance for children. I took his proposal very seriously and immediately gave written instructions that we need to handle matters concerning children's health on a priority basis and that the competent government authorities should take steps to address this issue.

It has been four years since this government took office. These four years have taught us one thing: We must be guided by the fundamental principle that all the power of the government is bestowed on us by the people and that all the power belongs to the people. Everything we do should be for the people; we must rely on the people in all our endeavors, and we owe all our achievements to the people. We must uphold the honorable conduct of public servant. Government officials should be good public servants and serve the people. They do not have any other power.

We must retain the conviction that as long as we have a free mind, keep pace with the advance of the times, seek truth, continue reform and opening up, pursue scientific, harmonious and peaceful development, we will surely turn China into a prosperous, democratic, culturally-advanced, harmonious and modernized country.

Thank you.

Wall Street Journal : International investors are now very interested in China's stock market. Do you think the rise of the stock market over the past two years went too far too fast? And the average Chinese investors might be risking too much? What measures is your government considering to further cool down or regulate the stock market? And on another topic related to investment, the government has announced plans for a new agency to manage the diversification of China's foreign exchange reserves. Can you tell us what kind of assets this agency will invest in?

Premier: I follow closely the development of the stock market, and I particularly hope to see its healthy growth. Since last year, we have strengthened the development of institutional infrastructure for the capital market. In particular, we have successfully introduced the reform of listing non-tradable shares of listed companies, thus resolving an outstanding issue. Our goal is to build a mature capital market.

To meet this goal, first, we need to improve the performance of listed companies. Second, we need to develop an open, fair and transparent market system. Third, we need to enhance oversight and regulation of the capital market and especially improve the relevant legal framework. Finally, we should see to it that stock market related information is released on a timely basis and make individual stock investors more aware of investment risks.

As to the issue of how to use China's foreign exchange reserves you have mentioned, this is indeed a big issue we face. From our experience, we know how difficult it was when we lacked foreign exchange. In the 1990s, China did not have enough foreign exchange, so we borrowed foreign exchange from the IMF. The IMF only lent us $800 million. Now our foreign exchange reserves have exceeded $1 trillion, and how to make good use of them has become a new issue for us.

China practices diversification of its foreign exchange reserves to ensure their security. Yes, we do plan to set up a foreign exchange investment company, and it will not be under any government department. The company will manage the foreign exchange according to law on a paid-use basis. It will be under government oversight and regulation and should preserve and increase the value of the assets.

As it has not been long since China began to make investment overseas, we have little experience in this area. I recently looked at the statistics, which show that as of the end of year 2006, China's overseas investment in the non-financial category was only $73.3 billion. It increased by $16 billion last year. Still, it is insignificant in comparison with that of developed countries.

I know by raising this question, you may wonder whether the overseas investment to be made by this newly established agency will affect US dollar-denominated assets. China's foreign exchange reserves mainly consist of US dollar denominated assets. This is the fact. China's holding of US dollar denominated assets is mutually beneficial in nature. The setting up of a Chinese foreign exchange investment agency will not affect the US dollar-denominated assets.

People's Daily : Premier, you just told us that yesterday afternoon you wrote back to primary school pupils. This concerns people's well-being. People's well-being is the biggest concern of the NPC deputies and CPPCC members at the two sessions this year, and it is also the focus of the Report on the Work of the Government. In your report, which is down-to-earth in style, a number of policy initiatives for improving the well-being of the people and increased government input for this purpose are proposed. What systemic measures will be adopted to ensure the effective implementation of these policies and use of financial input so that people will benefit from them

Premier: The ultimate goal of our reform and development endeavor is to meet the increasing material and cultural needs of the people. So the well-being of the people needs to be improved. This issue concerns the daily life of the people. The most important thing we should do now is to promote equal opportunity in education, continue the pro-active employment policy, narrow the income gap and build a social security system that covers both urban and rural areas.

To improve people's well-being, we need institutional guarantee. We have legislation on rescinding the agricultural tax and taxes on special agricultural products. We have legislation on nine-year free compulsory education. And we will develop a legal framework for a system to grant allowances for the basic cost of living in rural and urban areas. We are drafting a plan to reform the urban and rural medical and health system, and the plan will eventually be institutionalized. Once the institutional arrangements are in place, it will not be easy to change things, and the institutional arrangements will not change simply because of the change in the government or leaders.

In addressing issues related to the well-being of the people, the focus of our efforts should be on the disadvantaged groups, because these groups are fairly large, particularly in rural areas. The speed of a flotilla is not determined by the fastest ship, but the slowest one. Unless the condition of the disadvantaged groups is improved, the well-being of the whole society will not improve.

To improve the well-being of the people, we should make people feel happy about their life. To do so, we must ensure people's democratic rights and promote social justice and fairness. You may ask: what do you mean by being happy? Let me quote a line from Ai Qing, a Chinese poet, "Go and ask the thawing land, go and ask the thawing river."

NHK: I have two questions. The first one is on Japan-China relations. Japan-China relations now have an opportunity for improvement. On the other hand, many problems remain. What needs to be done to improve these relations? My second question is on the abduction of Japanese nationals. What role can China play regarding this issue?

Premier: China and Japan are close neighbors across a narrow strip of water. As the ancient Chinese philosopher Kuan-tzu observed: "To win distant friends, one needs, first of all, to have good relations with his neighbors. To avoid adversity, one needs to ease animosity."

Thanks to the joint efforts of the Chinese and Japanese governments, agreement was reached on removing the political obstacle to the growth of China-Japan relations. This led to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's visit to China last October. To promote cooperation between China and Japan and friendship between the two countries from generation to generation is the trend of history and meets the aspiration of our two peoples. It is true that there are still many problems between China and Japan, but there are three political documents between the two countries, and they form the foundation of China-Japan relations.

These three political documents settled the previous China-Japan relations on the political, legal and factual basis. They also set the direction for the growth of China-Japan relations from long-term and strategic perspective. We should adhere to these three documents and take history as a mirror to guide the future growth of bilateral relations.

If Prime Minister Abe's visit to China in October last year can be termed as an ice-breaking trip, then I hope my visit to Japan in April will be an ice-thawing journey. I expect to reach an agreement with Prime Minister Abe on establishing China-Japan strategic relations of mutual benefit, and I will have talks with him on setting up an economic cooperation mechanism and promoting scientific and educational exchange and mutual visits between the two peoples, especially the young people. I hope China and Japan will work together to ensure a long-term stable and sound growth in friendship and cooperation.

As to your second question, we have expressed on many occasions China's sympathy for and understanding of the issue of abduction of Japanese nationals. However, this is an issue between Japan and the DPRK. I hope it can be resolved smoothly through dialogue and negotiation between them.

ETTV (Taiwan) : The year 2007 is a crucial year for cross-Straits relations. The political relations across the Taiwan Straits are now cold, but people-to-people exchanges are very active. More and more Taiwan businesspeople are coming to the mainland. Now that chartered flights are opened for Taiwan businesspeople and fruits from Taiwan can be sold on the mainland, people in Taiwan are now showing a great interest in the possibility of mainland tourists visiting Taiwan. When will such visits take place? What other steps are you going to take to advance cross-Straits relations? With the upcoming Olympics Games in Beijing and election in Taiwan, the year 2008 is also a crucial year. What is your view on and expectation of the future of cross-Straits relations?

Premier: The years 2007 and 2008 will indeed be crucial for cross-Straits relations. Why? Because they are critical to upholding peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits. In my Report on the Work of the Government, I reiterated our firm opposition to all forms of separatist activities, including "de jure Taiwan independence". We are watching closely the attempts the separatist forces in Taiwan are making for "Taiwan independence". We will never allow any change in history, reality and universally-recognized legal status of Taiwan, that is, it has been an inalienable part of China's territory since ancient times.

We will make every effort to promote peace and development across the Taiwan Straits and continue to implement policies that are conducive to the peaceful growth of cross-Straits relations. You are right in pointing out that more and more Taiwan business people are coming to the mainland. Last year, the two-way trade reached $100 billion, $80 billion of which was Taiwan's export to the mainland. We are firm in protecting the lawful rights and interests of Taiwan businesses and Taiwan compatriots in making investments, studying and traveling on the mainland. We will actively promote comprehensive, direct and two-way links between the two sides, namely "the three direct links". The first priority is to open chartered passenger flights on weekends on a regular basis and simplify procedures for chartered cargo flights between the two sides. People on the mainland have longed to make tourist visits to Taiwan, and much preparation has been made. We hope that their wish can be realized at an early time. Peace and development across the Taiwan Straits represent the trend of the times. This is a trend no one can reverse, as described in a classical Chinese poem: A thousand sails pass by the wrecked ship; ten thousand saplings shoot up beyond the withered tree.

CCTV: You have just said that government officials should work as public servants and do not have any other power. This applies not only to government functionaries, but more to leading officials. My question is about the anti-corruption issue. The investigation and disclosure of cases involving Chen Liangyu and Zheng Xiaoyu have aroused keen public response. We have received a lot of comments from our viewers. On the one hand, people feel relieved because they had hoped stern actions would be taken against corruption. On the other hand, they are disturbed by corruption that they have seen. How can the power-for-money deals in some areas of government administration be curbed effectively?

Premier: There is no denying that with the development of the market economy, corruption has increased. It is quite serious in some sectors and localities. Some of the cases even involve many high-ranking officials.

To solve the problem, we need first to address institutional deficiencies. Corruption is caused by many factors, and the most important factor is excessive concentration of power and the lack of effective checks and oversight. This makes it necessary to reform our system. We must implement the Administrative Permit Law that has been enacted and reduce the number of matters that require government approval. When government departments have excessive administrative resources and power of approval, it will give rise to corruption where public officials trade power for money, abuse power for personal gains, or act in collusion with businesspeople.

Second, we must promote reform in the political system. We should work to diffuse concentration of power and enhance public supervision of the government. All the decisions on administrative approval, particularly those concerning the interests of the general public, must be made in an open, fair and transparent way.

Third, we should adopt a two pronged approach for education and punishment. Every cadre and leading official should know that "while water can carry a boat, it can also overturn it." All corrupt officials, no matter who they are, how senior their positions and in what fields they have committed corruption, must be brought to justice.

Le Monde : Recently in an interview you gave to the People's Daily, you said that the socialist system and democratic politics are not mutually exclusive. You also said that an initial stage of socialism will persist for a hundred years. By that do you mean there will be no democracy in China in the next one hundred years?

Premier: In my article, I made the point that socialism and democracy and rule of law are not mutually exclusive. Democracy, legal system, freedom, human rights, equality and fraternity are not something peculiar to capitalism. Rather, they are the common achievements of human civilization made in the long course of history and the common values pursued by entire mankind. I also emphasized in that article that there are over 2,000 ethnic groups in more than 200 countries and regions in the world. As they differ in social condition, history, culture and the level of development, they achieve democracy in different ways and in different forms. Whether one likes it or not, this cultural diversity is a fact.

You are actually asking what socialist democracy means. Let me be very clear about it: Socialist democracy, in the final analysis, is to enable the people to govern themselves. This means we need to ensure people's rights to democratic election, democratic decision-making, democratic management and democratic oversight. It means we need to create conditions for people to oversee and criticize the government. It means we need to ensure that everyone enjoys all-round development in an equal, fair and free environment and that people's creativity and independent thinking are fully released. It also means that we need to run the country according to law, improve the legal system and strengthen the rule of law.

We still lack experience in socialist development, including the development of socialist democracy. We will continue to follow the opening-up policy, draw on all the achievements of human civilization, and build Chinese democracy in keeping with China's special conditions. You asked whether by saying in my article that the primary stage of socialism will last for a hundred years, I meant that there will be no democracy in China in the next one hundred years. You have got me wrong. What I meant was that it will take a long time for the immature and underdeveloped socialist system to become mature, full-fledged and developed. During this period, we need to achieve two major tasks and forge ahead with two important reforms.

The two major tasks are to make concerted efforts to develop social productivity, and to promote social fairness and justice. In particular, we should make justice the core value of the socialist system. The two important reforms are to promote market-oriented reform of the economic system, and to promote democracy-oriented reform in the political system.

Democracy, like any other truth, must be put to the test of practice. Only practice can tell whether the democracy practiced in a country or region is good or not.

Hong Kong Economic Times : This year marks the 10th anniversary of Hong Kong's reunification with the motherland. What is your assessment of Hong Kong's performance in the past 10 years since its return? We know that you care a lot about Hong Kong. What are your expectations of Hong Kong's future growth? In the Report on the Work of the Government adopted today, you talked about the need to accelerate the reform of the financial system. Hong Kong is an international financial center. What role do you expect Hong Kong to play in the reform of China's financial system?

Premier: In the past 10 years since its reunification, Hong Kong has made significant strides. Over the past 10 years, the central government has faithfully observed the principles of "one country, two systems" and "Hong Kong people administering Hong Kong with a high degree of autonomy", and acted in strict accordance with the Basic Law. It has not intervened in the administration of the Hong Kong SAR Government. The Hong Kong SAR Government has united the Hong Kong people in overcoming a number of difficulties, including the Asian financial crisis. As a result, Hong Kong has maintained economic stability, recovered from the crisis, grown economically and improved the well-being of its people.

Hong Kong is now at a crucial stage of development. It has always been my view that backed by the mainland and facing the world, Hong Kong has a unique geographical advantage. It has the freest economy in the world, extensive links with the rest of the globe, a full-fledged legal system and a rich pool of managerial expertise. Hong Kong's position as a financial center, shipping center and trade center is irreplaceable. On the occasion of the 10th anniversary of Hong Kong's reunification, I would like to ask you to convey my warm greetings to our Hong Kong compatriots. I sincerely hope that Hong Kong will become more prosperous, open, inclusive and harmonious. The bauhinia flower is in full bloom. The red bauhinia is beautiful this year, and it will be even more beautiful next year.

Financial Times : My question is about Chinese government's policies on domestic and global environment protection. Why did the Chinese government fail to meet its targets for reducing energy consumption and pollution last year? What are the specific reasons? It has been estimated that by 2009, China will become the world's biggest producer of greenhouse gases. Will China at a certain point in the future accept the greenhouse gas emission target jointly set by the international community?

Premier: I gave a full explanation at the NPC session about why we fell short of meeting the targets for reducing energy consumption and pollutant discharge last year and proposed eight measures to address the problem. So I will not repeat them here.

Your second question is about our position on greenhouse gas emission. We support the Kyoto Protocol. Although China is still a developing country, we have formulated a national program in response to climate change according to the international convention on greenhouse gas emission. We have set a target for cutting energy consumption per unit of GDP by 20 percent from 2006 to 2010. Although the Kyoto Protocol has not set obligatory targets for developing countries, the Chinese government is acting with a sense of responsibility to the world and is earnestly fulfilling its due international obligations.

China News Service : China's growth rate has exceeded 10 percent while the inflation rate has been kept below 3 percent for four years running. This is rare both in China and the world. Some scholars believe that China's economy will reach a turning point in 2007. What's your view? What do you think are the major problems in China's economy? Will China be able to maintain such a momentum of high growth and low inflation?

Premier: China's economy has maintained fast yet steady growth in recent years. However, that is no cause for complacency, neither in the past, nor now, or in the future. My mind is focused on the pressing challenges.

There are structural problems in China's economy which cause unsteady, unbalanced, uncoordinated and unsustainable development. Unsteady development means overheated investment as well as excessive credit supply and liquidity and surplus in foreign trade and international payments.

Unbalanced development means uneven development between urban and rural areas, between different regions and between economic and social development. Uncoordinated development means that there is lack of proper balance between the primary, secondary and tertiary sectors and between investment and consumption. Economic growth is mainly driven by investment and export. Unsustainable development means that we have not done well in saving energy and resources and protecting the environment. All these are pressing problems facing us, which require long-term efforts to resolve.

I have said that China's economy has enjoyed fast yet steady growth for years. Can we sustain this momentum? First, the conditions are there. The most important condition is that we have a fairly long peaceful international environment that enables us to focus on economic development. Second, we have a domestic market with huge potential. However, the key to sustaining the momentum of China's economic growth lies in our ability to pursue the right policies.

We will continue to expand domestic demand, especially consumption. We will press ahead with reform and opening-up to remove institutional and structural obstacles and enhance knowledge and technology based innovation. All this will lay down a solid foundation for ensuring economic growth. We will further promote energy and resources saving and reduction of pollutant discharge to make economic growth sustainable. The task is a difficult one, but we are confident that we can accomplish it.

Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung : The Dalai Lama has expressed the hope to come on a pilgrimage to China. But some officials of your government still accuse him of advocating Tibetan "independence". Why does the Chinese government still see the Dalai Lama as a splittist, although he says he does not advocate independence any more? Would you welcome the Dalai Lama on a pilgrimage maybe during the Olympic Games in Beijing?

Premier: Our policy toward the Dalai Lama is clear and consistent. So long as the Dalai Lama recognizes that Tibet is an inalienable part of China and that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China and stops his separatist activities, we can have contact and discussion with him on his future. The door is always open.

Tibet is an autonomous region of China. If you still remember, the Fourteenth Dalai Lama was the chairman of the preparatory committee for establishing the Tibet Autonomous Region in 1956. But he later set up a so-called "Tibetan Government in Exile" abroad. He calls for "a high degree of autonomy" in Tibet and even demands that all Chinese troops withdraw from Tibet and that all the Han people and other non-Tibetan ethnic groups in Tibet move out. People will naturally ask: Does the Dalai Lama genuinely hope to see a unified China, or is he bent on undermining China's unity? We will not only hear what he has to say; more importantly, we will watch what he does. We hope that the Dalai Lama will do something useful for China's unity and the development of Tibet.

Associated Press : China conducted an anti-satellite test this year. Although the United States and the former Soviet Union did the same in the past, they haven't done so in the last 20 years. Is this test and the fact that China is steadily enhancing its military power consistent with China's advocacy of peaceful development?

Premier: The recent test conducted by China in outer space was not directed against any country. It did not pose a threat to anyone, nor did it violate the relevant international treaties.

China stands for the peaceful use of outer space and opposes arms race in outer space.

I wish to solemnly reiterate here that China's position on the peaceful use of outer space remains unchanged. I also wish to call on the countries concerned to negotiate and conclude a treaty on the peaceful use of outer space at an early date.

It is alleged that China's military spending lacks transparency, and China's test in outer space runs counter to the road of peaceful development.

And questions have also been raised about whether China poses a threat to the world. In fact, these questions have been raised by reporters since this year's NPC and CPPCC sessions opened.

In answering your question, I wish to make two points: First, China has a population of 1.3 billion. It has a land area of 9.6 million square kilometers, with a 22,000-kilometer-long land boundary and an 18,000-kilometer-long coastline. China's military expenditure ranks low in both absolute and relative terms compared with other countries.

Even some developing countries are ahead of China in ranking, not to mention developed countries. Second, China suffered from aggression and oppression by imperialist powers during its modern history after the Opium War in 1840. We in China know too well what it means to be subjected to subjugation and aggression. We are therefore sincere in pursuing peaceful development.

Our defense policy is defensive in nature. China's limited military capabilities are solely for upholding China's security, independence and sovereignty. We are very transparent on this issue.

(The press conference, which lasted 1 hour and 55 minutes, was attended by 1,200 Chinese and foreign reporters.)

Confucius with a modern twist

China turns to Confucius, with a modern twist
A professor's fresh look at the ancient sage is a bestseller in a nation where a booming economy has left some feeling spiritually bereft.
By Ching-Ching Ni
Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

May 7, 2007

Beijing — CONFUCIUS famously considered a good woman to be an illiterate woman. The ancient sage might want to eat his words: More than 2 1/2 millenniums after his death, he's back in vogue, thanks in no small part to a Chinese woman with a PhD.

Confucius, meet Yu Dan.

But make it quick. The professor is so busy these days she barely has time to go home and see her baby daughter.

Since the publication of her enormously popular book on the teachings of Confucius late last year, Yu has been racing from college lectures to book signings, TV appearances and speaking engagements. The public can't seem to get enough of this overnight sensation who has turned dusty old Confucian teachings into a Chinese version of "Chicken Soup for the Soul."

"I never expected this," the smartly dressed 42-year-old said in a hurried interview from the back of the black Audi taking her to the airport. "In the 21st century, our value system is changing; people are faced with a lot of confusion and choices. The classics are not just fossils. They are a value system that can help us find answers to modern-day problems."

For more than 2,500 years, the Confucian doctrines of filial piety, moral righteousness and hierarchical relationships were the guiding principles of life and government in China and most of East Asia. Then the Communists came to power and Chairman Mao declared Confucianism counterrevolutionary and his Red Guards ransacked temples dedicated to the philosopher.

Today, China is charging ahead with dizzying economic growth and breathtaking social change. But many believe the world's most populous nation has lost its moral and spiritual anchor. Enter the wisdom of Kong Fuzi, or Master Kong, as Confucius is known in China — interpreted by a woman.

"I'm amazed," said Hong Huang, a cultural commentator and publisher of fashion magazines in Beijing. "Her success has a lot to do with the fact that modern China has an identity crisis and spiritual crisis. The only value system we have today is money. Everybody is looking for the Chinese meaning of life."

Confucius' collected teachings, called "The Analects," are written in classical Chinese and are nearly as incomprehensible as Latin is to the average English speaker. But Yu's book, "Insights on the Analects," is conversational and full of modern-day applications.

When Confucius talks about the qualities of a good ruler, for instance, Yu connects it to the life of the average man. Confucius asks his students about their aspirations. Instead of praising the most ambitious for wanting to run a big country with a vast army, he supports one who merely wants to enjoy a fine spring day with friends.

Yu says everyone has dreams, but too many people are so busy working that they have no time to figure out what they really want out of life. "Just because you have a successful career does not necessarily mean you have made your dreams come true," she writes.

To illustrate, she tells the story of three field mice preparing for winter. One gathered food, one built shelter and the third did nothing but play. Winter came and there was plenty to eat but nothing to do inside the hideaway. That was when the third mouse made himself valuable by telling stories from his days of fun and games.

Yu's book has sold more than 3 million copies in four months, making modern Chinese publishing history and beating out the country's other top seller, the Harry Potter series. Bootleg videos of her television lectures and speeches, an unfortunate sign of popularity, are prominently displayed here next to American hits such as "Desperate Housewives" and "The Devil Wears Prada."



YU recently completed an 18-city tour during which she autographed 39,000 copies of her book, twice sitting for stretches of 10 hours. "I saw so many people waiting in line," she said. "Once it was really windy. Another time it was snowing and past midnight. I kept going out of conscience, even if I felt like passing out. They were there not for me. They were there for Confucius."

Confucius is indeed enjoying a huge revival — and is even endorsed by the Communist Party that once tried to erase his influence.

"Maybe 99% of Chinese people today never read his writings, but Confucian values are steeped in our culture," said Miao Di, a professor at Communication University of China. "The worst example might be his views on women, which is believed to be the basis for our patriarchal society, where male chauvinism prevails despite recent improvements on gender inequality."

Even before the Communists came to power in 1949, Chinese intellectuals had begun to question his teachings, blaming them for keeping China from embracing modern science and Western notions of democracy.

Confucius-bashing reached a peak during the Cultural Revolution of 1966-1976, when schools banned "The Analects" and mobs tortured scholars for teaching a book that for centuries had served as a philosophical primer for this nation.

Today, even President Hu Jintao is preaching a "Harmonious Society," based on the Confucian values of unity, morality and respect for authority.

The Communist Party's legitimacy is at stake as it tries to contain the dark side of the economic miracle that has led to a dangerous income divide, rampant corruption and rising social unrest. Rehabilitating Confucianism allows the government to show it cares about resolving these social conflicts in a benevolent way without ceding too much ground in terms of political freedom and institutional reforms.

Beijing also has seized on the sage's good name in foreign policy initiatives designed to soften the perception of a rising China threat. It has set up Confucius Institutes in more than 50 countries and regions to promote Chinese language and culture, much like France's Alliance Francaise of France and Germany's Goethe Institute.

But none of this official promotion compares with the grass-roots Confucian fever Yu has ignited.

Yu is a sometimes imperious woman who wears her hair short and her fitted coats buttoned to the neck. The media studies professor likes jazz and soccer and can quote passages of classical Chinese poetry and proverbs.

Her best-selling book is a compilation of the seven lectures she gave over a week last fall on CCTV, the state-run network, which reaches every corner of this vast country. The scheduling of her show couldn't have been better — lunch hours during a weeklong national holiday when most Chinese are home eating meals in front of the television.



IN the beginning, the choice of a little-known professor from Beijing Normal University who studied ancient Chinese literature as an undergraduate was considered a risky proposition.

"Not many people knew who she was. We worried she didn't have enough star power to attract a wide audience," said Song Zhijun, one of her editors at the China Publishing House.

But the media-savvy Yu knew what she was doing. She leavened her lectures with stories about interpersonal relationships, self-awareness and the pursuit of happiness.

Yu's TV performance was so refreshing that the lectures were published as a book, which has become a self-help bible.

The country's swelling prisons were among the first to hire her as a speaker. Businesses bought her books in bulk to distribute to employees. One county ordered more than 10,000 copies and made the book required reading for each official, said Zhu Anshun, another of Yu's editors.

"We live in a world with a lot of headaches, and she provides some answers," said Gong Fan, a 26-year-old graduate student who was waiting outside Yu's classroom with a couple of friends hoping to get autographs. But Yu breezed by without stopping.

Yu has become such a phenomenon that she has drawn the scorn of some scholars who say her pop psychology has little to do with real Confucianism.

One group of professors called on her to resign and apologize for reducing the classics to fast food. During a book signing in Beijing, a man wore a T-shirt reading "Confucius would be annoyed."

"Chinese people live in a high-pressure society. Her message is, 'Don't worry what others think about you. It matters how you feel in your heart,' " said Daniel Bell, a professor of political philosophy at Qinghua University. "Not only is this simplifying Confucius, it is very misleading interpretation. Confucius is about social and political commitment. She provides a feel-good, apolitical version that goes against the main message of 'The Analects.' "

In her defense, Yu has said she doesn't claim to be an expert on Confucianism. She is merely sharing some of her personal thoughts, and people are entitled to agree or disagree.

"Confucius emphasizes the cultivation of inner self not for the purpose of abandoning social responsibilities but rather so one can be of better service to society," Yu writes in her book.

Yu discovered "The Analects" as a child when the classics were considered forbidden fruit.

"I grew up during the Cultural Revolution in a cultural desert with nothing to do," Yu said. "I'm grateful to my parents, who sheltered me behind our family courtyard and taught me calligraphy, poetry and the classics."

This traditional upbringing, however, did not keep Yu from pursuing a life brimming with contradictions. She switches with ease between teaching ancient wisdoms glorifying nonmaterial wealth and coaching commercial television on how to produce hit shows. She talks with the authority and formality of a Communist Party official, yet she engages her listeners with personal anecdotes about how her daughter might learn more about the world playing with a bottle and cap than from all the expensive toys in the house.

Yu credits her early classical education with giving her the confidence to believe in herself. She acknowledges that not everything about Confucius is relevant today, but she doesn't think it's fair to dwell on the negative.

"There is a lot of prejudice against Confucius for being too conservative or backward," Yu said.

"He teaches love and tolerance, for example, and don't force others to do what you would not want to do yourself, how to develop harmonious interpersonal relationships. Are these ideas really that out of date? Are these not useful to our lives today?"