Background: For centuries China stood as a leading civilization, outpacing the rest of the world in the arts and sciences, but in the 19th and early 20th centuries, the country was beset by civil unrest, major famines, military defeats, and foreign occupation. After World War II, the Communists under MAO Zedong established an autocratic socialist system that, while ensuring China's sovereignty, imposed strict controls over everyday life and cost the lives of tens of millions of people. After 1978, his successor DENG Xiaoping and other leaders focused on market-oriented economic development and by 2000 output had quadrupled. For much of the population, living standards have improved dramatically and the room for personal choice has expanded, yet political controls remain tight.
April 28th 2008Asia » China » Jiangxi » Nanchang » Xin Jian Jiangxi is in the process of implementing a new retirement policy for foreign English teachers, which is a little puzzling as to the intended improvement of Jiangxi’s education system, though th ... [full story]
April 23rd 2008Asia » China » Jiangxi » Nanchang » Xin Jian Like George Bowling’s delusions about his own worth in Orwell’s , I though my university degree would propel me higher in society. George Bowling fought in the First World War as an ordin ... [full story]
April 21st 2008Asia » China » Jiangxi » Nanchang » Xin Jian Teaching oral English to Chinese students in Nanchang, Jiangxi is a strange beast to tame. I am left with a nebulous perplexity at the perception of foreign teachers by Chinese students, who at best ... [full story]
April 20th 2008Asia » China » Jiangxi » Ganzhou Ok folks, back again with a little update on the goings-on here in China.
I don’t even really know how to express it, but everyday I am pretty much awed at the incredibly deep network of cosm ... 38 photos[full story]
April 17th 2008Asia » China » Jiangxi » Nanchang » Xin Jian I had an interesting chat with some students today in a quiet place on campus. We chatted generally on the subject of , but soon ended up talking about girlfriends and boyfriends. Interestingly, stu ... [full story]
April 9th 2008Asia » China » Jiangxi » Nanchang » Xin Jian The car came to a halt outside at what was to be my digs for the following two years, just as darkness had successfully took charge of the evening, leaving an oppressive, motionless heat. I looked ea ... [full story]
April 4th 2008Asia » China » Jiangxi » Nanchang » Xin Jian Ask what Chinese students want to do with their life these days and you’ll elicit one sure answer - . Several times I have tried to generate a sensible discussion, or a reasonable outlook from ... [full story]
March 30th 2008Asia » China » Jiangxi » Nanchang » Xin Jian Despite many protests from disgruntled, apprehensive parents and concerned social commentators the changes that were introduced in Britain’s education system in the 60s and 70s were, for the mos ... 1 photos[full story]
March 25th 2008Asia » China » Jiangxi » Nanchang » Xin Jian Like other English children, I attended full-time education from the tender age of four, although, I went to a local nursery school before this. Nursery schools were set up during the Second World Wa ... [full story]
March 18th 2008Asia » China » Jiangxi » Nanchang » Xin Jian At the age of eighteen I had a stroke of luck by spotting something that I came to enjoy. My sister used to be a leader at the local church brigade, which was a kind of club that organised different ... [full story]
Map of China
China's Flag
