thc tlmous.lJumble Adminlstrator's (iariien (Ziruozherlg Yuan) iri Suzhou. Z lt rt t t { \ I t t tit ltt t i.q \8 Tibet Veste,rdmy ond Todoy A leoder of the 1959 coun- PUELISHED MONTHTY IN ENGTISH, FRENCH, - gv ter revolution- sPANISH, ARABTC AND BIMONTHLv tN Otni,lax ory rebellion IHE WELFARE INSTITUTE (sooNG cHtNG tells how he L!NG, CHAIRMANI come to see the'need lor o democrotic re- vol. xxvH No.9 SEPTEMBER 1979 lorm. Poge il CONTENTS Arnericon Physicist Our Postbag 2 Lectures in Chino Cartoons J Columbio University's Tibet- I Came over to the People Lhalu Tsewong-Dorie 4 Dr. Tsung Doo Lee, Lhasa's Zuglakang Temple Xiao Zhi B noted scholor ond re- porticle Dochhen Drolma's Wedding Zhang Huaiiing and Zhou seorcher in physics, fcir Baohua 12 lectured two months before o Prof. Tsung Dao Lee Lectures in He Zuoxiu + 14 highly selective oudi- Election for Team Leader Liu Baocheng tb ence ol Chinese scien- A Well-Managed Forest Area Peng Xianchu 17 tists. Poge 14 The Da Hinggan Ling Forest (Photos) 19 My Contacts wilh Chaplin Situ Huimin zt London Festival Ballet's Bei.iing Visit Tan Aiqing 24 i .* Empoet of ehaplin Children: lt Happened on a Train Gao Ai 27 Situ Huimin, Vice-Minister The Animal World of Painter Han Meilin Bao Wenqing of Culture ond long-time and Wang Jiashu 28 lilm worker, tells whot the Films in China (Part ll) Uwe Kriiuter and Patricia Wilson 34 greot Choplin hos meont Tang Three-Color Glazes Mei Chien-ying 40 to Chino since the 1920s. Poge 21 Memorles of Zhu De and (Part ll) 46 The Beijing Prison You Yuwen and Huang Jun 49 The Gardens of Suzhou Zhong Guoiun 52 Sports. Badminton Championships Fu Xipeng 56 More Attention Paid to Food, Clothing, Shelter Lu Zhenhua 58 Do You Know? China's Well-Known Rivers and Mountains 60 Chinese eookery: Sizzling Rice with Shrimp and Tomato Tong Three- Sauce (Guoba Fanqie Xiaren) 0t eoisr Gleres Across the Land: Torch Festival of the Yi People 62 The 7th-century Chinese History - Xll ceromit "big leoP" . The Glory That Was,Tang: 1 -: National Economy thot creoted o Jiao Jian 66 world-fomous style. Archeological News: More Early Hemp Paper; Xinjiang Poge 40 Clan Commune Site; Zhou Dynasty Palace Sites 69 ln Our Societyr A Wife and Her Mother-in-Law Yu Guohou 70 Language Corner: Lesson 9: ln Guilin 71 The Eeijimg Fnison COVEF PICTURES: Front; Young Tibet Liu Chen While the prisons olso fell under the disruptive in- Back: Autumn in Jilin province Wu Jinsheng lluence of the gong of four, todoy o .reolistic progrom lor the rehobilitotion of criminols is being restored. Editoriol Office: Woi Wen Building, Beijing Poge il9 (37). Chino. Coble: "CHIRECON" Beijing. Generc! Distributor: GUOZI SHUDIAN, P.O. Box 399, Beijing, Chino. one thing I like about your people is More fnteresting Titles their devotion to the job in hand it lasts a lifetime. - It would be better to use clear, attrac- G.T. tive journalistic titles. For example, Huddersfield, England the title of one of your articles is "For More and Better Steel." Objectively Present Condition speaking, this may be psrfectly correct, but it is too dull for western readers. Big. Bird on Beijing Streets Your magazine is very educational Peihaps the title "An Ingot a Minute" and articles set forth and within tend would sound better for articles like this. to point out some of the social and eco- Also, it seems to me you give less space nomic aspects of life, One of your to articles on sports than to arts, cul- articles in the April issue, "A SIow ture and stamps. There is a need for Pupil Catches Up" is portraying the life more reporting on recreation and of some young people in this world and pastimes, such as what to do in one's could be of much help to those who spare time and after-hours activities. are priviledged to be readers of China P.H. Reconstructs. Kbln, Federal Republic of GernlanA J,T,D. Yopta, Liberia Wants to Understand Fables

, ei., i sr"-r,t I appreciate very much the new format of China Reconstrucfs and the I was glad to read the column "Our increase in number of photos and color Postbag" in your January issue publish- pages. Your magazine contains interest- ing the opinions of readers. I notice ing topics such as love stories, Chinese that more and more requests are being As a Iife long admirer of China, history and geography and family life. raised by your readers. words cannot express the excitement I I have read your fables with interest. your Your articles reflect China's present had at finally visiting arrrazir,g conditions, which many your readers Evidently fables convey certain mean- country. As member cast of a of the of do not know. ing in your political life. But we read- the Bob Hope television special which ers in Europe may not understand them was taped in Beijing I had a chance to s.A.z. people Diaala, Iraq correctly, so we would like to know meet many there in my role of you Big Bird of Sesame Street. how Chinese interpret them. Would you please add an explanation at the Big Bird is a huge puppet almost Respects to Cancer Doctors 2tl meters tall which completely en- end of each fable. velops me when I perform. The warm Many thanks for the article "Progress H.R. smiles and joyous cries of the children in Treating Cancer of the Liver" Klagenfurt, Austria calling, "Hello, Big Bird!" in Chinese published in your April issue. tells have one the most rewarding It been _ of general hightights of m! career. about the check-up and treat- Asks About Unemployment I am amazed at the resourcefulness ment of cancer, as well as the good and hard work I see everywhere. I see results achieved in operations on Will the four modernizations to build the friendship of our two countries as cancer in their early st4ges. China into a fully modernized country one of the best events of this century. More than a year ago you published by the year 2000 mean that with your The new exposure of China to the an article about cancer research in very high population millions will be world must not allow the loss of the China, and I wrote to your magazine re- unemployed because of technological warmth, openness and wonderful hones- questing you publish more detailed advance? Please explain this as lots ty that now exists there. reports. of my friends would like the answer to My congratulations to the leaders and Please convey my thanks to your re- question. people this the tine of this land for their porter Ximen Lusha and also Dr. Yu G.B.S. forward thinking and accomplishments. Yeqin dnd woman cancer specialist Lin Willenholl, England As the cast of the Bob Hope Show Zhiying for telling your r.eporter all Gala at the Capital Theater in Beijing about the new treatment for cancer and sang your lovely song, '3This Is My how to detect the hidden disease, Where to Buy Stamps Native Land," I too, felt a sharing of P.L. You give detailed descriptions of Chi- the pride you must all feel. Thank Paris, France you very much for all this! nese stamps in your magazine but no c.s. word about where to buy them. Why? Woodstock, Conn., g.S,A. Love an Objective Reality G.H. Giitersloh, Federal Republic ol Gerrnana I have subscribed to China Recon- , a Great Man slructs tot five years. You have made I enjoy all your articles, especially some improvement in your recent those on scientific research. I am also In the April issue the article which issues, which contain less stereotyped interested in knowing where I can impressed me most was the one about, writing. I enjoyed reading your artidles obtain the stamps of the medicinal the life of Zhou Enlai. What a great on the attitude towards love in China. plants mentioned in your April issue. man he was for China and its people - People here in France often shy that Still more important is how to use Chi- tremendous. Shantou or Swatow, you Chinese people are Puritans and too nese herbal medicines. good another very story. Mr. Wu Tong shy. These love stories show that the L.F.S. describes his rememberances and facts Chinese people's attitude toward love Mdrico, Merico and keeps one very interested all is indeed different from that in capi- through - weII written and weII done. talist'countries, there is nothing wrong To bug Chinese stan'Lps, please urite I also like the article "Progress in with it. But love is an objective reality to the China Stamp Compang, 28 Dong- Ireating Cancer of the Liver." I ad- that cannot be denied. onmen Street, Beijing (Peking), China. mire people who put aII their work and M.D. Cable: "CHINASTAMP" Beijing. skill to the benefit of,the people. The Nancy, ?rance Eilitor. -

2 CHINA BECONSTRUCTS CAR N$

a

B Ye Jian Let's have a race to see who's fasler!

Can't you do it without me?

Vltake up! Time to take your sleeping DiUs. Shen Pei You can't do it wlthout me}

SEPTEMBER I9?9 I Came over to the People e9-b.,"*}r-} (LHALU TSEWGNG-DORJE) tioningly upheld the .ser{ system and in the Iocal governlnenl. was t' Iong one of those who stood for ,,"t] creating an "independent Tibet" by relying on imperiali.st forces. Tibet has been an insepalable part of China since ancient times. This fact the luling clique of the original Tibet upper social strata had to admit and because of it in 1951 the Tibet local gJovernment agreed to sign the 17-article ilgree- ment on the peaceful liberation of Tibet with the Central People's Government. I, like other people from upper social strata, was torced by the general trend and popular feeling to accept it.

rflO have or not to havc demo- I cratic reform became the focus of struggle. We tried every means to prevent it in order to de- Lhalu Tsewong-Dorje (left) talking with other par- ticipants in the 1959 rebellion after thelr release. Kang Song fend the interests of the three kinds of estate-holders (officials in the Tibet local government, high f T has been 20 years since the and were one of Tibet's four big I Iamas of the monasteries and democratic reform in Tibet. serfowners. We had 20 estates, a nobles) and maintain their rule in Since then we on the "roof of the dozen pastures and several thou- Tibet. The Communist Party and vrorld" giant have made a step sand slaves. We had 1,333 hec- the people's government on the across several centuries. got The re- tares of land, from which we other hand advocated the reforms form has brought social progress grain 280 an anqual income of for the emancipatlon of the mil- and prospeiity to Tibet and hap- 400 farm animals tons. We had lion serfs and the prosperity piness to its people. It has also and 3,000 sheep. Our family each and progress of the Tibetan given us feudal serfowners a new year consumed more than 100 iife, enabling us to move tci the sheep. In addition to their work nationality. government side of the people. But it was only for us in the fields every year the The Party and the through a long and tortuous serfs had to give us a lot of but- explained to us many times the process that I gained this under- ter, eggs, woolen fabric, cooking significance of having a democrat- standing. oil, and wool and bearskins. ic reform and the Party's policies I was a kaloon (a high admin- From childhood I had led a on it, patiently waiting for us to istrative official) in the old Tibet parasitic life. I never had to see the reason for it. In 1955 I local government and the gover- worry about food or clothing. At visited Beijing and some other nor of the Qamdo area in eastern 14 I became an official in the parts of our country. During this Tibet. Now I'm 66. Our LhaLu Tibet local government. In 1947 tour I met Chairman Mao twice family are descendants ' of the when I was 34 I was promoted to and Premier Zhott five times. eighth and twelfth Dalai Lamas kaloon. At that time I unques- Chairman Mao told me when he

+ CIIINA BECONSTRUCTS received me: There is no need for believe it. Leniency to those brought to a mass meeting to be you to be afraid of democratic re- who confessed would be only criticized. I was frightened bY the f orm. It won't mean physical for those who had committed angry crowd shouting slogans' II I elimination of you aristocrats. The minor crimes, I thought. A big were not sentenced to death, I to purpose is to help a1I Tibetans in- criminal like me would not be thought; I would be beaten securitY guards cluding you nobles to iive a good treated leniently. If I confessed death. But the protected me. It rvas then that tr Pointing Vice-Chairman my crimes it might make things life. to realized the Party wcs saving me. even worse. So I refused to con- Soong Ching Ling sitting beside With this new understanding I con- fess and waited for my death. us, Chairman Mao said that she fessed all my crimes. In Augr-rst One day the head of the deten- was also from an "aristocrat" 1965 I was released. I went home family. And she was one of our tion house called me to his room and was reunited with mY familY' state leaders! and entertained me with tea and He used a vivid metaphor to ex- cigarettes. In trial sessions he had [)ACK home I was determined tti plain the relationship between been very severe, but this time he LD live by my orvn iabor. i was Tibet and our motherland. He was very kind to me. He told me given 0.3 hectare of land' In spring what theY stretched out his five fingers and that Communists meant my neighbors helPed me v'zith then withdrew the thumb. With- said. I should trust the PartY's plowing, sowing and sPreading confess crimes. out it, he said, one could not give policy and my manure, as I had never done However, I still doubted him. For oxen, a f orceful blow. Only when he these before. I had no only a few closed the entire hand could he his kindness I confessed so the commune sent over one make a powerful blow.. Chairman minor things. to plow for me. I had thought surPrise he curse Mao said all these things in, order The next day to my the leaders and masses would me had made a good confes- had to educate me and others from the told I and sneer at me because I and encouraged me bY saying had not ex- upper social strata, to help us sion been a serfowner. I like this I would to mY aid overcome our fear of democratic that if I went on pected they wodd come But I was in difficulties- In the reform and get rid of our ideas receive lenient treatment. when I srnall never shown anY about an independent Tibet. continued to report onIY old society I had for my serfs. I had beaten Premier Zhou too showed great things. Even so, I found them concern of them often just because I concern for me and enlightened trooking more favorablY on me. some was experience with didn't like them. When I thought me in many ways. The Party and This my first policy of leniencY. But of my misdeeds, I was even rnore the government arranged for me the Party's had many lvorries, grateful to the PartY and the Peo- to go to and visit Rong I still day in the 6th month on the ple. I made up mY mind to work Yiren (Jung Yi-jen), the famous One Tibetan calendar in 1959 I was hard and through phYsical labor to national capitalist. Under the Party's policy of buying out the national bourgeoisie, Rong receiv- At a Iamily holiday get-together in Norbu Lingka Park. Ma Jingqiu ed fixed interest and led a good life, He even held an important post in the government. The Party and government did everything they could to help me take the correct road. But out of my stubborn reactionary stand I returned evil for good and joined the armed counter-revolutionary rebellion in March 1959. I was commander of the rebel troops and by signing the so-called "Inde- pendence Manifesto of Tibet," I be- trayed our motherland and people. rnHE rebellion was soon put r down. I was captured and held in custody. I felt sure the Comcnunists would shoot me. Though I was told the Party's q$re# policy was leniency to those T,' u and severity to J who confessed ffin those wbo resisted, I did not &.'s

SEPTEMBER 1979 remold my ideology and become a that the former narrow winding today. Many communes and pro- new man. trails I had once known had be- duction brigades in Tibet have Gradually I learned to do farm come modern highways. Before built hydropower stations by them- work, In 1970 I wanted very much Iiberation, all through the 1,200,000 selves. There are altogether over to apply to be a member of the square kilometers of the Tibet pla- 500 with a total generating capacity cornmune, but with my class origin teau there was not a single kilome- of 16,900 kw. I felt I dared not do so. When the ter of road. Transporting was I had been to Qonggyai county local people's government learned done by yaks, horses, donkeys or before on horseback. I remember- of my wish, it approved. I was on people's backs. Today d road ed it was a poor valley full of overjoyed. As a commune member network radiating from Lhasa boulders and wild undergrowth. percent I worked hard at whatever I was reaches 98 of Tibet's coun- But this time I saw terraced fields given do digging irrigation ties and 75 percent of its districts. to bef ore me. The county's grain channels or ponds- or doing other This is something old Tibet's rulers output in 1977 was four times that kinds of jobs. was commended could not even dream of doing. I of 1959. The number of livestock by the masses. In 1970 I worked When we arrived at the Nyaimai had doubled. The county had 320 days. At the end of the year People's Commune in Lhunze planted 226 hectares of trees. And like other commune members I got county, the commune members was moved when my pay based on my work points were working on the threshing I deeply I learned that wild mountain had 500 yuan. ground. They showed us their this area grain. - In August 1977 after the fall of shellers and winnowers. In the become self-sufficient in the gang of four the people's gov- evening every home was brightly Bdfore liberation the Lhoka area ernment formally announced that lit up. The commune had built was cal1ed Tibet's granary. Being grain my designation "counter-revolu- two 50 kilowatt hydropower sta- a manager for the old Tibet tionary element" was removed. tions. Before liberation to please local government, I knew how big The Party and the people's govern- us aristocrats the Tibet l-ocal that "granary" was. The average per-hectare yield ment had changed me, a feudal government had asked a German was only a little over a As most of went to serfowner who had committed big engineer to build a small , hydro- ton. it crimes, into a new man who loved power station in Lhasa's northern serfowners, the people never had his country and work. I feel I have suburbs. The construction took a enough to eat. Today the Lhoka a bright future. long time. The electricity it gen- area has become a place worthy of erated was not even enough for the name granary. Its present out- f N ttre fall of 197? I went to the the aristocrats' homes. That gov- put is 3.4 times that at the time of r Lhoka area south of Lhasa for ernment could not do even the the democratic reform. Each year a visit. Once out of Lhasa I found things a people's commune can do besides putting aside enough for food, seed and reserves, the area sells about 20,000 tons to the state. Tibet today: Beneath the ancient Potala The land and the people are the Palace in Lhasa a new city is growing up. Li Jun same, but the output is so dif- ferent ! This shows the democratic reform has brought forth the initiative and creativity of the people which as serfs they could not express. Lhasa especially has taken on a new Iook. Beggars have disap- peared from the streets. Along Yanhe Road are factories, govern- ment offices, schools, shops, restau- rants, a post office, an auditorium and a sports ground. Before the democratic reform this place was full of filthy water and garbage. Half of Lhasa's several thousand EB beggars congregated there. It was called "the street of beggars." When the poor people died of hunger or disease, their bodies were left to lie and dogs and wolves fed on them. All this of course has gone forever. Today

CHINA NECONSTRUCTS Studenis from the Lhasa Micldle School surveying the heights. Xinhua

Beggars in the streets of old Tibet. Xinhua

people walking on the street look munist Party and the people's happy and healthy. government and as a part of our unified socialist motherland. As THE thing that impressed me our country's four modernizations r most is the change in relations proceed, Tibet will become even between men brought about since more prosperous. the democratic reform. I have come to realize a little about how J N August 1977 I was assigned to it was to be a serf. Serfs had no I work at the Tibet Committee of personal freedom. They were the Chinese People's Political Con- cruelly exploited and oppressed by sultative Conference as a vice-head the three estate-holders. They had of its publicity and translation sec- to step aside and bow when they tion. Soon afterwards I was elected saw aristocrats. Today they have a member of the Third Committee become the masters of Tibet, doing all kirids of work for socialist con- of the Political Consultative Con- ference struction. Ordinary people and of the Tibet Autonomous high officials are equal. They ad- Region. I felt so excited about my new work could dress each other as "comrades." that I hardly fall Before the democratic reform we asleep that night. serfowners could beat and bully at I have a daughter and five sons. joying my and life, will. But the people's government They are now all working except happy secure I think of my former colleagues, re- and cadres protect the interests of the youngest son who is handi- Iatives and other Tibetans who the people and serve them whole- capped. My daughter is in a carpet- have gone abroad. We Tibetans heartedly., weaving cooperative. Her wage is have a saying, birds get old I lived for a while with a pro- 70 yuan per month. My eldest son "When they fly back to the forest, when duction brigade outside Lhasa. at the Lhasa Automobile Repair people get on in years they miss There matters Plant has been an outstanding all important con- their home place." I don't think my production, worker for many years. My second cerning finances and friends like living under someone distribution of income are decided son is a tractor driver in Namling county. My third and fourth sons else's thumb or on someone's through discussions by the masses. charity. The Party's position has work for the highway engineering The brigade leaders cannot make always been: patriots are of division the Tibet Communica- "AlI arbitrary decisions. The people and of one family, whether they rally to the lower government officials give tions Bureau. My wife is in the cause early or late" and that their criticism and suggestions to region's archives bureau. I, too, bygones should be bygones. The those above when they think it is help with sorting out historical Dalai Lama and other Tibetans necessary. Such a thing could data on Tibet and doing research Iiving abroad have the freedom to never have happened in old Tibet. on it. iome or go. I hope that they value No former ruling classes could My family has a very good life. the interests of our motherland have made Tibet so thriving as it My pay is 120 yuan per month and and nationality enough to come is today. This is possible only my wife's 60. Last spring we moved back as early as possible to join in, under the leadership of the Com- into a new apartment, Often, en- socialist construction for them.

SEFTEMRER 1979 Lhasa's Zuglakang Temple

XIAO ZHI

rnHE goiden-roofed ?th-century I is a monument to the relations be- liberated in 1951 the Zuglakang Zuglakang (Jokhang) Temple tween the Han and Tibetan peoples Temple with its many historlcal the the part of in heart of old frorn very early on" and religious relics came under Lhasa, one of the major temples The Tibetan word "Zuglakang" state protection. of Tibet, has been completely means Temple of Sakyamuni (Gau- renovated. tama Buddha). It contains a statue Songtsan Gambo (617-650), Priceless Arts of Sakyamuni believed to be unifier and first king of a unified A tree in front of the temple, Tibet, wanting to cemeht friendly brofght by Princess Wen Cheng now withered, is known as the ties, asked for the hand of a Han from Changan (now Xi'an) along dynasty willow" princess in marriage and in 641 with Buddhist scriptures. The "Tang or "the Tang dynasty Emperor Tai Zong spread of Buddhism in Tibet dates Princess's willow," supposedly sent Princess Wen Cheng. Song- from this time. planted by her. Nearby a stone tsan Gambo ordered this temple The temple served as a center tabLet with inscriptions in the Han built as a memorial to the prin- for the lamas from Lhasa's three and Tibetan languages, records the cess's arrival. She is said to have famous monasteries Zhaibung alliance concluded between the chosen the site and taken part in (Drepung), Sera and Gandan- to Tang Emperor Mu Zong and a designing it, and artisans who chant the sutras, discuss -and Tibetan king in 821 (the first year came with her helped build it. It preach Buddhism. After Tibet was of Emperor Mu Zong's reign). It reads: "Uncle and nephew have governments Tibetan visitors and worshippers on lhe roof of the Zuglakang Temple. agreed that their are like one, forming an alliance of grand peace. We will respect forever the good relations be- tween uncle and nephew." This form of the Tibetan king referring to the Tang emperor as "uncle" and himself as' "nephew" was to emphasize the closeness of the relation. The temple contains over 300 Buddhist statues, of which the bronze one brought by Princess Wen Cheng is the central and most i$i;; valuable one. Rich decoration was added in the 15th century by Tsongkhapa, founder of the Yellow Sect of Tibetan Buddhism, and later in the 17th century under the fifth Dalai Lama and many succes-

- XIAO ZHI is :i writer who visited ,Tibet early this year.

CEINA BECONSTBUCTS The statue of Sakyami:ni said iil h:"ve eiifile wifh Frincess W*n Chsng. ! iu {lpt, h6u:al picturing build- ing ol';he temple. Ltir ( ltert

S{)ngtsan Gambo (cen- ter'), Princess Wen Cheng (right) and the Nepalese princess who was also his wife. Ort 5ltotrl;Ltttil

%

s"

*

t ), sors. Today the statue, its face The four-floor temple with 20 are aiso. evident. Pillars, rafters painted in gold and wearing a robe prayer halls has a total floor space and murals utilize even more and crown of pure gold studded of 20,000 square meters. The brilliant color than temples in with pearls and pieces of agate, golden roofs glint in the sun. The other parts of China. turquoi.se, jade and other precious .platform rows of litt]e brass bells tinkle in stones, rests on a stone the wind. In general structure it Extensive Renovation inside a gilded frame behind an is Tibetan, but in the beam and With age the temple had sunk elaborate altar. bracket construction under the The draperies and acquired cracks in many on both sides, eaves and over doors and woven of gold, the places. Between 1972 and 1975 the silver and silk windows shows the influence of thread, have been changed for people's government allotted brand-new ones. Under the glim- the architectural style used else- 700,000 yuan for major repairs to merintg of the ever-lit butter lamps, where in China. Some Nepalese the temple by experienced artisans. golden dragons twisting around and Indian architectural features It has continued this work on a the pillars and statues of Buddhist disciples nearby add solemnity and Veranala pillars on the second floor of lhe Sakyamuni Ball. splendor to the shrine. In the ' center of the hall stands a 26.2- ' meter-high Buddhist statue cast in bronze and gold in the 18th cen- tury. On the second floor are statues of Songtsan Gambo, prin- 'Wen cess Cheng, Tibetan emis- saries to the Tang court and other personages of the time, all made in the 7th century. On the inner .and outer walls surrounding the main hall are 600 meters of colored murals 3 meters high. In delicate lines they picture Buddhist legends, the life of the Tibetan people in ancient times and the unique Tibetan scenery. On the murals are many Buddha figures in different poses, expres- sions arid clothing, and rows of neatly arranged small Buddha statues seated cross-legged. A mural on the northern wall of the main haII tells Sakyamuni,s life . story - his birth, growth, found- ,ing of the Buddhist religion and attainment of nirvana. On both sides of the ehtrance to the Prayef Hall is another mural showiirg Princess Wen Cheng's. journey ,f$ across the snowy mountains into Tibet in a horse carriage, the building.of the Zuglakang Temple and the grand celebration at its completion. Other murals picture singing and dancing, banqueting, hunting, traveling, wrestling and other activities of the time. On'the third floor wrapped in golden-yellow silk and kept in purple-red wooden boxes are 108 sets of Buddhist sutras in Han lan- guage said to have been brought to Tibet in the Ming dynasty (1368- 1644).

SEFTEMBER T979 Dotllltm Drolmo'r

teddino

ZHANG HUAIJING and ZHOV BAOHUA

IOCHHEN DROLMA was get- lJ fivlg married. Almost every- one from the hundred-spme fami- lies in the Kesum commune in southeastern Tibet had gather- ed in the commune meeting room to celebrate the event. The bride, Dochhen Drolma, was 25 and worked in the commune's sewing group. The groom, Chile, 26, was a cart driver. They had rnet five years before in the course of their work. Dochhen Drolma, smiling shyly and dressed in a flowered pink Artists repairing a mural. Photos bg Gu Shoukang shirt under a black wool jumper and rainbow-hued apron, was smaller scale every year seated up front on a bolster beside since. whitewash. Drainage pipes have the groom, who wore a black wool One-third of the buildings have been installed to lead away rain robe with gold-colored edging and been repaired and renovated, l2l water from the roofs, and cracks the Tibetan four-flap fur and Iarge bronze, silver and clay have been filled in. Sunken pillars brocade hat. In front of them on statues, including those of Song- have been raised to their original tsan Gambo Princess a low table was a gaily-decorated and Wen position and the rotten ones wooden Cheng, have been box such as is used to restored. The replaced. measure grain. mural depicting Princess This "good luck Wen measure" is part of the Tibetan Cheng's entry into Tibet and other Freedom of murals, Worship wedding festivity. In it were totaling 2,600 square winter wheat meters, have recaptured Article 46 of the Chinese con- on one side and their zanba (roasted highland barley ancient splendor. 'stitution provides: "Citizens enjoy flour) on the other, into which Some of the original freedom to believe in religion and murals had were stuck bars of qi.ngke (high- become obscured. The one on freedom not to believe in religion land barley) painted many colors. Sakyamuni's religious and to propagate atheism." Since life w€tri Red and green entwined pa- restored to its original appearance its reopening at the beginning of percuts with long streamers hung by eight veteran artists after con- the year the Zuglakang Temple is sulting old photographs open three days a week to visitors from the edges of the table. and other On each good historical materials. For large pan- and worshippers. Most of the latter side of the luck measure pottery oramic views they used the tradi- are older people turning their were flagons tied with white hadas, one qingke tional Tibetan methods of compo- prayer wheels. Some bring butter for sition. to add to the lamps or present the spirits and the oth'br for butter tea. Sbme murals on the surrounding hadas. Others touch or kiss the There were also several plates of pastries. walls had faded or peeled. All clothes or feet of the Buddha half-moon shaped All these were repAired and covered a image, scatter grains qingke, symbolize the wishes for a with of "life protective coating. The paintings candy, coins or jeWelry before the happy and good harvests for the new gouple. on the eaves, gables, cofridors and Buddha. Their chants can be lintels exposed to the sun and rain heard constantly in the temple. Commune chairman Ngawang, a man are now painted anew and protect- The Zuglakang Temple has nine in his sixties, acts as master ed with canvas awnings. lamas in charge of religious The walls of the prayer halls ZHANG IIUAIJING anil ZHOU BAO- affairs. They are paid a fixed HUA are Xinhua News Agency re- have been given a fresh coat of monthly salary by the state. porters h Tibet. t2 CIIINA REOONSTBUCTS of ceremonibs and declares the well-wishing for the bride and wall. The small adjacent storeroom festivities open. The room ex- groom.'It's part of being our own was full of grain, wool, and dried plodes into applause. masters." yak meat and mutton. Ngawang First Ngawang presents white Indicating ,an older woman in told us that in 1f7S Dochhen silk hada scarves to the bride and the danciag crowd, Ngawang ob Drolma and her mother together groom and proposes toasts to their serVed, "That's Dochhen Drolma's earned 560 kilograms of grain and mutual love and hapPiness. The mother, Drolma Tsering." She, her 528 yuan in cash. This year with young couPle down three cuPs of mother and her grandmother had Chile's earnings added the familY qingke spirits in succession for the all been house slaves who could income will be even more. "triple happiness" of the bride, not have lawful husbands. Her The family offered ts qi.ngke bridegroom and guests. mother gave birth to five children, spirits, apples from the commune's With the hodos draPed over their of whom two are alive today, orchard and rich butter tea in shoulders the bouple offers drinks Drolma Tsering who was born in wooden bowls carved with char- to their parents to thank them for a yak shed and her stepbrother acteristic Tibetan designs. bringing them up. This is followed Gezhu who was born in a grove. "You'r'e really lucky," Ngawang by a toast to the guests for coming Drolma Tsering's fate was the told the young people. "A new to their wedding. Then it is the same as her mother's. She had to apartment with electricity right guests' turn and theY drink toasts keep on serving her master right after you get married. When I was to the couple's haPPiness, up until her labor pains started. your age I had to set up my family With everybody feeling mellow, Then she went to a yak shed to secretly in a yak shed, and I was the guests join hands in a circle bear her child. only able to do that with the help to sing a song love. A of. some friends. Our sole posses- -about rnHE wedding festivities went on sion was a broken pottery jar. But woman'standing in the center of' I fers drinks to everyone in the late into the night. The next even that did not last long. When ' circle. They begin a traditional day with Ngawang we were in- rny master found otrt he had me circle vited to the new couple's home. beaten and locked up." .dance. They have two rooms on the first "Ybs, life was exactly like that," ilIBETANS have time-honored floor of a new commune apartrnent agreed DrolmA Tsering. "For the I customs for weddings, ob building, which they will share three geneiations I know about my seives Ngawang, who is standing rvith the mother Drolmb Tsering. family always Iived in a shed with off to one side, "but former slaves Qui.lts and woolen blankets were the yak. At that time we house .like us could 'not observe them piled high. Two flower-decorated slave women did not like being until 20 years ago. Before that thermos flasks and four cups of asked Wtro was the father of our what is now our commune was an fine china stood on'a low table. children. Now my Dochhen Drolma estate of Surkhang, one of the Some new clothing hung on the can pror,rdly answer that question," biggest serfowners in Tibet. 'The lords and theip estate stewards. eould do whatever they liked to the women serfs. When theY themselves married they held celebrations from seven to ten days, but 'they wouldn't allow their house slaves to marrY. Field serfs could marry but the land- lords considered the house slaves their pefsonal proPertY with absolutely no rights. We had children anyway. We had to meet each other secretly, but these women could not have recognized husbands and had to raise their children alone. Some children did4't know who their father was. I got co.untless whippings and was locked up four times for trying to have a family of my own. The dernocratic reforms in 1959 ended this type of oppression. These commune wedding celebrations the commune holds one wfenever- someone marries have a much The briile and groom, greater significance- than the usual

SEPTEMBEE T9?9 l3 Prof . Tsung Dao Lee Lectures tn eijing

HE ZVOZTA

ftof. Tsung Dao Lee leeturing iD the hall of scientific seminars. Left to the right in frontl Jici, Vice-Presideul of the Chinese Academy of Sciences anil Director of the Graduate School of the Chinese University of Science anil Technology; Qian Zhillao, Deputy- Director of the Graduate School; Liu Da, President qf QinghUa University; and Hu Ning, theoretieal physioist from Beijing University,

confirmed through tests and this won them the Nobel prize. A few years ago he developed the quan- tum theory of solitons and raised the hypothesis of anomalous nu- clear states. Recently he has made a valuable analysis of the problem of quark confinement. He has long been a pioneer in the field of particle theory. This made his Beijing lectures particularly f AST APRIL and May Prof. professors, researchers, graduate meaningful. I-r 15ung Dao Prof. Lee's course on statistical Lee, " 6hi.r".u- Students, and theoretical and laL American scholar, professor of oratory workers from different physics also fascinated his audi- phase physics at Columbia Univeqsity, scientific units in the country; The ence. His work on the tran- gas Iectured in Beijing on particle hall was so crowded that some had sition of non-ideal and diagram physics and field theory, and on to sit on the floor near the plat- technique of quantum statistics are statistical physics. Invited by the form. The lectures were a great fundamental contributions to this especially good at Chinese Academy of Sciences, he event in China's scientific circles. field. He is applying the technique statist- was hosted by the Graduate It was an honor for me to have of School of the Chinese University ical physics to tlle study of particle the opportunity of listening to And physics. of Science and Technology. learning from Prof. Lee. Mondays through Fridays he FulI of stories of the develop- As a world-known theoretical these sciences, Prof. Iectured enthusiastically from 2:00 ment of two physicist, in 1956 Prof. Lee to- Lee's lectures were his- to 5:30 p.m. to an audience of 600 actually a gether with Prof. Chen Ning Yang torical account. Illustrating with put forth the hypothesis the IIE ZUOXIU is deputy director of the of many examples from his own ex- Institute of Themetical Physics under parity non-conservation of the perience, he analysed the successes the Chinese Acaalemy of Sciences. weak interaction. Later it was and failures of theoretical and t4 CEINA REOONSIBUCIS Iaboratory work. He emphasized gestions and answering their ques- trained, you.can create everything. the intimate relation that muit tions. Even on May Day he worked You are working hard to modern- exist between theory and experi- as usual. If a visitor caused even ize China as soon as yciu can. ments, and pointed out that a a ten-minute interruption of a class This is of great interest for Chi- theorist must view experimenta- he would make up the lost time. nese overseas. Modernization, I tion carefully and critically. The In class he repeatedly asked the think, mainly means learning and strictness of logic is often not the students whether they understood mastering the scientific achieve- most important thing in theoretical what he said and made allowance ments of the past hundred years studies. for the difficulties some students rather than buyirtg new equipment. Time and again he gave ex- had in looking at the blackboard When you master these achieve. amples to show that "there is only from different angles. Seeing him ments you will be able to make one science of physics and the sim- getting thinner and his voice .evgrything that other countries plest thing is often the most impor- hoaise, many suggested his work do." tant." He advised young theorists was too hard. "It's worth it for In my two-month contact with to spend tlo or three hours every such a large audience," he replied Prof. Lee, I was impressed by his day doing theoretical calculations with a smile. Many students com- spirit. When he decides to do as an artist practices his skill. mented that from Prof. Lee's lec- sof,rething, he sees it through with- Even more important, he said, is tures they had acquired a great out slightest neglect of detail. I to get at the essence behind the deal of scientific knowledge and think this is probably one-of the results of calculations so that one Iearned the serious and con- main reasons why Prof. Lee has can obtain the order of magnitude scientious attitude a teacher should achieved such success in-his many of the physical quantities, bypass- have. years of scientifis work.. ing complicated calculations. He Prof. Tsung Dao Lee has a deep At the conclusion of his lectures gave many illustrations of how a feeling for his motherland where Prof. Lee declared, "My lectures theorist estimates this order. His he was born. Speaking one day are just a beginning." , brilliant remarks greatly inspired of China's backwardness in scien- Vice-President of the Chinese the young and old scientists. tific instruments, he encouraged Acaderny of Sciences, replied that His teaching method was also us. "Compared with things,"man Prof. Lee's course was Iike spring highly instructive. He began both is more important," he said. "It sowing, .and he hoped that courses with basic principles. Try- is man who makes the instruments, Prof, Lee would come back to do ing to end his lectqres by bringing As long as you study hard, Iay a the "summer cultivation" and the the students to the latest achieve- good foundation and become well- "autumn harvest," ments, he chose shortcuts, elimi- nating minor details and going straight to the concepts. He took Chattiug with students in the Graduate School of the Chinese Academy of Science antl Technology. Photos bg Liu Ren every step slowly because he ex- plained each question clearly and tirelessly. Yet his course progress- ed f"St with each step higher than the last, so that he took his audi- ence to the conclusion in the shortest possible time. Theie are two wrong tendencies in teaching: either the teacher ignores the level of the students and talks about concepts too sophisticated for them or he skips difficult problems and gives Iec- tures easy to .understand but ac- tually worthless. Prof. Tsung Dao Lee's lectures did not commit either error. They were fiist-class both in content pnd form. S.uch unity gave his student hearers both sound knowledge and satisfactiqn: His attitude toward teaching was admirable. He got up at three or four every morning to work on his lectures. Twice a we6k he lunched with the students, asking their sug-

SEPTEMBER T979 15 vote and be elected," he said. "We should exercise this .-right and make sure we elect the best team Ieaders." A young man stood up and spoke loudly. "We've got good soil and enough manpower and 'animals. Welve worked hard all these years-but why has our produc- tion st6od still? I think our team needs better leadership." An old man said, "Any team leader who pays so much, attention to eating and drinking can't give us good Ieadership. A team without a good leader is like a horse without a head." The meeting became hot and lively. Finally Zhao Baoxing stood up and said, "I nominate Liu Fwhun for leader. He's fair and unselfish." He gave an example. Electetl team leader Liu Fushun sollcits peasants' opinions. Fu Wenzhong In 1973 the team had decided to . allot some money to two families having financial troubles aqd the members agreed that 80- yuan ection for Iean lreailer ;*T:f;r*Ll[:"',tt:lt"'# tried to reverse the amounts. At a team meeting Liu Fushun gave LIU his,opinion. So finally the team BAOCHENG reaoer agreeo.. "In the election that followed, Liu Fushun became the deputy leader. IECEMBER in China's northeast What made rJ is very cold. In a small village good team lead in Jilin province's Yushu county a farmer Zhao Ba large stove heats a brightly lighted Of course Old room. It is crowded with laugh- pletely right. Th ing, talking .people. A peasant the change was election meeting is about to begin. restoration of th This is Team No. 8 of the Yongfu tural policies and brigade in the Chengfa People's sorne new ones Commune. The election is for initiative of the team leaders, an important event, bers. Neverthele so nearly everyone has comd leader is importa straight from their evening meal. ., his reason for str A few years ago, Team No. 8 it was he who ha was the poorest one in the com- the present team mune, perhaps even in the whole ago. county. gui in lgzg its produs. fields. The villager was right, the tion jumped to first place in the A CCORDING commune and second in the fL people's co county. Its per-hectare yields of production teams grain and soyabeans were nearly by the team me three times what they were in the gang of four 1974. Every family has ample food was ignored, as and raises pigs or other animals. ocratic procedur In the past, 54 of the 56 familles 1976, however, t had debts. In 1978, 54 families had cadre to help savings in the bank. "Every member has the right to (Continueil on p. 33)

16 CHINA f,,ECONSIBUCTS A Wel l-Managed Forest Area

PENG XIANCHU

D)ROTECTION for the more than Its tale can be told in the figures: The burgau has 12 forest farms, I a hundred large forest areas is 7.5-2: 9.29. all of them reached by good roads. a problem in China. The experience This is not a mathematical for- In each, yoqng forests flourish on 'that has been accumulated since mu1a, it is a picture of the Daxing- the mountainsides, overhead cables 1949 was summarized by the Na- gou Forest Bureau's work since it carry great lgads of timber, logs yards tional People's Congress last Feb- was established in 1960. From a are piled high in lumber ac- variety and specifica- ruary in the new Forest Law, forest area of 143,?00 hectares it cording to has 2 million cubic meters.of tions, and long trains carrY them which the Ministry of Forestry is cut tfur.rber, yet its timber reserves out to other parts of the countrY. for implementing. responsible 7.5 inillion cubic mdters 19 years- "But everything was different good man- How is a forest area. ago have expanded to 9.29 mil- when the buieau was set uP," Pan aged in China? The Da:iinggou lion -cubic meters today. Sheng, manager of the Yingbi Forest Bureau. in northeasterly The policy that made this pos. farm, recalls. "Yingbi was virgin Jilin province is an example. sible, says Han Mingshun, director forest 70 years ago when the im- of the bureau, is a simple one: perialists began stripping it. What's PENG XIANCEU ls a staff reporter for plant new trees while cutting the more, for five years after we came China Reconstructs. mature ones. here in 1960, because of inexPe-

Lumbermen.

SEPTEMBEB 1979 17 Ralsing tree seedlings. rienced leadership, we ohly felled poplar seedlings every year, .this transplanting season and increaies trees. Thus even the timber left method was limited by the natural the survival rate. For example, it by the old exploiters was being conditions in northeast China and takes two years to grow a larch depleted." the inadequate sup:ply of seedlings. seedling in the open, but only one "Such felling must be stopped," In the autumn of 1976, as a year w-ith the container method. the Ministry of Forestry warned. member of a Chinese forestry dele. The cold weather of northeast Chairman Mao and Prerriier Zhou gation, Han Mingshun visited China usually permits only 20 days had called policy tDenmark, for a of rational Norway, Sweden and in April-May for transplanting felling'and reforestation. great Finland A to study advanced fore.stry seedlings raised in the open. But change began to take place the in methods. Back in China, he and because greenhouse seedlings in Daxinggou forests. other forestry workers at Daxing- containers transplanted to- gou started container seedling ex- are gether with fertile soil they are Valuing Each Tree periments in corr: the lreenhouses, grown placed structed with plastic sheets. The in they can be all While felling continues at a container is a plastic tube open at the way from May to October. The steady pace, it is done carefully and survival rate is over 90 percent, 20 selectively. Only mature or poor- both__ ends, filled with fertile soil. thb Yingbi forest farm there percent higher than with the old quality trees are cut, the young and At plastic greenhouses method. promising are left to grow; Second- are three big permanent steel The greenhouses are equipped growth forests, which occflpy a supported by with sprinklers and central heat. greater part of the area, receive frames- Houses No. 1 and No. 2 Spraying and transportation are great care. Below-grade trees and are 1,000 square meters each, rais- done machines. The workers those that impede the growth of ing 300,000 container seedlings. by Yuanzhe, are mechanizing forming others are removed, and much Han Mingshun and Jin container planting is done. lumbermeh a technician of China's Korean and the filling, sowing and plant- Jhe nationality, are charge of the ing processes. With better methods, are very careful to fell trees so that in they do not injure young trees experiments mechanization and the enthusiasm is nearby. Thus seconcl-growth for- The container method shortens of its workers, forestry in China period, prolongs ests also produce a great deal of the raising the moving ahead with noodernization. timber 31 percent of the total' annual- output of 120,000 cuhic Lumbermen at a family gathering. PenO Xianchu meters on the Yingbi forest farm.

Tree Nurseries The Daxinggou bureau has put great effort into reforesting bare mountains and land already stripped. Over 22,000 hectares have been reforested 'since 1960, an average of 8 hectares per head a large area to plant without proper- machinery. This demands many tree .seed: lings. At first the bureau operated .three open-air nurseriqs on 33 hec= tares. But even though it rhised millions of larch, Korean pine and

18 The EDa img am LEm Fores'*

The Da Hin-e-uan Linu (Greatcl Khin-ean Mourtains) ertcnd thlough thrce not'thcast China plorinces fl6ilsng-irang. Jriin and . []00 kilomcLer-s. These are one ol Chrna's rnost inrportant forest areas

Morning over the forest district. Workers in the Cuigang Forest Fai'm.

'Iractors clear Iogs

Flauling in the Dawuiu Foresl Farm. Photos hv Xic .htn With the famous B"eijing Opera actor Ma Lian- liang in costume on stage in Shang- hai in 1936.

WW

SITU HUIMIN

Di.c- At the same time the film A FTER 30 years of the peoPle's and countryside. The Great me. / r republic, Charlie Chaplin's tator, The Gold Ruslt', The Circus, made me see some of the grimmer films are appearing for the first A Woman of Paris, Monsieu.r realities of the "land of the gold the time on Chinese screens. Moilern Verdour, The TramP, .The Kiil, dollar" where the rich treated poor indifference, and Ti,mes, Limelight and Citg Lights The King in New York and Charlie with cheap poor in this case an have delighted audiences in cities Chaplin's Short Comedies will fol- where the unemployed tramp- often were motion low. Chinese Picture Peo- pick - ple now have an oPPortunitY to the only ones to uP abandoned and take care of them. SITU HUIMIN studied fine arts in study the art of this master children Tokyo, began working in films in the At that time ChaPlin's films early 1930s doing art designing, editing, comedian. were being shown in the big recording aud tlirecting, inil has workeit introduced China in on feature films such as Fight for Chaplin, to cities. I never missed anY of them. Freedom and White Cloud over Our the early 1920s, has been a much I also saw several of his earlier Homeland. In the 40s during a sojourn Ioved figure ever since. The first in the he matle many one-reelers. The little man with his contacts witb American friends in film Chaplin film I saw was The Kid in baggy suit, oversized shoes, derbY circles. He returned to China after 1923 in a moviehouse in Guang- hat and cane endeared himself to liberation in 1949 antl has since been middle a leailing figure in the Chinese film zhou (Canton). I was a Chinese audiences and PeoPIe industry. Today he is a member of school boy of 13 and the flickering laughed with sympathY at his the Natlonal Committee of the Chinese figures on the screen evoked famous helpless and innocent People's Political Consultatite Con- ference, a vice-minlster of Culture. childish fancies of the future in smile.

SEPTEMBER T97S 2t and body to express feelings. Then, laughing heartily, he did a takeoff of some Beijing Opera characters on the spot. c In 1936 Chaplin visited Shang- hai. I was working for a film company there but unfortunately was in Hongkong helping the Globe Film Company install a re- cording device. When I came back I was told that Chaplin, after watching Ma Lianliang's Four Scholors, had gone backstage to shake hands with this leading male Beijing Opera performer. The great Chinese writer Lu Xun took a special interest in Chaplin and his films. His diary records that on the evening of JulY 20,1929 he and his wife Xu Guang- ping and his friend Rou Shi saw Chaplin's Carmen. On January 4, 1932, he and his brother and their wives went to the Shanghai Grand Theater to see Ci.ty Lights. Tickets were sold out so they went again on JanuarY 1Oth. Lu Xun applauded these fiIms. My acquaintance with ChaPlin was limited to a few short en- counters, In the 40s I went to live in the States and a musician ,$ friend of mine introduced me to him in 1947 in Hollywood. It was a time when McCarthYite anti- Wiih Premier Zhou Enlai in Geneva iu 1954. communism was sweePing the country. Many Communists and progressives were being Purged It was inevitable that Chaplin's when it came making up a to movie in- technique should influence the in- theme. from the Hollywood Chaplin himself was fant Chinese film industry, Some Chaplin had an early interest in dustry and reaetionary Chinese stage works and films China. When the famous Beijing under fire from his were pure imitations. The first Opera actor Mei Lanfang was tour- politicians and newsmen for and friends. film by the Shanghai Star Film ing the United States in 1930 and "red" sympathies we met in New Company, founded in the 1920s, met Chaplin in Hollywood, they Half a year later in- was The Great Comedtan r,n China, hit it off very well. Mei admired York. He told me about an had produced after the Chaplin model" Chaplin's artistic achievements and cident. A newspaper rePorter In another of its feature films an Chaplin was impressed by the fact sought him out at a New York actor played Chaplin himself. that Mei had become world-famous hotel and asked him what he Another Chaplinesque film was at such a young age. meant by making friends with a Capital Scerues made in 1935. Be- After World War II, I met Communist who had fled America fore it was filmed the scriptwriter Chaplin in the United States. He to Europe. "I've only had contacts and director Yuan Muzhi told me talked with enthusiasm about Bei- with this man's brother and we that he was much impressed by jing Opera, especially about the are good friends," Chaplin an- Chaplin's skill as a comedian. He miming techniques of its mute swered. "What's more, I'm proud summed up the essence of this skill acrobatic plays. He liked the of it." In those days it took as looking out for amusing episodes "Crossroads" episode very much courage to talk like that. in daily life, noting them down and praised the Beijing Opera In our conversation he men- and carefully sorting them out actors' skillful use of eyes, hands tioned his interest in the Pilgrim-

22 CHINA RECONSTBUCTS age to the West, for he had read vigorous, handsome face I was translations of his scenarios of ?he some Chinese classical works. It astonished to see how calm and Golil Rush, The Great Dictator, was beyond his ability to make it youthful he looked. . . . At dinner Monsieur Verdour, Limelight and would into a film, he said. But he we drank Chinese champagne (not The King in Neut York. Chinese Holly- recommend the idea to his bad). . I toasted the future of film periodicals also carried articles there and wood friends. Sitting China and said that although I was about his creative work and life. this brave man who talking with not a Communist I wholeheartedly Recently, in conjunction with the comedies expose had used his to joined in their hope and desire for public showing of his films, the darkness and evil of capitalist the a better life for the Chinese peo- China Film Publishing House society, had upheld truth and re- ple, and for all people." brought out a selection of Chaplin's fused go along with the anti- to Chaplin loved Chinese art. He scenarios. The Chinese press, tide, my admiration fsr communist took a special fancy to a stage film radio and TV also did a lot of higher. him rose Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai publicity and background work. came back to China after lib- I (The Butterfly Lovers), a Shaoxing The great comedian died on eration in 1949. My work enabled opera. He told me he hoped China Christmas day 1977. I mourned me to continue studying Chaplin's would bring out the full grandeur this loss as both a colleague and a film-making techniques. When I of her traditional culture. He was friend. He was nearly 90 but the heard that Chaplin was refused confident that by doing so China image he has left with me remains re-entiance into the United States would impress the entire world as young and vital the and had settled down in Vevey, as with her achievements. Switzerland, I hoped one day I characters in his films. Chinese audiences film Chaplin's art would have a chance to go to Eu- and will last. As surely workers always valued as contemporaries rope and see him. In 1956 I went have his will never Chaplin's virtuosity. Although for generations there with a Chinese film delega- forget him, later will films tion led by director Cai Chusheng. one reason or another his appreciate his films and learn from We had talked about visiting were not shown to the Chinese them about the era Chaplin lived public yeari Chaplin but for various reasons for many after libera- in. His more than 80 films are couldn't manage the trip. In Lon- tion, the China Film Publishing treasures of the movie industry don a friend of mine brought me House translated and published from which we Chinese movie a message from Chaplin thanking two biographies and commentaries people will draw endless inspira- us for: obtaining his films to show on him in the 1950s along with tion. in China. In his message he told me that Premier Zhou Enlai had mentioned this in Geneva in 1954. He was happy to know that his films would be seen by Chinese audiences. A projected meeting between Premier Zhqu and Chaplin was a favorite subject of conversation among us film workers. In JuIy 1954 Premier Zhou went to the Geneva Conference as head of the Chinese government delegation. The Premier asked the Chaplins for dinner and greeted them on the front steps of his residence. Du- ring the dinner he talked with Chaplin about the Chinese revolu- tion and Chairman Mao. After dinner they had a photo taken be- side beautiful Lake Geneva. A few years ago a friend abroad mailed me a copy of this photo a record of Chaplin's friendship- for the Chinese people. After this meeting with Premier Zhou Chaplin wrote in his auto- biography, "As I looked at his

SEPTEMBER T979 23 Lsndon Festival Ballet's Beijing Visit

TAN

THE FIRST European ballet r company to come to China in more than a decade, the London Festival Ballet created quite a stir on its two-week tour of Beijing and Shanghai last May. The 145- member troupe with a number of talented and world-famous dancert perf ormed Giselle, which was televised nationally, and three 20th-century pieces, Etudes with choreography by Harald Lander and music based on the famous Czerny piano exercises, Glen Tetley's Greening and Ronald Hynd's The Sanguine Fan. There was much curiosity in China as. to what the latter three would be like and how they treated modern themes. For many in the Chinese audience it was the first contact with modern western'bal- let. But Giselle, widely remem- Wang Xinmin bered for performances of it before the , was still clearly the favorite. A telecast and eight perform- ances in Beijing were hardly enough. People standing in line all night at the box-office, throngs outside the theater even after per- formances had begun hoping some unused tickets would come through, the phrase heard in streets Qnd offices, "Are you watching the ballet on TV to- night?" These indicate what Bei- jing thought of London Festival Ballet. Now what did Festival Ballet think of Beijing? On the eve of the company's departure its artistic director Beryl Grey and severbl other members gave me their impressions.

TAN AIQING is a staff reporter for China Reconstructs.

24 CIIINA RECONSTBUCTS I can say our company has never the doncer who won the heorts of Bei. enjoyed a tour so much. iing lot the groce ond dreotn-like beouty with which she donced Giselle, EYo Evdokimovo turned out to be o quiet, thoughtlul ond modest person.

The audience doesn't seem used to seeing much ballet, but is very attentive and eager to learn. The dancers are so thirsty for informa- tion from outside they came every day to watch us and took notes all the time. This is different from BERYT GREY: Dromotic in o rose.red other countries. It is amazing what China's PEIER SCHAUFUSS: He wos Albrecht Central Opera and Ballet Company on the lirrt night ol Giselle ond on loter has . achieved, particularly since doys gove o splendid disploy of sooring they hadn't been working con- on her delight ot meeting old friends Ieops ond dozzlihqdozzlihg ond well.controlledwell.cc ond colleogues. turns in Etudes. ln o block dressinqdressing tinuously for ten years and have gown ond still i4 stoge moke-upp in his been working seriously again on bockstoge dressing room he told me: Ballet has developed here classical ballet only in the last two years. despite the problems and interrup- I always tions of the last years. read reports about The dancer who performed the I think the China in the newspaper, both good standard bf the dancers has im- lead in their Matchgi.rl at the and bad propaganda, but you have proved. Last week we saw some Beijing Dance Academy has to see China for yourself. My im- some lovely dancers at the Beijing Dance beautiful qualities. To be able to pression now is very positive. How Academy. Our company were sustain a dramatic age very polite and helpful everyone role at her astonished that they were so very (she well is. You feel that the only reason is unusual is 17). The trained. The women specially have is because they want to be helpful story is very clearly presented. I made great progress. They are was surprised how well it got much You don't feel there is any ulterior better than before and are motive. across the atmosphere of that more confident. great They have At the Beijing Darice Academy, Anderson fairy tale and its ability project, to and the most I took a class of about twenty male Christmas snow scene. sensitive arm movements. Such dancers for general classical natural ballet artistry ! This morning at steps. Their standard is very high the Central Opera and balet and they have a lot of potential Company, we saw the dance but it needs to be organized Future, a pas de deux, 'and parts properly. of Suan Lake, both marvellously Iid like to come back to China danced. We also watched thb and teach these young dancers Chinese students do national again and help them develop ballet dances. The Tibetan and Mongo- here, even though that would mean lian dancers were 'Tibetan fascinating. The I'd lose time performing in other dancers were so young and countries. This would be doing.my just incredible. You have so many part to help develop ballet. People national dance forms to draw should work for others and not from. just get TREVOR WOOD, 2{-yeor-old mote for themselves to a better soloist in Etudes. For him the kip wos I gave two classes at the Beijing reo! Iife. o owokening-me ol interest in Chjno.-the Dance Academy and one at the He kept osking questions otl Central Opera and Ballet Company time. this time- The people there are My first impression when very quick to learn and very good I arrived was that I couldn't find the at remembering. Peter Schaufuss, center of the Beijing seems Ken Wells and one town. of our ballet so vast and spread out. One week masters showed them some steps is too short absorb from to Beijing. Etudes and Les Sylphides. Tt China is so different from was a very happy exchange. After anywhere else in the world. Now the recital this morning our I'd like to read about China for dancers and your dancers mixed a couple of years and then come and talked. It was very exciting. back. I liked walking around the As to the cooperation with your EVA EVDOKIMOVA: One ol the back streets near the Forbidden stage staff, it has been marvellous. world's greot clossicol bollerinos, ond City.

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GRAHAM BOND, conductor ol the ROSALIND SMITH: As the stoge mon- LILIAN HOCHHAUSER: She come with London Festivol Orchestro. oger, she wos olwoys busy. First she the troupe representing her husbond, soid thot she would not be oble to tolk Victor Hochhouser, the impresorio who London to me until two o'clock in the morning orronged the visit. She wos flying home I've been with the the next morning in order to prepore Festival Ballet for nine years and os there were so mony stoge properties ond costumes to be pocked for depor- for the Shonghoi Beijing Opero Troupe's they've never taken an orchestra ture the next morning, But two hours tour ol Britoin. anywhere. They've always used loter, though exhousted, she met me ot local orchestras. When the tour her hotel. She soid with reliel: The Chinese tried to do organizers suggested using tapes in everything they could to make the China, we refused. It would have Tgnight packing went very tour work well. Everything has been a fake atmosphere. We smoothly. We had to learn a gone very smoothly. We'd like brought two-thirds of the or- different system of packing and more Chinese troupes to come to chestra, about fifty people, a cross- so did the Chinese. Europe. China has become the section of our members. I sense the feeling of security most popular country. The members of the orchestra that everyone has. You don't feel I saw the drama Teahouse performed have been delighted with the tour. this in the West. I think'people by the Beijing People's Art Theater. was quite a reve- At rehearsals or at intervals, up to here feel safe because their jobs It lation. I had not previously seen four rows of people would come to are safe, their Iives are safe. They aren't fighting for jobs. In the a Chinese drama as we understand watch us. Now I want to know have West, you know, your job is never it in the West. It couldn't more about China. The first thing been better the production, get secure, or your money, or your life. I'11 do when I back is to buy acting and the- content. The play the West you can lose every- a decent book on China. It's like In an outstanding work, classic your is a no other country that I've been to. thing, even sanity. of world theater. It is close to our The technical conditions are very own dramatic art and it would good and so are the acoustics.. I really bring a sympathetic feeling wasn't too sure about the concrete f or China. The British public floor as normally we are used to would be fascinated by it. wooden floors, and the wa1ls are concrete too. However with the audiences in the hall, the sound was good.

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Li. Kegu

26 CHINA BECONSTRUCTS Gao Ai, a 73-year-old" bog, is a I explained that my father was enough." Then he took thirty yuan student of tsiolin at the mid.d,Le away from home building a rail- from his wallet and handed it to school of the Shanghai Musie Con- road near Yanan in Shaanxi prov- me. I stood up and tried to stop seruatory. Below he tells about ince and my mother didn't want him. "I can't take your money," something that happened to him. to take time off from her job in a I said. "My mother will send me hotel in my hometown. "I'm 12 more when I arrive in Beijing." nNE DAY in May 19?8 when I and the oldest of the three children He wouldn't listen and pushed the \-/ was in my first year of in our family. What is there to be money into my coat pocket. We junior middle in Yingshan continued to argue until a man "chool afraid of?" My words made him county, Sichuan province I read in who was traveling with him said, and the other passengers laugh. the newspaper that the Central "Don't refuse any more. If you The old man didn't say any more Music Conservatory middle school pass the exam that will please and seat. in Beijing was going to enrol new went back to his Uncle Zhi more than anything students. I loved to sing when I else." So I learned his surname was a small child and I had begun A FTER a while he came back was Zhi. to study the violin in primary A with a letter in his hand. school. I practiced every day after friend," he said, have a "Little "I S the train pulled into the school under the guidance of a sister working You can A in Beijing. fL slalion at Chongqing I saw teacher, so after several years of go and find her and give her this work I felt my playing was not Uncle Zhi and his companion get- bad. My teachers and schoolmates ting ready to get off. I suddenly ul-ged me to iake the entrance realized that I didn't know his examination, so I decided to try. address. I ran up to him, but when There rvasn't any place in Sichuan 5;-:- r-----=r I asked, instead of ariswering me province where one could take the - he said, "I just want you to re- exam but I iinally persuacie