Agriculture

• 'Grain gain', Economist, 2002, vol. 362, no. 8267, 6-12 April, p. 70.
  The full genomes of two varieties of rice, 'indica' and 'japonica', have been sequenced by, respectively, researchers at the Beijing Genomics Institute and Syngenta, a Swiss-British firm. The sequencing of these genomes should enable researchers to produce new genetically modified high yield strains. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Hoh, Erling 2004, 'Brewing a revolution', Far Eastern Economic Review, vol. 167, no. 25, 24 June, pp. 50-2.
  China is experiencing a tea renaissance as the popularity of the drink has exploded domestically and exports of Chinese teas have increased globally. The article looks at shifts in the consumer pattern in the tea industry in China, highlighting the popularity and price of various types of tea. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Murphy, David 2003, 'Profits grow from feeding the world', Far Eastern Economic Review, vol. 166, no. 50, 18 December, pp. 30-3.
  Reforms in China, which have freed farmers from state directives about what crops to grow, have resulted in a burgeoning rural boom as farmers have turned to cash crops and labour intensive produce such as garlic. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Murphy, David 2002, 'Buried deep down on the farm', Far Eastern Economic Review, vol. 165, no. 17, 2 May, pp. 24-6.
  Farmers under threat and burden in China. Weighed down by low incomes, small profits due to overproduction, an oversupply of rural workers, and the Hukou system that keeps farmers tied to the land, agriculture in China now has to contend with the China's admission into the WTO, and the threat of foreign competition. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Pearce, Fred 2002, 'Reaping the rewards', New Scientist, vol. 173, no. 2328, 2 February, p. 12.
  Fifty genetically modified crop species have now been either used or tested in China, most with great success. Unlike the West, where crops have tended to be engineered to resist herbicides, in China GM crops have targeted insect and disease resistance. [Abstract from Austguide]

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Antiquities

• Allen, Thomas, B 1996, 'The Silk Road's lost world', National Geographic Magazine, vol. 189, no. 3, March, pp. 44-51.
  Archaeological discoveries in the Taklimakan Desert, situated in China's central Asian province of Xinjiang, show that a thriving culture existed along the route of the Silk Road for thousands of years. Numerous mummies have been preserved by the desert sands, along with wooden documents and artifacts. Includes photographs. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Hessler, Peter 2001, 'Rising to life: treasures of ancient China', National Geographic Magazine, vol. 200, no. 4, October, pp. 48-67.
  Recent excavations of the imperial tomb complexes of Qin Shi Huang Di, China's first emperor who ruled from 221-210 BC, and Han Jing Di, the first ruler of the Han dynasty, who reigned from 157-141 BC, have uncovered a vast array of artifacts and life-like sculptures which reflect the power of the emperors and illuminate everyday life in ancient China. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Hessler, Peter 2003, 'The new story of China's ancient past', National Geographic Magazine, vol. 204, no. 1, July, pp. 56-81.
  During the 20th century, important archaeology in China threw light on the little understood and quasi-mythical Shang dynasty which ruled the Yellow River plains from about 1600 to 1045 B.C. The article discusses significant aspects of the history of the recovery of artifacts from the Shang, which has cast light on China's origins. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Mazzatenta, O-Louis 1996, 'China's warriors rise from the earth', National Geographic Magazine, vol. 190, no. 4, October, pp. 68-85.
  Nearly 8,000 clay soldiers and horses have been found in three pits associated with the tomb of Qin Shi Hunag, the first emperor of China. This article describes the excavation of these figures, and their restoration. Includes photographs, diagrams, map. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Mazzatenta, O-Louis 1992, 'A Chinese emperor's army for eternity', National Geographic Magazine, vol. 182, no. 2, August, pp. 114-30.
  More than 2,000 years ago, Han emperor Jing Di took extraordinary measures to ensure his safe passage in the afterlife, as excavation of his burial site reveals. [Abstract from journal]
• Selim, Jocelyn 2004, 'Treasures of the Forbidden City', Discover, vol. 25, no. 4, April, pp. 42-5.
  The Forbidden City in Beijing is the largest palace ever built and during its 63 years occupancy by Emperor Qianlong he built up a treasure trove of Chinese art. Some, photographed here, will soon be on display in an exhibition at the Field Museum in Chicago, an exhibition whose focus will be on one man and one period of Chinese history. [Abstract from Austguide]

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Cities and towns

• Beech, Hannah 2004, 'Shanghai swings!', Time, no. 40, 11 October, pp. 46-57.
  The long slumber is over and Shanghai is grooving to an exuberant global beat. [Abstract from author]
• Carrel, Todd 2000, 'Beijing: new face for the ancient capital', National Geographic Magazine, vol. 197, no. 3, March, pp. 116-37.
  Beijing's booming economy has led to the largest re-development programs in the city's long history which are transforming the cityscape and the traditional lifestyle of its inhabitants. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Dolven, Ben 2003, 'Building it - but will they come?', Far Eastern Economic Review, vol. 166, no. 35, 4 September, pp. 28-30.
  Chongqing, a city located deep in China's heartland on the Yangtze river, is making a bid to rival Shanghai as a business and export centre, through a series of projects, such as railways, canals, airports, energy and supply networks to develop its infrastructure and connecting local provinces with a population of 280 million to the Pacific. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Dolven, Ben 2003, 'My city: in search of Shanghai', Far Eastern Economic Review, vol. 51, no. 166, 25 December-1 January, pp. 114.
  A Shanghai journalist laments the loss of his city's architectural history, along with a sense of permanency which has been replaced by a feel of ceaseless change. [Abstract from Austguide]
• 'Garden of peace in a city of silk', Business Review Weekly, 1995, vol. 17, no. 7, 27 February, pp. 99-100.
  Suzhou, located 86 kilometres west of Shanghai, has been one of China's most famous silk centres since ancient times. This article promotes Suzhou as a tourist destination. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Gluckman, Ron; Mo, Crystyl 2001, 'Lights, culture, action', Asiaweek, vol. 27, no. 12, 30 March-6 April., pp. 40-7.
  Its decadent culture once clashed with Maoist principles, but after years of decay and neglect the city of Shanghai is rediscovering its remarkable history. [Abstract from journal]

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Environmental policies

• Becker, Jasper 2004, 'China's growing pains', National Geographic Magazine, vol. 205, no. 3, March, pp. 68-95.
  Rapid economic development in China over the past decade has resulted in many environmental problems some of which are huge in magnitude. The article looks at this and how, in recent years, the central government has begun to introduce better environmental legislation and strike a balance between development and growth and protection of the environment. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Kattoulas, Velisarios 2001, 'Witnesses to a crisis', Far Eastern Economic Review, vol. 164, no. 38, 27 September, pp. 62-6.
  A generation which, under Mao, changed the face of China in the 1950s and 60s, damming rivers and clearing land in the name of progress, is now having to come to terms with the vast environmental devastation caused by their actions. [Abstract from Austguide]

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Ethnology

• Allen, Thomas, B 1996, 'Xinjiang', National Geographic Magazine, vol. 189, no. 3, March, pp. 2-43.
  Xinjiang is an autonomous province in the west of China which borders seven countries. Although most people in the region are Turkic-speaking Muslims, there are numerous ethnic groups, religions and cultures. The article looks at this region, its history and people and its economic development. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Diamond, Jared 1996, 'Empire of uniformity', Discover, vol. 17, no. 3, March, pp. 78-85.
  The United States and other large populous states such as Russia and Indonesia are melting pots of people and languages. China is not; today it appears politically, culturally and linguistically monolithic. The article looks at the reasons for this, discussing the early history of people and languages in Asia, and the steamroller effect of China in the area. Includes photographs, maps. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Goldstein, Melvyn; Beall, Cynthia 1989, 'The remote world of Tibet's nomads', National Geographic Magazine, vol. 175, no. 6, June, pp. 752-81.
  On a bleak, windswept plateau in western China, one of the last great nomadic societies on earth survives as herders of yaks, sheep, and goats. Living for sixteen months with these Tibetan nomads - who endured years of forced settlement in communes - anthropologists Melvyn Goldstein and Cynthia Bell found traditional ways reviving. [Abstract from journal]
• Vriens, Hans 1994, 'Hearts of stone', Geographical, vol. 66, no. 3, March, pp. 36-41.
  A look at the unconventional lifestyle of the Hui-An women of southeast China, who each day lug huge chunks of granite from the rock face to the surface, while men do the less strenuous work of cutting and sculpting the rock. Includes photographs. [Abstract from Austguide]

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Exploration/Marco Polo

• Edwards, Mike 2001, 'In China: Marco Polo, part II', National Geographic Magazine, vol. 199, no. 6, June, pp. 20-45.
  This article, part two of a three part series, looks at the seventeen years Marco Polo spent in China between 1274 and 1291, many of them as a trusted emissary of Kublai Khan which enabled him to travel the country quite extensively. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Spence, Jonathan 1996, 'Marco Polo: fact or fiction?', Far Eastern Economic Review, vol. 159, no. 34, 22 August, pp. 36-41.
  Frances Wood, head of the Chinese department at the British museum, has unleashed a storm of controversy with her book, 'Did Marco Polo go to China?', which questions whether the 13th century traveller went where he claimed he did. The article examines Wood's thesis, the controversy, and interviews with a Chinese academic who emphatically refutes Wood's doubts. Includes photographs, diagrams, map. [Abstract from Austguide]

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Geography

• Schmidt, Jeremy 2000, 'Journey to Shipton's lost arch', National Geographic Magazine, vol. 198, no. 6, December, pp. 110-25.
  Fifty years ago the British explorer and diplomat, Eric Shipton, described a unique and massive natural archway in the rugged mountains of Xinjiang province in far western China. Here the author describes an expedition which located and climbed the arch described by Shipton. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Waltham, Tony; Smart, Peter 1986, 'Under China's karst lands', Geographical Magazine, vol. 58, no. 4, April, pp. 177-81.
  Southern China has the most extensive karst in the world. Quite apart from the current enthusiasm for China studies, this alone is enough to make the area special to the karst geomorphologist. But in addition to its sheer size, the Chinese karst has a unique range of landforms, including the huge karst plateau of Guizhou and the famous towers of Guangxi. [Abstract from author]
• Webster, Donovan 2002, 'Alashan: China's unknown Gobi', National Geographic Magazine, vol. 201, no. 1, January, pp. 48-75.
  The Alashan Plateau, situated in the Gobi Desert, is one of the remotest and sparsely inhabited places on Earth. Here the author describes the harsh environment of the plateau, which is dominated by massive sand dunes, and discusses the ever increasing desertification of the area and aspects of human habitation, both historical and contemporary, in the region. [Abstract from Austguide]

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Historic buildings and sites

• Dolven, Ben 2002, 'Shanghai's new old homesteads', Far Eastern Economic Review, vol. 165, no. 2, 17 January, pp. 58-61.
  The cultural revolution saw thousands of historic homes in Shanghai seized by the government. Fuelled by demand from wealthy buyers, these gracious homes, mostly built during the city's colonial heyday, are being refurbished and bringing new life to the few remaining historic districts. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Gartenstein, Larry 1995, 'Battling for Buddhas: class act to save China's ancient grottoes', Geo, vol. 17, no. 2, March-April, pp. 34-44.
  This article looks at what China is doing to preserve some of the country's greatest ancient treasures - Buddhist grottoes. These grottoes are usually carved out of the sides of mountains and house some of the best Buddhist sculpture and paintings in the world. Includes photographs, map. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Hessler, Peter 2003, 'Chasing the Wall', National Geographic Magazine, vol. 203, no. 1, January, pp. 2-33.
  Over the centuries different Chinese dynasties built not one wall but a vast network of walls designed to keep foreigners out. Here the author relates his experiences following various sections of these walls and discusses the history of China's walls, as well as their symbolic, social and political importance. [Abstract from Austguide]

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History

• Edwards, Mike 2004, 'Han', National Geographic Magazine, vol. 205, no. 2, February, pp. 2-29.
  A discussion of the Han dynasty which, although it lasted only four centuries between 206 B.C. to 220 A.D, left an indelible mark on China's culture. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Hessler, Peter 2001, 'Rising to life: treasures of ancient China', National Geographic Magazine, vol. 200, no. 4, October, pp. 48-67.
  Recent excavations of the imperial tomb complexes of Qin Shi Huang Di, China's first emperor who ruled from 221-210 BC, and Han Jing Di, the first ruler of the Han dynasty, who reigned from 157-141 BC, have uncovered a vast array of artifacts and life-like sculptures which reflect the power of the emperors and illuminate everyday life in ancient China. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Hoh, Erling 1999, 'The Chinese puzzle', Geographical Magazine, vol. 71, no. 8, August, pp. 52-7.
  An Australian, David Harris, is searching for evidence that Roman soldiers moved into the present province of Gansu in northern China during the last century before Christ, and that their descendents still live in the area. The article outlines one suggestion of how the Romans came to move into China and take part in a war against the Huns. Includes photographs, maps. Includes photographs, maps. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Iyer, Pico 1998, 'The unknown rebel', Time Australia, no. 15, 13 April, pp. 120-2.
  This essay, the last in a series of twenty on the twentieth century's great leaders and revolutionaries, concerns the man who became famous around the world for solely confronting the tanks of the People's Liberation Army as they entered Tiananmen Square in 1989. This article discusses the symbolic importance of this action. Includes photographs. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Spence, Jonathan 1999, 'Asian millenium: paradise lost', Far Eastern Economic Review, vol. 162, no. 15, 15 April, pp. 40-4.
  This article gives a very brief description of China's history throughout this millennium. Starting with the wonders of the Song dynasty, then the Ming dynasty, the Taiping rebellion, the Manchau dynasty and western influences, right up to the civil war of 1945-49 and to present day China. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Wehrfritz, George 1996, 'Memories of chaos', Bulletin, vol. 116, no. 6019, 7 May, pp. 56-61.
  It is now thirty years since Mao Zedong ignited the infamous Cultural Revolution that brought China to the brink of ruin and anarchy. In spite of Deng Xiaoping's reforms, many in China revere Mao, creating some fear among present leaders. This article discusses the Revolution, why so many answered Mao's call, and whether those forces could again be unleashed. Includes photographs. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Zhou, D-R 1997, 'The 5th column: China's three encounters', Far Eastern Economic Review, vol. 160, no. 43, 23 October, p. 32.
  In the last 1,300 years, China has had three encounters with the rest of the world that have wrought profound changes in its society. The first saw encounters with foreign traders travelling the Silk Road, the second saw China losing encounters with Britain in the mid 1800s, but the third, Deng Xiaoping's reforms, were the most dramatic. Includes photograph. [Abstract from Austguide]

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Politics and government

• Gilley, Bruce 2001, 'Under a shadow', Far Eastern Economic Review, vol. 164, no. 36, 13 September, pp. 64-7.
  Kitsch images of Mao Zedong have turned him into a seemingly harmless historical oddity, but his influence remains within the modernizing society as the system of rule and ideology he left behind is maintained by the ruling Party. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Kuhn, Anthony 2004, 'Not forgotten, not forgiven', Far Eastern Economic Review, vol. 167, no. 22, 3 June, pp. 30-3.
  An account of the democracy movement in China, that was violently crushed by the Tiananmen square massacre, and a discussion of the contemporary democracy movement and many of the current activists who are creating reform from within the system. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Leys, Simon 1996, 'The 'dummies' talk back (June 15, 1989)', Far Eastern Economic Review, 50th Anniversary Issue 1996 , pp. 112-13.
  The Tiananmen demonstrations will go down in 20th century Chinese history as one of the most momentous events. With all other avenues of expression barred to them, thousands of people spontaneously gathered to protest against the government, and how the authorities reacted merely reinforces the fact that the government has alienated itself from the people. Includes photograph. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Mackerras, Colin 1999, 'Rethinking the role of Mao Zedong', Agora, vol. 34, no. 1, , 1999, pp. 37-41.
  Mao Zedong (1893 - 1976) is probably the most famous Chinese of the twentieth century. All agree that he played a very influential role in the history of China but the evaluation of that role has undergone very substantial change, especially in China itself. [Abstract from author]
• 'Where are they now?', Economist, 2004, vol. 371, no. 8378, 5-11 June, pp. 25-6.
  Fifteen years after the Tiananmen massacre, the subject of political reform in general and the democratic movement in particular, which was so ruthlessly suppressed in 1989, are taboo - in spite of an apparent awareness within some elements of the Communist party that eventually political reforms of some sort will have to be introduced. [Abstract from Austguide]

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Social conditions

• Beech, Hannah 2004, 'The exile and the entrepreneur', Time Australia, no. 22, 7 June, pp. 30-6.
  A report on two cousins, Wang Dan, a political dissident involved in the democratic protests at Tiananmen Square who was imprisoned by the Chinese authorities until 1998 and now studies in America, and Wang Lichao, a successful businessmen in China, comparing their lives as a way of examining the changes China has undergone in the past fifteen years. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Elegant, Robert 2004, 'China today through Shanghai eyes', Quadrant, vol. 48, no. 4, April, pp. 51-8.
  A wide-ranging commentary on social, economic and political developments in China which describes a number of initiatives and building projects, new and old shopping precincts and recent trends and developments in Shanghai. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Lawrence, Susan, V 2003, 'Untying the knot', Far Eastern Economic Review, vol. 166, no. 36, 11 September, pp. 30-1.
  China is relaxing marriage laws which have forced individuals to obtain permission to marry from employers and the state for the past half century. While the new laws will give people greater flexibility in finding partners, the state will retain an interest in procreation, with marriage still requiring medical certificates. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Reyes, Alejandro 2001, 'The next long march', Asiaweek, vol. 27, no. 12, 30 March-6 April, pp. 28-35.
  China's entry into the World Trade Organization will bring about profound changes. The first effects will be felt in its showcase city, Shanghai. [Abstract from journal]
• Terrill, Ross 'China's youth wait for tomorrow', National Geographic Magazine, vol. 180, no. 1, July, pp. 110-136.
  Although intimidated by Tiananmen Square and its aftermath, the young people of China continue to dream of freedom and a better life. [Abstract from journal]
• Wu'er, Kaixi 2004, 'The 5th column: let us come home', Far Eastern Economic Review, vol. 167, no. 5, 5 February, p. 21.
  The author, one of those student leaders exiled from China following Tiananmen Square in 1989, believes China's problems - unemployment, banking reform - and its relations with democracy movements in Taiwan and Hong Kong will not be solved at the point of a gun and asks that his generation may return home to engage in dialogue to solve these problems. [Abstract from Austguide]

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Social life and customs

• Hessler, Peter 2001, 'Soldiers of strange fortune', Far Eastern Economic Review, vol. 164, no. 27, 12 July, p. 52.
  The Yangtze porters, or 'stick-stick soldiers', work in the Yangtze river towns of China's Sichuan province, carrying goods from the ports with rope and staves of bamboo around their shoulders. They have inspired a range of television programs and films and are an example of China's growing interest in regional culture. [Abstract from Austguide]
• 'Making a splash', Far Eastern Economic Review, 2002, vol. 165, no. 51, 26 December, pp. 116-17.
  Bathhouses in Beijing, long the traditional way to relax and heat up after a long days work, have returned after losing popularity through the introduction of private baths in homes. This article looks at the comeback of the bathhouse and how new businesses are luring a new type of customer. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Winchester, Simon 2000, 'Black Dragon River: on the edge of empires', National Geographic Magazine, vol. 197, no. 2, February, pp. 2-33.
  The Chinese call it the Black Dragon River, the Russians, the Amur, because this river, the eighth longest in the world, divides the two vastly differing empires between Inner Mongolia and the north Pacific. The article describes the conditions of life on each side of the river, with the Russian impoverished and corrupt, the Chinese rich and assertive. [Abstract from Austguide]

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Three Gorges Dam/Yangtze River

• McCarthy, Terry 1998, 'The pulse of China', Time Australia, no. 26, 29 June, pp. 33-7.
  The river Yangtze flows through the heart of China for thousands of kilometres and here the author describes a voyage down the Yangtze from Yibin to Shanghai, during which he talks to people about their fortunes, using the river as an allegory for the profound changes sweeping through China. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Pearce, Fred 2003, 'Replumbing the planet', New Scientist, vol. 178, no. 2398, 7 June, pp. 30-4.
  An examination of a number of extremely large water related engineering projects that have been slated around the world, including one in China to redirect massive amounts of water from the Yangtze in the south to the Yellow river in the north, which discusses the supposed benefits of the projects and their potential ecological and environmental costs. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Schmidt, Jeremy 1997, 'China's big dam brings a flood of fears', Geo, vol. 19, no. 2, March-April, pp. 30-40.
  China's Three Gorges Dam, which is built on the Yangtze River, meant the displacement of over one million people and as construction on the dam increased more and more people, both inside and outside of China, expressed concerns about the human and environmental impact of the project. Includes photographs, map. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Walsh, Max 2002, Bulletin, vol. 120, no. 6355, 17 December, p. 20.
  China's Three Gorges Dam will become the single biggest electric producer in the world, supplying the Sichuan province with massive power, while a system of locks will allow ocean-going ships to travel 2,500 km inland, opening up new labour markets; China's quickly expanding economy will produce additional markets for Australian commodity exports. [Abstract from Austguide]

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Wildlife conservation

• Hare, John 2000, 'Seeking sanctuary', Geographical Magazine, vol. 72, no. 3, March, pp. 41-6.
  The author relates details and experiences of an expedition into the desolate Gushun Gobi desert in China, one of the most inhospitable areas of the world, to track and count the elusive and highly-endangered wild Bactrian camel. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Jin, Justin 2000, 'The bear necessities', Geographical Magazine, vol. 72, no. 10, October, pp. 26-9.
  The giant panda, found only in China, is seriously endangered, with numbers dwindling fast. Scientists are using artificial insemination to increase the numbers and this photojournalist provides photographs with extended captions to describe the giant panda breeding at the Chengdu Research Base in Sichuan Province. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Laidler, Keith 1994, 'Bamboo backlash for the giant panda', Geo, vol. 16, no. 5, September-October, pp. 52-62.
  The giant panda has a specialised diet of bamboo which it digests so inefficiently that it must eat sixteen hours a day for its basic metabolic requirements. It can also eat meat. the giant panda is an endangered animal largely because it is divided into groups of tiny 'island' populations. The article gives other details of the panda's lifestyle and endangered status. Includes photographs. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Wenshi, Pan 1995, 'New hope for China's giant pandas', National Geographic Magazine, vol. 187, no. 2, February, pp. 100-15.
  The author outlines the work that researchers from Beijing University are carrying out on giant pandas in the reserve set aside for their protection in Shaanxi Province. Pandas are being born in this reserve and this has increased hopes that the program designed to ensure the panda's survival may be successful. Includes photographs, maps. [Abstract from Austguide]

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