Faces of China

This is a nation where the "community" is more important than the individual- unless you are in a minority tribe. If you are part of a minority you may keep your traditions and customs, but those tribes live in little tucked away places with no support and no government assistance, but they are (mostly) free of government education and it's policing methods.

Places to shop for clothes and such in a villiage like this are miles and miles away. Hand-me-downs are the norm.
Washing machines are not.

Schooling is handled by the elder women in the village and the children roam around in packs during free time. I saw little individual attention given to the kids but they seemed to be happy and thriving in their little groups. I'm positive if one child was harmed, or cried out in real pain, 15 people would have stepped away from their tasks to check on the one who was hurt.

This is a vastly different way of life for kids who live in the city, dress daily in uniforms, and go to school from 7 or 8 in the morning until 7 or 8 in the evening. 10 to 12 hours of education, not including home work, is not unusual for many Chinese children.

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The Muslim population in China is growing, as is the Christian population, however Communism frowns on both (that's putting it mildly).

I was allowed a rare glimpse into a Muslim Mosque, and an even rarer glimpse of a young boy who was there with his father.

Only the unmarried women in this village were allowed to wear colorful clothes. Once married, the ladies have to settle for something more plain, like brown, or black, or gray.

This was the only disabled person I saw during my trip in China, and while this young man suffers from Down Syndrome, he seemed well fed and cared for. He was in the mountains

and belonged to a minority tribe influenced by a Christan missionary at the turn of the century.

If he had been born in a major city, or perhaps born in a hospital, I don't know if he would have survived. Children who are born blind, or deaf, are considered a drain on the "community" and sent away to underfunded and inadequate schools. It's easy to understand (with that mindset) the sacrifice of mentally handicapped children for the greater good (this is NOT my opinion however).

The little girl who sang the National anthem for the Olympics was not "cute" enough to represent the country...so one can imagine the disgrace and burden of having a child with disabilities.

Sad.

I simply loved something about this little one...she was so joyful!

Tried to hold this little guy- but he wanted nothing to do with me, except he was interested in my camera :)

Chinese Muslim Grandfather and grandson- we had dinner inside their home.
The coming generation in China has a lot to face. The children stand on the shore of the enlightening electronic age as it rushes towards them- with a government of guns and brain washing techniques standing firmly behind them while trying to control the tide. 50 years ago the people of China could be subdued by their government with torture, threats, and the manipulation of the media, but I think it becomes less effective each year as computers and the internet become more widely available. Even so, I realize the Chinese government greatly limits the information coming into, and going out of, the country.

Liberty, freedom, and a realization that each human is special and unique are delicious ideas, but rarely served or encouraged in this Asian nation. However, the Chinese people I met were curious about the lives of those outside their borders, and were gracious, beautiful, and eager to learn English.

Basic human curiosity coupled with an understanding of freedom and the ability to forge one's own path may some day be enough to dissolve the Communist government that exists today, but perhaps not.

Until then, the faces you've seen here, and the people of China you see on TV are under a rule of law which only deems them valuable as part of a group. The individual is not important. Keep that in mind the next time you see the little girl who ACTUALLY sang at the opening ceremonies...ooops-

wait- you probably won't see her to often.

Her face was not the one the Chinese government wanted you to see, and you can be sure she's not the only thing being "edited" for the airwaves.

Special thanks to "Iamnot" for being my inspiration for this post.