LETTERS

I recently read your article entitled “Coupling and Uncoupling Chinese Style” with great interest. Though the events mentioned in the article werent part of my life, I know them to be true. My parents told me that they had bowed to a portrait of Chairman Mao at their wedding, a must for any wedding process of the time. The gifts they received were mostly wash basins and thermal flasks, several of which remained unused till I was a teenager. Getting married was a lot cheaper 40 years ago, but today it can be a very expensive proposition. The must-have list runs from an apartment and a car to a luxury banquet with all the trimmings, including cameramen, wardrobe assistants and fancy decorations. Two months ago I saw a fleet of two dozen Mercedes, all white, roll down the street past my neighborhood, the bouquets and balloons on them certainly said “wedding.” But not everyone has such expensive taste. When my brother got married, he and his wife simply arranged a dinner for the two families, with the bride and groom appearing in T-shirts! One of the elders, a bit embarrassed, asked why they didnt wear suits, and the reply was: “Dont we look neat and clean?” They are still a happy couple three years down the road.

Zhang Ning

Zhejiang Province, China

With the global economy weak and the number of college graduateshigh, China has tried everything possible to provide jobs to its youth. One of the solutions was to create administrative positions within rural village committees for college graduates. Though it was designed with all the best intentions, I wonder if the 20-somethings can cope with rural realities, or do any real good for its residents.This is because many have little life experience other than a few years on campus being shepherded by their attentive parents. A higher education is not all that is needed to make the right decisions, particularly in an unfamiliar environment.

Mu Lianke

Beijing, China

In honor ofthe 60th anniversary of the Peoples Republic, theres an excessive number of new military-themed dramas hitting the TV screen. But some are so poorly produced that my family often cant help but laugh when they watch. In an apparent effort to add a human touch to the revolutionary stories, the directors lavishly seasoned their plots with romance and other elements that they think might appeal to todays viewers. But it often seems our soldiers and officers were so sentimental and distracted by their love affairs that they barely have time to spare a thought for their military duties. Not to mention that it is always amusing to see the actors playing plump paupers and peasants in new clothes.

Min Tong

Jiangxi Province, China

Good on China in its progress in developing electric cars to combat pollution.I would like to congratulate all the politicians in China who I know are trying their best to fix the pollution problems facing China today, but more needs to be done in this respect.

New Zealand is predominantly a service and farming nation, but it has been clever to embrace small business.

I believe China can do the same for its serious unemployment problem. The Chinese government should support grassroots technical institutes to teach students careers in various trades. These institutes should get older people who are retired to tutor younger people in all the ropes of the trade that they study.

Neville Kwok

Auckland, New Zealand

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