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Communal Life in China’s Vast Rural System
The piece explores China's commune structure as the backbone of the economy and daily life, focusing on the Hsi-hang commune near Shanghai. It notes 4,690 families totaling about 20,500 people across 1,689 hectares, with photographs by Joan Lebold Cohen and Jerome Alan Cohen taken during their China travels for their book China Today and Her Ancient Treasures. It contrasts rural living with pre 1949 poverty, highlighting healthier, better fed peasants and decent clothing seen by visitors.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
China
Hsi-hang
Chia-ping
Shanghai
Joan Lebold Cohen
Jerome Alan Cohen
Harry N. Abrams, Inc
New York