Legal System
"The law does not lean towards men of high station any more than the plumbline bends to
fit a crooked place in the wood." (Han Feizi, d BC 233)
Legal processes were interrupted during the Cultural Revolution but importance is now placed on restoring them. The judiciary consists of the People's Courts and the People's Procuratorates. The President of the Supreme People's Court and the Chief Procurator of the Supreme People's Procuratorate are elected by the National People's Congress. The leading personnel of the lower level courts and procuratorates are appointed by the local People's Congress at the corresponding level. Laws passed in 1979 stipulate that the courts and procuratorates are independent in the administration of justice.
A concerted effort has been made since the late 1970s to build up a complete body of laws. The major aim is to establish well-defined laws and legal procedures as a defence against the kind of arbitrary behaviour which took place during the Cultural Revolution. A second important element is the preparation of economic legislation to provide a stable framework within which China's new economic policies and growing commercial relations with foreign countries can take place.
China had 14,000 full- and part-time lawyers in 1984 and 6800 notaries. There has been a marked expansion of legal studies at universities in the last few years.
The Arts
"The use of literature lies in its conveyance of every truth”. (Lu Zhi, 261-303)
Since the overthrow of the "Gang of Four" in October 1976, there has been a marked revival in the arts. Numerous writers, artists and performers have been rehabilitated and allowed to practise their craft. These include some who were purged in the fifties, besides victims of the Cultural Revolution. Traditional art forms such as the Peking Opera once more use traditional themes, and some western art forms, such as ballet, are now being performed again. During 1985, 127 new feature films were produced. Over 17,000 new book titles were published in 1980; best sellers included a treatise on economics by Xue Muqiao, two reprinted classic Chinese novels, short stories by Mao Dun, and a detective novel; translations of Jane Eyre, Pride and Prejudice and science fiction were also reported to have sold well.
Religion
"Get rid of strange doctrines in order to exalt the orthodox teaching”. (Sacred Edict issued
by Emperor Kang Xi, 1662-1723)
Official policy is to tolerate but not to encourage religion. The new Constitution provides for the freedom of religious belief, forbids discrimination against believers or non-believers, and stipulates that the State "protects legitimate religious activities". It also forbids the use of religion for "counter-revolutionary" purposes and to obstruct the educational system, as well as prohibiting any "foreign domination" of religious affairs in China. During 1980 the main recognised religions (Islam, Buddhism, Daoism and the Catholic and Protestant churches) all held national meetings to re-establish national-level religious associations. Some places of worship have been reopened which had been closed down during the Cultural Revolution; over 1200 Christian churches are reported to have been opened since 1979. There are some 14 million Muslims, including many belonging to ethnic minority groups in northwest China, 3.3 million Catholics and 4 million Protestants.
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