Cover girl's moment in history

On Agugust 1st 1954, a female PLA soldier's photo was published by the newspaper Vlasta of Czechoslovakia on the front page in its coverage of a cultural exchange event between the two countries. The soldier, Tian Hongsheng, in PLA's 1950s style summer uniform and skirt, a chorister from the Ensembles of Song and Dance of the General Political Department of the PLA, was then taking part in a party with the army of Czechoslovakia in a cultural park in Prague. The 1950s style uniform was designed by the General Logistics Department of the PLA in December 1948 and it became popular later among Chinese girls. In the picture, Tian Hongsheng, who cherishes the newspaper even today, wears the Liberation War Badge and the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea Badge on her chest.

Humble start for PLA uniform

When Mao Zedong led 2,000 revolutionary-minded soldiers to a remote section of the Jinggang Mountains 80 years ago to establish a base, the loyal men and other newly recruited followers were hardly dressed to impress.

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Fashionistas flaunt it at top 10 tribute

Threads with links to our past

XI'AN: Zhang Haofu, 47, a resident in Xi'an, capital of Northwest China's Shaanxi Province, has his own way of celebrating the 80th birthday of Chinese People's Liberation Army: holding an exhibition displaying some 100 suits of military uniforms.

Sports China

Hockey fields to click as test runs aim for bull's-eye

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BASEBALL

Shanghai success means nothing: coach

China's gymnastics head coach has rained on the golden parade his team made of last weekend's World Cup Gymnastics meet in Shanghai, pinpointing September's World Championships as the real challenge.

Life

Who's in

Feng shoots for a greener Beijing

Jay of all trades

The word diao sums up Jay Chou's personal philosophy. Asia's hottest pop star thinks diao - Taiwanese slang meaning "cool" or "outrageous" - also means the ability to shock, to go your own way and not to follow others.