Rocker-Turned Director

(XINHUA)

Blue Sky Bones, the first feature film directed by Chinese rocker Cui Jian, received the Special Mention Award at the Eighth Rome Film Festival on November 16.

The film has the same title as one of Cui's songs, and tells the life story of a young underground rocker and hacker in the context of the "cultural revolution" (1966-76) .

Labeled as the Father of Chinese Rock, Cui, 52, first rose to stardom in the 1980s with a series of songs that influenced a generation of Chinese youth.

A Hero Acknowledged

(XINHUA)

Yan Jun, a 26-year-old Chinese student in Osaka, Japan, was presented with a certificate of gratitude by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at his official residence in Tokyo on November 13. Yan risked his life to save a 9-year-old Japanese boy who was drowning on September 16.

While a crowd waited on the bank for professional rescuers, Yan plunged into a flooded river twice to rescue the boy.

Receiving Yan at the Imperial Palace, Japanese Emperor Akihito also praised the young Chinese student for his bravery.

"As I reflect on my tenure as ambassador, I do so knowing that U.S.-China relations continue to grow stronger. While our bilateral relationship is a complex one, I remain confident in the ability of our leaders to manage differences and increase cooperation in areas of mutual concern to the benefit of not just our two great peoples, but the entire world."

U.S. Ambassador to China Gary Faye Locke, when declaring his decision to leave his post early in 2014 through a statement on November 20

"Rural teaching jobs will become increasingly attractive with incomes expected to exceed those of urban teachers."

Xu Tao, a senior official with the Ministry of Education, on an expected policy to offer more allowances to teachers in primary and middle schools in China's poverty-stricken areas, at a press conference in Beijing on November 19

"Only for festivals can we prepare shows of great innovation with huge input. Outside of festivals, because of economic concerns, there are only tedious and redundant commercial shows like monocycles and the flying trapeze."

Zuo Jinying, a teacher from Wuqiao Acrobatics Art Institute in China, talking about acrobats' struggles with commercialization

"Seeds contribute more than 50 percent to increases in output and quality. If seeds are controlled by outsiders, national security will be threatened."

Sun Deling, Vice President of the Academy of Agricultural Sciences in Tianjin, on increasing competition from foreign companies that Chinese vegetable seed researchers and producers are facing