Holidays all passion, hatred, and delusion die out and the soul is

released from the body. Buddha also understood the china Chinese traditional holidays are calculated according constant motion of the universe and that everything in to the lunar calendar. Here are some national holidays it is subject to birth and decay. This motion is part of celebrated in China: the , the laws of nature. One of these laws is of January/February* cause and consequence, or karma, which implies that Spring Festival all actions have a corresponding effect. In essence, the March 8 force generated by a person’s actions is a determining International Women’s Day factor in the nature of his/her next life. May 1 emphasizes five regimens: striving not to kill, not to Labor Day steal, not to engage in sexual misconduct, not to speak June 1 falsehoods, and not to use drugs. Buddhist holidays Children’s Day include (December 8), which celebrates the October 1 enlightenment of Buddha under the ; Buddha National Day Day (April 8), which commemorates the birth of Gautama in Garden; and Wesak (April/May), the holiest *date varies of Buddhist holy days, which celebrates Buddha’s birth, enlightenment, and death. Religion in China Population 1.4 billion Christians are followers of Jesus, a carpenter and a Jew China is a primarily Buddhist country. Roughly 3 percent from the city of Nazareth in present-day Israel. Christians Capital City Beijing of the population are Christian, and the remaining 1 believe that Jesus is the only son of God, born of a virgin Official Language Standard Chinese or Mandarin percent is Muslim. woman (Mary) in a stable in Bethlehem. His story is told Per Capita Income US$5,740/year In its purest form, Buddhism is a way of life. The in the New Testament of the Christian holy book, the Youth Literacy Rate 100% male/100% female Buddha was not a god but a teacher. After living Bible. as a privileged but careless youth, Prince Gautama Muslims are followers of Islam. Islam is an Arabic Access to Safe Water 98% urban/85% rural Siddhartha abandoned his life of luxury in a search for word meaning “submission to the will of Allah (God).” Under 5 Mortality Rate 14/1,000 live births insight through solitude and fasting. It was through Muslims believe that Allah’s will was revealed to the meditation that Siddhartha achieved liberation from prophet Muhammad more than 14 centuries ago and was Source: The State of the World’s Children 2014 (UNICEF) all sorrow——and became “Buddha” (one captured in the Islamic holy book, the Koran (Qur’an). completely awakened). In nirvana, it is believed that

Additional sources include the CIA World Factbook and State Department websites. The People’s Republic of China lies in the temperate and subtropical zones of Asia. Plan International USA is part of a global organization that works side by side with communities in 50 developing countries to It has an assortment of climates and terrains: The south is generally warm, humid, end the cycle of poverty for children. We develop solutions community by community to ensure long-term sustainability. Our and rainy, while the north is dry, windy, and cold in the winter. China’s topography is level of community engagement, long-term outlook, and constant focus on the needs and priorities of children is unique among international development organizations. Our solutions are designed up-front to be owned by the community for generations to varied and complex, with towering mountains, basins of different sizes, rolling hills and come, and range from clean water and health-care programs to education projects and child-protection initiatives. plateaus, and flat and fertile plains. In the west of China are the Himalayas and some of the highest mountains in the world. China has numerous rivers, the largest being the Promising Futures, Plan International USA Community by Community 155 Plan Way • Warwick, RI 02886 Yangtze River, which divides the northern and southern regions of the country. 1-800-556-7918 • planusa.org A Brief History Maternal and infant survival

Approximately 1.7 million years ago, primitive human This program works to increase access to quality beings were active in what is today called China. The health services for women, children, and families, Peking Man from 450,000 years ago knew how to while enhancing caregivers’ and children’s skills in make fire and use simple tools. For more than 2,000 disease prevention and hygiene. Plan also contributes years, China remained a feudal society passing through to improving children’s nutrition and decreasing the many dynasties—from the Xia to the Qing—with occurrence of common illnesses and accidental injuries agriculture and animal husbandry providing the main among children, while sharing best practice with Chinese sources for economic livelihoods. During the Han government agencies. Dynasty, Chinese silk and silk products began to be transported westward. Throughout the Song-Yuan Advocating for child rights period, commerce and foreign trade prospered due to China’s four major inventions: papermaking, printing, This program works to increase awareness of child rights, Sustainable livelihood Language the compass, and gunpowder. During the Ming helping to reduce abuse and neglect and to increase the Dynasty, the Chinese expanded farther into areas of availability of protection. Our Universal Birth Registration Due to the lack of opportunity in rural areas, many While most people can speak or at least understand Asia and Africa. During their long history, the Chinese campaign, for example, is boosting the coverage of birth villagers move to the city only to find few jobs— Mandarin, every area has its own dialect. The written created a brilliant civilization and produced many registration, which allows citizens easier access to health insufficient to sustain a family. Currently, crops include symbols are the real unifying language of China. outstanding philosophers, men of letters, historians, care and education, as well as greater protection against corn, rice, millet, sorghum, wheat, vegetables, and fruits. Though the characters may be pronounced differently and military strategists. The People’s Republic of China trafficking and child labor. Children have the right to To increase livelihood opportunities among families, in different dialects, their meanings are consistent. It is was established in 1949, marking the reemergence of participate in decisions that affect their lives. We work Plan offers training in animal husbandry, fruit growing, very likely that you will encounter a language barrier genuine independence and the beginning of socialism with children and their communities to identify problems and small business development. The emphasis is on in communicating with your sponsored child, as the in China. While this system of government has ensured and implement solutions. skills and management training integrated with literacy, majority of the children do not know enough English to China’s sovereignty, it has also resulted in strict controls as well as a savings and credit program. Plan enhances write a letter. Those who do not know English will be imposed over everyday life and has cost the lives of Education for all the livelihoods of rural women and their families by assigned community workers and volunteers who will tens of millions of people. After 1978, Chinese leaders helping them access their rights and improve their explain your letters and help the children compose Plan aims to improve the quality and accessibility of focused on market-oriented economic development. For skills in managing and making decisions on community their responses. education for all children. We also help to make the affairs. A particular focus is given to microfinance much of the population, living standards have improved Here are a few useful Chinese phrases to use in voices of children and communities heard through school projects, such as small loans and savings schemes, dramatically and the room for personal choice has correspondence with your sponsored child: development committees. which help rural women develop their businesses and expanded, yet political controls remain tight. Mu qin save for the future. Mother Water and environmental sanitation Plan’s work in China focuses on five Fu qin key areas, all of which are rooted in Working in partnership with the Chinese government, Father the rights of the child: Plan is leading a participatory approach to solve the Ni hao problems of poor community water supplies, sanitation, Hello Maternal and infant survival and environmental degradation. This program promotes Ni hao ma? Advocating for child rights participation by villagers in the management of water How are you? Education for all and sanitation programs. Plan facilitates more open Xie xie Water and environmental sanitation discussion between villagers and local government Thank you Sustainable livelihood service providers.