Rural Children Enjoy Better Cultural ConditionsChina has made great effort in recent years to offer cultural activities to a large number of children in rural areas who previously had limited access to such entertainment.At present, China has built 41 State-level "cultural gardens" which provide rural children with entertainment facilities, films, books, sports and a means of education. Luo Feiling, a 10 year-old boy from Guizhou, a southwest China province, has been taking singing lessons at the Shawen Town Children's Cultural Garden for four years. "Just like urban children, my son often performs here and there, and he has won some prizes," said Luo's mother. Building "cultural gardens" for rural children is an effort China has made in implementing the "Dandelion Project," which aims to narrow the gap between rural and urban children in enjoying cultural entertainment, said Chen Qilin, an official with the Ministry of Culture. The "Dandelion Project," a program for the development of children's cultural activities, was launched by the Ministry of Culture and seven other ministries in 1992. The program is aimed at providing rural children with easy access to cultural activities . China has 360 million children, 80 percent live in rural areas, distant mountainous areas or ethnic minority regions. The youngsters do not have enough places where they can engage in cultural activities. They also read few books, watch few films and have no effective channels to enjoy modern entertainment like those in the urban areas. Chen said that apart from the State-level "cultural gardens," provincial and city governments and grassroots rural authorities have also helped build a large number of cultural gardens, centers and facilities, which provide an opportunity for rural children to touch and experience modern cultural life. |
| People's Daily Online --- http://www.peopledaily.com.cn/english/ |