1985, Beijing's main parks have long been a huge draw for local residents, who amuse themselves dancing, singing and engaging in a wide variety of exercise programs. [Yang Shizhong]

1989, textile workers feed themselves from a communal, bamboo-made rice bowl at a factory in Sichuan. Under the planned economy, jobs at State-owned enterprises and collectives were known as "iron rice bowls" as they provided employees with all they needed to live, including their food. Today, privately owned factories provide job opportunities for much of the population. [Xiao Quan]