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Disability Care in China
In China the number of people with disability comprise of 42.77 million men and 40.19 million women. 25.96% of them reside in urban areas while 75.04% live in the rural areas. The number of people with disability in China is as follow:
Visual disability – 14.86% (12.33 million)
Hearing disability – 24.16% (20.04 million)
Speech disability –1.53% (1.27 million)
Physical disability – 29.07% (24.12 million)
Intellectual disability – 6.68% (5.54 million)
Mental disability – 7.40% (6.14 million)
Multiple disabilities – 16.30% (13.52 million)
The quality of disability care and attitude towards disability in China reflects the gradual increase in social acceptance among its citizens. The shift in the language used to describe disabled people is an indication of improvement in social attitudes of the people. Prior to the year 1980, disabled were referred by the discriminatory terms “can fei” which means handicapped and useless and “can ji” which translate to “disabled and sick” or deformed. The active advocacy of disability support groups created a fundamental change in the term used to describe people with disability. Today, the term “can jiren” meaning “disabled persons” or persons with disabilities” is commonly used by the official Chinese documentation and the general public.
The low acceptance of people with disability in China can be traced back in mainstream Chinese Buddhism. They have a belief that disability is a punishment for sins in the previous life. Buddhist often believes that a disabled person must have been a thief, rapist or a murderer. National strength is very important in China. The Maternal and Infant Health Law of 1995 instituted checks on the health of potential parents before marriage. The law encourage the abortion of ‘deformed children’ if detected in the womb. It also supports the voluntary sterilisation of people with disability.
China is one of the countries with a wide ranging protection of the civil rights of people with disability. In 1990 the Laws on the Protection of Persons with Disabilities was introduced in China. People with disabilities is defined by the law as people who suffer from abnormalities of loss of a certain organ or function, psychologically or physiologically, or in anatomical structure and has lost wholly or in part the ability to perform an activity in the way considered, “normal.”The laws guarantee education, employment, welfare and access to its disabled citizens. The government is doing constructive administrative and legislative actions with the help of disability organisations. These actions improved the living conditions and social status of disabled people in China.
Despite the wide coverage of the law, China makes little concessions to people with disability. There is a gap between law and practice. The problem stems from institutional aspects of the government. In reality, the Chinese government barely took an interest in its disabled citizen save from disability support groups that deal with specific conditions. The China Disabled Persons’ Federation which is a quasi-government organisation is the leader in disability care in China. This activist movement is driven by people with disability themselves. CDPF provides rehabilitation services through rehabilitation centres and Community-Based Rehabilitation initiatives. Despite the government initiatives people with disabilities still remain a vulnerable group of citizens in the country. There is still a great deal to do realize full acceptance, equality and participation of disable people in China.
The promise of the law goes unfulfilled across the country. The law mandates that children with special needs are entitled to proper education. Yet twenty-eight percent of disabled children cannot access basic education.Human Rights Watch reported in 2013 that there is a lack of access to education outside the large cities. Most of China’s disabled population live in the rural areas resulting in 43% illiteracy rate among people with disability. Handicap International reported that only a third of the disabled population receives the services they need and only 55% gets assistive devices such as prosthetics, walkers or adapted software.
Access to education is a major problem in China. The 28% of the disabled children cannot access basic education. Disabled students who graduated from high school are traditionally barred from attending regular universities. The competitive national college entrance exam only became accessible to the blind in 2014. Students who passed the exam may be barred from universities if they fail the physical fitness test. The issue on education affects the employment rate of disabled people. Only 40% of people with disability are employed. 64% of them are male and 36% of them are female. Most employed blind Chinese are massage therapists because it is the only career open to them.
People in wheelchairs are experiencing accessibility issues in public places and restaurants even in large cities. Although there is a disabled accessibility requirement for new buildings, older buildings are not mandated to follow. Wheel chair access is a challenge particularly in rural areas where houses have thresholds to keep the devils out. Most Chinese citizens have no idea of the importance of accessibility and how it can benefit people with disabilities. There is also a lack of public knowledge regarding how to make places accessible to people with disabilities.
The care for children with disabilities is the primary responsibility of the parents. Most parents are experiencing discrimination from outsiders because of their children’s situation. The cost of raising a child with disability is more expensive compared with normal children. The cost ranges from 16,500 RMB for children with physical disability and 6,400 RMB more for children with mental disability. This results in families spending more money on caring and medical cost and less on education and clothing. Carers of children with disabilities are reporting higher levels of stress due to meeting the children’s daily needs.
Improving the disability care for people with disabilities in China involves multi-pronged approach. It needs the government working hand in hand with the people to succeed. Disabled people need to be educated about their human and legal rights. Social movement advocating policy change is needed to change the public attitude towards people with disabilities.
Online Sex in China
Internet prostitution or online sex is illegal in China. That being said, crime gangs exploit cam girls and sex workers into toiling in this line of work. To steer clear from the Chinese police, these syndicates force their girls to use fake IDs and online identities to show at least that they are of legal age. This is also to get round of strict prostitution and pornography laws in the country. Interestingly, there are reported sex workers who undergo plastic surgeries to make them look more appealing and attractive.
The burgeoning of social networking apps and sites like WeChat and Weibo allowed online prostitutes to reach a broader target market. More so, crime syndicates utilize the social media in recruiting new workers for this sex trade.
Online Sex and Social Media
A year ago, the International Business Times reported that the Chinese authorities are cracking down social media accounts of prostitutes in WeChat and Weibo. This measure is meant to suppress prostitution rings that are being advertised on these websites and applications. The said step sparked mixed emotions from Chinese Internet users. Some say that they are baffled that such messaging app can be used as an online brothel.
There are also instances where a prostitute will be ascribed with false characters and recognitions. For example, Qiao Shengyi became popular because of phony identities tagged on her. Shengyi, a sex worker, claimed she was a famous model and a former beauty queen. Because of these pretences, her rates ballooned and she was able to inveigle clients with deep pockets.
Some online dating sites in China also operated as prostitution rings. Online censors in the country shut down dating sites because these sites allow its users to create false accounts and post lewd and bawdy images.
Masking Cybersex in China
Even China’s leading sites are used by prostitutes in promoting online sex in China. In fact, Taobao.com, the country’s biggest online shopping and auction site (pretty much like Amazon and eBay), was discovered to have been misused by some users. According to reports, sex deals are now available in Taobao. For instance, once you typed “selling spare time” or “conversation companion” in the site’s search bar, you will be shown with online stores that use images of actual people as their selling point.
Despite the continuous efforts of the Chinese authorities in cracking down the cyber sex industry and in censoring the Chinese Internet, it seems that sex workers and crime syndicates still have the upper hand on this matter.
China: A Country of Icons
China is a country known for its power and reach. It is not surprising to see their products arrive overseas making them relatively easy to acquire today. Some countries today even have their very own little Chinatown which is considered to be a name described for an urban region that contains a large population of Chinese people or a large number of Chinese businesses within a non-Chinese society. This is where people will be able to find their fair share products in the local community. People often identify China with the country’s icons. Let us look at some of them below and see how far they have come.
People will not be finding any shortage of icons that helps symbolize and represent the country. Icons such as the Chinese national flag, the Great Wall of China, the entombed warriors & others symbols of China are used often making them very much recognizable to a huge number of individuals in the present. Are these icons, and their representations, promotional products for China?
Well before we answer the question, it should be noted that each and every one of these icons has its own meaning behind them. For instance, the Chinese Dragon icon is the symbol of China’s feudal monarchy. What it represents is the emperor’s power during the years of China’s feudal system while at the same time is also sign of auspiciousness and wealth among the people. On the other hand, the Giant Panda is considered to be the national animal of China. A native to central and southern China, the giant pandas are known its large, distinctive black patches around the eyes, ears and on its rotund body. It is popular to both children and adults making it a famous icon of the country.
Another popular icon is the China’s national flag itself. Adopted in 1949, the Flags of People’s Republic of China is known for its red and yellow colors. The spirit of the revolution symbolizes the red color while the unity of the people of China under the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party is what the five stars signify.
China has a number of monuments and structures but not as iconic as The Great Wall of China which is considered to be the pride of the Chinese people. Known as the world’s longest man-made structure, the Great Wall was built between 5th and 17th century BC in an effort to protect the northern borders of the Chinese Empire during the rule of successive dynasties. Due to its huge popularity, many are even saying that you can see the Great Wall of China in space. Regardless if this is true or not, this fine structure is indeed worthy of the praise it has been receiving even today.
China’s icon also stretches with their national costume or dress. Cheongsam is what Chinese often wears while on the other hand, the females wear Qipao. The nation’s geographical, cultural and political identity is expressed with these National costumes that are made popular today.
To answer the question earlier, yes companies can use these icons and their representations as promotional products in for China. As long as the items that are being sold will not tarnish the good reputation of the country or perhaps provide a negative feedback.
Family Planning in China
During the 1980s, the Chinese government enforced the infamous one-child policy which is conceived as vitally important to the social and economic aspects of the communist nation. For decades, human rights activists have been pushing for the deregulation of the
There were also cases of infanticide, kidnappings and forced
said policy, with some saying that it is as if the Communist Party had also owned the wombs of its citizens. That being said, the government has rebutted that if the one-child policy was not introduced, there would be an additional 400 million in the country’s growing population.
The results of the policy were harrowing. The Diplomat reported that there were around 70,000 children being sold on the black market each year. There were also cases of infanticide, kidnappings and forced abortion. In comparison with the abortion in Australia, the National Health and Family Planning Commission said that China performs at least 13 million abortions in a year.
Just last year, The Guardian published in an article that the Chinese government has finally put an end to the one-child policy. Due to gender imbalances that ensued following the implementation of the said policy, a statement put out in China’s official news agency said that “the change in policy is intended to balance the population development and address the challenge of an ageing population.”
Interestingly, there are also rules that were put in place as measures in controlling the population. There were incentives given to couples who will marry or have a child late. In addition, there were sex education, family planning and use of contraception.
Sex Education
Although a relatively new concept in the country, the sex education in China aims to make sure that young Chinese adults will be given complete and thorough information on sex and family planning. Through this, they will be able to come up with a responsible decision regarding sex and contraception.
Contraception
According to US-China Today, China has one of the highest rates of the use of contraception in the world, with 86.4 percent prevalence. This is in contrast with Japan’s 54.3 percent prevalence and the United State’s 78.6 percent.
The Chinese government’s policies on family planning are primarily intended on married women. In fact, sterilisation has 28.7 percent rate of use while intrauterine devices (IUDs) have 40.6 percent rate of use.
Even with a relaxed one-child policy in the form of two-child policy, the billion-people nation is actively promoting family planning methods in order to control the growth of its population, decrease gender imbalances, and lessen the ratio between its ageing citizens and its workforce.
The Ancient Chinese Art of Prophecy
No one knows when it all started, but men have been quite interested with what lies ahead. Fortune telling or divination, involves hundred of methods for which some can be traced as early as 4000 B.C. In fact, there are proofs that forms of divination were practiced in ancient China, Egypt and Babylon. Dreams of prophets and visions of oracles have played a significant role in ancient medicine and religion.
In China, conferring with alchemists and fortune tellers is a part of their culture. In fact, Chinese fortune tellers aided their leaders in making decisions. The Chinese also strongly believe in predestination and things that can bring luck or ward off misfortunes. At some point in the 2nd century B.C., fortune tellers use the texts of Li Hsu-chung. Aside from birthdates, clairvoyants use a person’s facial features, fortune sticks and the palms as the bases in divination.
Fortune Telling Industry
Fortune telling has different types and levels. As a matter of fact, advanced fortune tellers are allowed to hold important government positions or prominent social standing. Government officials, bosses of big industries and wealthy families seek advice or assistance from fortune tellers. For instance, some politicians in Taiwan consider fortune tellers as their most trusted scholarly and political counsellors. The Kuomintang Party (KMT) is said to have been counselled by fortune tellers during the 2008 presidential elections. Jin-pyng Wang was also “advised” by a clairvoyant that he will make a “fine presidential candidate” while Premier Den-yih Wuh was envisaged by a seer that he has an “emperor’s destiny.”
Due to the widespread belief in fortune telling, there are people who use this as a means of scamming people. The Associated Press reported that a New Yorker was ripped-off with $700,000 by a fortune teller. The man consulted the psychic for a love advice. On the process, the New Yorker made several payments to get rid of the negativities that are keeping him away from the woman he loves. The expenses, according to the seer, will be used in building a bridge to confine the evil spirits and in cleansing of sins.
There are also those who do harm when given “wrong” advices by psychics. In Hong Kong, a businessman set on fire the office of the fortune teller he consulted for counsel. The guidance given to the businessman did not work but only resulted to harming his business and family.
Chiropractic Comes to China
When the Beijing Olympics was held in 2008, the U.S. Olympic health care team sent 62 medical and allied health professionals to look after their Olympic delegates. Part of the 62-man team was four chiropractors. It is also reported that other Western countries included chiropractors and therapists on their medical teams. Will the arrival of these Western chiropractors see more Chinese people embrace this form of treatment?
Currently, there are a few chiropractors that can be traced at key Chinese cities such as Beijing and Shanghai. Their number is quite few considering that the billion-people nation is a good market for chiro practice.
Chiropractic Care One Step at a Time
With only a handful of licensed chiropractors working in China, the country presents a great opportunity for chiropractors. In order to bring the practice to the country, Dr. Corey Rodnick decided to start small. He first introduced chiropractic in Zigong, Sichuan. With over 6 million people, Zigong is teeming with industrial facilities, mining operations, learning institutions and vast enterprises. With the population growing at an expeditious rate, the city’s hospitals are in need of health care providers and professionals. In response to this demand, Dr. Rodnick proposed to the Chinese government that chiropractic be included in the services that hospitals in Zigong provide. After eight years, his efforts paid off. The city is now looking for chiropractors who will work in their hospitals.
Like Dr. Rodnick, Dr. Lee Atkinson also felt that China should be introduced to chiropractic care. After working for 30 years in Michigan, Dr. Atkinson went to Sichuan to start her chiropractic care practice. The opportunity allowed her to present the wonders of natural and drugless healing to Chinese doctors who had no idea about chiropractic care and what it does to our bodies. Her takeaways in this experience are the fulfillments chiropractic care brings when rendering services that will help alleviate the pain of patients without unnecessary surgeries and harmful drugs.
For those who wish to bring chiropractic care to countries where it isn’t accessible yet, Dr. Atkinson suggests to know more about the culture of the country or place, look into the living conditions, study the language and assess yourselves whether or not you can live with the food or climate.
As chiropractic care starts to become available in some parts of China, everyone, regardless of social status, can now manage their pain without heavily relying on drugs or surgeries.
Entrepreneurial Leadership in China
The first great entrepreneurial leader in China was Deng Xiaoping. From 1978 until 1989 he led China through a number of envelope stretching market economy reforms. The China we know today, which is on the brink of becoming the biggest economy in the world, is a direct result of those Deng led reforms. Communism/socialism, as we know it, does not work as a market economy and changes had to be made to the system established by Mao Zedong. Deng studied in France in the 1920s and returned to China prior to the revolution; he was a veteran of the Long March.
Entrepreneurial Leadership in China
Deng began something, which has been continued by a succession of Chinese leaders, to move that populous nation into a world economic super power. Chinese people around the world have been known for their industriousness and economic networking. This nascent energy and motivation of the Chinese people, domestically and abroad, has been channelled by the leaders of a socialist state to allow China to flourish economically, and to avoid what happened in the Soviet Union. Leadership development was vital for China to move forward into the twenty first century. Political systems and management systems that get stuck in genuflecting to the past rarely survive into the future.
Xi Jinping is continuing that strong entrepreneurial leadership today in China. More market reform is on the agenda, along with crack downs on graft and corruption within China. The political situation in China is far from perfect, but it is a lot better than it once was. There is still a great deal of nepotism and bribery for favours at the top levels of government. This type of corruption exists everywhere, but is particularly prominent within authoritarian regimes like communism. Powerful politburo members protect and favour their family members, often creating dynasties of power.
Wherever there is money there will be corruption and entrepreneurial situations demand investment. China will continue to grow and evolve within as a market economy, and the economic demands will mould it in new directions. The world, including China, is in a relatively low growth phase at the moment and only entrepreneurial skill will get us out of this slow growth. New technologies will continue to feed market demand in the consumer realm. New businesses will emerge out of these continuing technological developments. Governments need to foster growth and not hamper it with unnecessary red tape and backward thinking; China is no exception.
Cantonese People Around the World
Cantonese people can be found in all the major Western cities around the world. New York, London, San Francisco and Sydney are all home to large populations of southern Chinese people. The Cantonese were early pioneers in the great gold rushes in the US and Australia during the nineteenth century. The city of Guangzhou, formerly known as Canton, is the capital of the province of Guangdong; and is the third largest city in China. This large trading port on the Pearl River is an important birthplace of the ancient maritime Silk Road, connecting China to the Middle East.
Cantonese People Around the World
It is this fact that has played a big part in the spread of Cantonese people around the globe. Ships from all over the world docking at Canton/Guangzhou bringing trade in and taking trade out of China. Being one of the great trading centres, it is a portal for the distribution of goods and people. Chinese people are well-known for their hard working characteristics and commitment to family. These family networks have spread all over the globe, establishing links in all the major cities in every country. Wherever there has been money to be made from trade, gold mining and all the associated infrastructure that goes with these material opportunities the Chinese have flourished.
Chinese food, and in particular Cantonese cuisine, has been another major export to the West. Cities like London, Paris, New York, San Francisco, Melbourne all have Chinese restaurants, which have been plying their trade for many decades. Cantonese restaurants were, in some towns and cities, the very first restaurants to be established in these places. Chinese cooks and waiters are now famous as archetypal, or stereotypical, characters in books and movies. Think of the Pink Panther films with Peter Sellers and his Chinese man servant sparring partner. The Cantonese are a big part of the whole hospitality movement, helping to found it as a populous and successful industry. Family restaurants have established Cantonese dynasties in these New World cities.
Cantonese people around the world have been involved in many other types of business, with new migrants happy to work in the adult industry. Sex is another form of hospitality, of course, and the commercial sex industry feeds another of our more basic appetites. Cantonese migrants, who were often single men, were serviced by Cantonese prostitutes run by Cantonese brothel owners. The tight Chinese network, like many other racial networks, kept their expenditure in-house wherever possible. Ghettoes were formed, which became Chinatowns, as we know them today, places full of fine restaurants and even the odd brothel or two.
Guangzhou Gambling Crackdown Nets 6730 Suspects
Cracking down on illegal gambling in China must be like trying to hold the world’s oceans in your two hands; pretty much impossible. The Chinese love to gamble, as I have observed first-hand at many casinos around the place. I have always considered the Chinese to be a culturally pragmatic race; and that if any universal religion were to be identified it would involve the worshipping of money. Which makes them very much like the rest of us here in the West. Of course, these are all generalisations and there are exceptions to every rule.
Guangzhou Gambling Crackdown Nets 6730 Suspects
The fact that a big crackdown on illegal gambling in Guangzhou has netted some 6730 suspects from a two-month long undercover operation by the local police force, speaks as much about the large population of Chinese cities and provinces as it does about their gambling habits. Still, there is no denying that many Chinese people like to have a flutter, to spin the wheel, to throw the dice and bet on the outcome. Most gambling games and games of chance originated in China hundreds of years ago. Games like Mah Jong, Chess and Checkers and card games all had their origin in China.
In fact, these recreational and gambling games were originally used to divine the future. Yes, like tarot cards and the I-Ching today, all of these games were about predicting the future and someone’s fortune. At some time in the past their main purpose evolved from fortune telling to recreational enjoyment; with the added colour of a bet or two or three. The gambling side of these games retains their focus on fortune and chance; which is what life sometimes seems to be about. Luck is a very Chinese concept in itself. May you have good luck in life.
Horse racing betting is a beloved past time of the Chinese, and the racetracks in Hong Kong and other places are famous in the racing realm. To own a racehorse is a high status thing in China, especially. Asian social media is heavily populated with the goings on of famous jockeys, owners and their celebrity friends. Gambling seems to be an opportunity for both rich and poor to spin the wheel of fortune. The Chinese government really just wants its slice of the action, its cut, and will continue to crackdown on illegal gambling wherever it sees these rivers of gold passing them by without their share or taxation.
Ten Things To Do In Canton Province
A visit to a new location is always exciting. Seeing new vista and tourist attractions can be somewhat of an exhilarating experience and the same can also be said when trying out their specialty foods and other related delicacies. If you are heading over the Canton province for a visit, here are ten things you should not miss which can be found in Chinese travel groups today.
- The Pedestrian Street of Shangxiajiu
Considered to be as one of the busiest commercial pedestrian streets in China, the pedestrial street of Shangxiajiu in Liwan District, Guangzhou is 1,218-meter-long street is lined with more than 300 shops. Here, tourists will find a variety of restaurants and food stores having a combination of traditional and modern food as well as Chinese and foreign food.
- The Ancestral Hall of the Chen Clan
Famous for its ornate decoration which is presented inside and outside the halls, the Chen clan ancestral hall is home to the Guangdong Folk Art. Tourists will be able to find trove of Chinese folk arts including large collections of wood carving, stone carving, brick carving, pottery, plaster and iron engraving are seen on the walls, beams, columns, ridges that are available for viewing
- The Pearl River
The Pearl River stands out during the evening when the lighting starts providing a breathtaking night view of the city for good enjoyment. Furthermore, the blaze of neon lights will reflect on the river which makes it great for evening boat tour or perhaps a cruise ride.
- Yuexiu Park
Known as the largest park in the city, its beautiful scenery and its large number of historical relics is what makes this park famous for. This includes the Five-Ram Sculpture, Zhenhai Tower, the site of the Ming Dynasty City Wall, as well as the Square Cannon Site.
- Sacred Heart Cathedral
The Sacred Heart Cathedral provides tourists rich culture and history with it being one of the oldest churches in Guangzhou and the largest of its kind in Southern China. You will find the cathedral on the north bank of the Pearl River.
- Nanyue King’s Tomb Museum
The Western Han Nanyue King’s Tomb Museum is highly recognized for its elegant Han Dynasty architecture while at the same time showcases Guangzhou’s near 2,000-year of rich history. Visitors will find that the tomb is made up of 750 huge stones with colorful murals and is hidden 20 meters (65.6 feet) underground.
- Shamian Island
Dotted with various historical buildings, the Shamian Island is a sandbank island in Liwan District, Guangzhou. Tourists often go to this place to experience its European-style architecture.
- Bright Filial Piety Temple
Considered to be the oldest and largest Buddhist temple in the Lingnan Area, the Bright Filial Piety Temple stands tall at Guangxiao Lu. Many famous Buddhist monks came here to preach religious doctrines, bringing glory to this temple making it hold a special place in Buddhist history
- Qingping Market
Tourists will be able to find a wide variety of Agricultural Complementary Products, Chinese Herbal Medicines as well as Aquatic Products making them a great place to visit for souvenirs.
- Guangzhou Ocean World
Guangzhou Ocean World is home to more than 200 kinds of fish and many other rare ocean creatures which are showcased in a high-tech exhibition hall for sightseeing, entertainment, research and education purposes.