LETTERS

Overseas trips are affordable for many Chinese people today. In renowned scenic spots and historical sites around the world， you can always find flocks of Chinese tourists taking pictures proudly while talking loudly. Within minutes， they are finished at one site and get back on their tour bus to rush to the next attraction. It seems that visiting these places simply provides them with something to boast about， rather than a chance to enjoy the beauty of nature or learn more about local culture. Sometimes， shopping malls and outlets appeal to them much more. In the Louvre， I witnessed Chinese tour groups going straight to the three most popular pieces in the museum， taking pictures in haste and totally ignoring countless other masterpieces. Once their mission is completed， the shopping frenzy starts. They may spend several days in Lafayette or luxury shops on the Champs-Elysées. Travel is coming into fashion in China and increasingly more people are beginning to notice the world outside. I hope more tourists can see learning and experiencing different cultures as top motivators for travel， rather than ticking items off their “to do” list.

Liu Zhe

Dongying， Shandong Province， China Watching films is one of my favorite pastimes. But I find few films produced in recent years impressive， even though some have done very well at the box office. Todays silver screen often boasts grand scenes and dazzling visual effects. But when the end credits roll， what do we find we have gained from them？ Are we really as gripped by the stories as we used to be？ Do we recall the plots from time to time？ Or has it been just a feast for our eyes？ I think the advanced technology that is widely used in todays film-making should only be considered a complementary element and never overemphasized. The fact that a good story is still the key to producing a good film is still relevant. I watched Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing a few years ago. Shot in the 1950s， the film was void of any special effects， but the story deeply affected me and has lingered in my mind for years. The importance of the story to a film should never be downgraded in this era of new technology.

Li Tianyu

Beijing， China Now in my 60s， I am starting to think seriously about where Im going to spend my later years. I do not personally oppose living in a nursing home when Im too old to take care of myself. My children treat me very well and I enjoy the time we spend together. But they have lives of their own， while I have a life of my own. I dont have the heart to expect them to look after me， as they are already occupied with their work and families. China is graying rapidly and facing a shortfall in elderly care homes. Conventional homes for the elderly will become more crowded in the coming decades. In-home nursing is an alternative that may be easier for my children to accept since in this way， they would know that Im safe and well looked after in my own home.

Wang Shenglan

Wuhan， Hubei Province， China