- Chairman Mao, 1953

Picture the Chinese student. What do you see in your mind's eye? Many who know of them only through second-hand reports envision Chinese students as overachieving yet homogenous drones, destined to lead with their heads but not much heart. Even expat eyewitnesses of daily student mass migrations at lunch and dinnertime find it easy to lump them together. They wear the same baggy gym suits, have the same unattended hairstyles; all are bowed by 40 kilo backpacks.

They're stuffed with facts they can't apply. They're pushed to excel at the expense of individuality. There are grounds for these clichés, but not enough ground for the spirit of youth to be buried in. For a reminder that Chinese students are just kids, in all their rebellious, precocious, idealistic, immature glory, read on.

Test of Love

A 6^th grade student in Hangzhou taking a Mandarin test handed in a composition entitled "My Love for Her". Shocked, the young female teacher consulted her colleagues before grading. Half of the group found the subject matter entirely inappropriate, and recommended a score of zero. The rest found the essay clearly expressed and logical, and recommended good marks.

The principal finally got involved, ended up agreeing with the latter group, and gave the composition ninety points. She commented that the writing was one of the rare examples of student work actually fulfilling the new school mandate to express true emotions and evoke feeling. Here's a translation of the essay, followed by some comments from the chat rooms where it's causing a commotion.

My Love for Her

She's a very pretty and simple girl. I fell in love with her at first sight. She loves dressing up. I admire her clothing and everything else she owns. Her hair hangs down, and her little round face is much lovelier than any doll's. Even though we're the same age, she's taller than me. She has a feisty temper; whenever some boys swipe her stuff, she gives them a fierce punch.

She loves me as well. She used to follow me around every chance she got. One day, she hugged me around my waist. I was stunned, and asked her, "What are you doing?" She answered, "I love you." I, I, I....had an inexpressible feeling. Now we lead an intimate life together, like husband and wife. She seems like a doctor, and her nose has a bridge. She's also shortsighted. I always help her with her homework, because she's trying to take care of her eyes.

She won't be hurt, because my older brother has been protecting her since the kidnapping. He found out about us and led her away. I went to rescue my girlfriend, but not knowing where she was being kept, I became very anxious. Finally I found her and, thank god, managed to rescue her.

I learned that there's much more suffering in losing your lover than in losing all your possessions. So we must protect our sweethearts, and not let anyone grab them. I love you....

- Oh my god. What on earth is that boy writing down?

- We should encourage children to voice their true opinions, even if it contradicts the older generations' mindset. If we understand them first, we can guide them in the right direction.

- The media - TV, films, and the Internet, are rife with this stuff, so how can we blame the children for copying it? This shows a failure in our educational system, and a tragedy for our country and society.

Land of Rising Sin

‘Death Note' is actually the name of a hugely popular Japanese comic series now banned in China. It's a case of many young lives imitating art. The premise of ‘Death Note' involves a magic notebook that allows the protagonist, Light Yagami, to kill whoever's name he writes down in it. While the hero does try to use his notebook for good, the series, since made into novels, video games, and movies, deals in morbid intrigue, corrupt police forces, and otherwise unwholesome concepts. The prevalence of Chinese kids playing out the developments in ‘Death Note', using prop notebooks from comic book stores, led to the ban.

Strike one for the alternatively-minded, in that another Japanese manga import dealing with homosexuality has yet to be banned in China. Known as ‘BL', for ‘Boy Love', and originally termed ‘Yaoi', these comics portray adolescent boys falling in love with each other. Ironically, the creators are female, and so are the fans, both in Japan and China, where they call themselves Fu Nu. Originally high school to college age, Fu Nu today can be found in primary schools. By no means a mainstream youth trend, ‘BL' nonetheless excites shock and revulsion whenever it comes to educators' and parents' attention.

Playing with Dolls for a Spell

Voodoo dolls are among the fastest selling items lately at Chinese toy shops and toy sites. The primary demographic is the female middle school student, although the trend is catching on at the university level. Canny manufacturers offer a whole series of dolls for different magical purposes, to attract romance, wealth, fame and other hearts' desires. Unsurprisingly, the curse-casting dolls - pins sold separately - are pushing Chinese parents across the line of bemused tolerance to outright condemnation.