From our archives

August, 9 1983

Ethnic Yi's torch festival

More than 1.3 million people of ethnic Yi in Sichuan's Liangshan autonomous prefecture celebrated their traditional torch festival from late July to early August.

During daytime, both young and old in their holiday best, watched bull-fighting, horse-racing, and wrestling and danced in a circle. At nightfall, cheerful songs echoed through villages which were lit by innumerable torches.

In 1982 the prefecture achieved a great harvest, and local people got a 43.4 percent rise in their income.

Preparing to erect patent law

As China's patent law is being examined by the National People's Congress for approval and expected to take effect soon, the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade is now preparing to set up patent agencies for handling IPR-related foreign business under the State Council's authorization.

Meanwhile, patent authorities at all levels are preparing to establish domestic patent agencies to help implement the patent law and protect the legitimate rights and interests of individuals and organizations possessing patent rights.

Requirements for patent agents' posts are demanding, such as college education in science and engineering, foreign language, work experience, knowledge of law and business, and so on.

Farmers donate for developing education

Farmers in Henan province have donated 230 million yuan in the past five years to promote education in rural areas as they realized the importance of scientific and cultural knowledge for agricultural production.

Take Zhoukou prefecture as an example: 80 percent of the 92.8 million yuan it used in building schools during the past five years came from donations.

"Our country is not rich, so we cannot just wait for money from the State to get our children educated," said an active donor Sun Genzhang from Changge county.

(China Daily 08/12/2008 page11)