The Chinese Dream, My Dream

By TANG SHUBIAO

China is a domicile for all dreams. Among those that can testify to this are J ie Hongyun， whose status as farmer changed to that of permanent resident of Zhongshan City through urbanization reform； Yin He， who voluntarily embarked on a career in Tibet； Wu Xiaolin， two-time earthquake survivor； and Li Shouwei who， with help from the government， rebuilt a local mosque.

China also affords space for expatriates to achieve their dreams. Anton Lustig， a Dutch artist and linguist， has been teaching children of the J ingpo ethnic minority in the frontier province of Yunnan for the past 20 years. He introduces them to artistic concepts and nurtures self-confidence and creativity in these young hearts. Lustig refers to his dream simply as “doing my bit for my second hometown.”

Intent on building a platform for exchanges among artists around the world， Stefanie Thiedig from Germany founded Kulturgut， a multi-language website， in Beijing five years ago. She says of her home away from home， “I have a freer work environment here than back in Germany.”

This issues Special Report gives accounts of dreams that have become reality for 17 individuals of different nationalities， ethnicities， religious beliefs and life experience. The diverse aspirations in life that they cherish are building blocks that constitute the bigger picture of the Chinese Dream.

Everyone has the right to dreams and， more important， the right to make them come true. This is the Chinese Dream in a nutshell.