11.20.08

Sexual Education and Family Planning with Chinese Characteristics

Posted in Health and Medicine, Society, Translations at 6:01 pm by Benjamin Ross

This past summer, during my trip to the Yu Village in Southern Hebei, I came across a jovial series of public health/sex education signs. They were constructed out of tile and affixed to the sides of stone buildings lining the main road of the Yu Village. Several generations ago, public displays such as these were the main avenues for the dissemination of public information. Thesedays, they are less and less common, and virtually non-existent in major cities. The following signs give step-by-step instructions on how you and your family can live a happy healthy life, and I have translated them for your enjoyment. Read carefully. You might even learn something.

(Click on the images to see enlarged views)

Fresh New Marriage and Child Rearing for 10,000 Families

Carrying out the activities of “Fresh New Marriage and Child Rearing for 10,000 Families” relies on the community, depends on families, and is for the greater purpose of establishing proper childbearing masses, science, civilization, and improving the institution of marriage. Our purpose is to create families which are civilized and happy, have less children, and become rich fast. There should be a societal trend in which marriage and childbearing is delayed, having less children is eugenic, and having a girl is just as good as having a boy. Happiness is connected to you, me, and others. Keep your knowledge of marriage and child rearing up to date, and help to establish Fresh New Marriage and Child Rearing.

Promote the idea of women having only one child.

note: ”10,000” is a commonly used Chinese hyperbolic expression implying an extremely large, if not infinite number.

奇妙的青春期
The Wonderful Green Spring Period

What is the Green Spring Period?
The Green Spring Period is the stage which occurs from about 12 or 13 years of age until about 17 or 18.

The Green Spring Period…
is sexual development and the sign of maturation; For females it generally begins at the time of the first menstrual period. For males, it starts around the time of their first emission.

What are the signs of the Green Spring Period?
blurb: Every year (I) get 6-13 inches taller.
blurb: Every year (I) get 5-10 kilograms heavier.

The secondary sexual characteristics appear
females: the nipples protrude, the pelvis widens,the breasts develop, pubic hair and armpit hair begin to grow: menstrual periods begin and gradually become more regular, the voice gets higher.
males: stature increases, muscles develop: pubic hair, facial hair, and armpit hair begins to grow: Adam’s apple starts to show, the voice gets deeper and the tone gets lower, they begin to produce semen

side note: 青春期 (the Green Spring Period), in English is commonly known as “puberty.” However, the adolescent in me couldn’t help but leave it directly translated.

Chinese stick figure public health poster
The Wonderful Green Spring Period

“Menstruation,” What’s going on?
blurb: “What’s happening?”

Once a girl has reached the Green Spring Period, the inner lining of the uterus and the hormones begin to react. Girls will find that a cycle begins, and they will bleed. Blood will come out of the vagina and this is called “menstruation.” The menstrual cycle on average is 28 days. Menstruating is a sign of a healthy girl.

What you should pay attention to during your menstrual period
-Maintain a stable, optimistic, cheerful mood
-Avoid strenuous exercise and heavy manual labor
-Don’t go into the rice paddies barefoot
-Eat less cold and spicy food
-Do not swim
-Do not shower
-In order to prevent the private parts from getting to cold, do not sit on any cold surfaces.
-Every day use warm water to wash the genital area or eluviate
-Change and clean your “menstrual belt.” After you wash it, dry it out in the moonlight.

If you fall in love early, you could easily be affected by bad guys

What are the dangers of falling in love early?

blurb, middle right: 工读学校 (a special school for kids who need extra discipline)
-It will influence studies and work
-It will influence physical health
-Having a baby early will bring a lot of pain and suffering

祝您新婚幸福
Wish You A Happy Marriage

What is the pre-marriage examination?
Before they register to get married, young men and women undergo a health examination which is called the pre-marriage examination. There are a few diseases such as tuberculosis and hepatitis which need to be healed before getting married. This is in order to benefit the health of the woman and the child.

Why do you have to register to get married?

Once you have registered, the marriage is a legal marriage, and (the couple) can receive legal protection.

Regular gynecological exam
After women get married (they should regularly check) blood pressure, heart, pelvic exam, pap smear (cancer screening) , ultra-gynecology, etc. If there is a disease, they can find it early, and treat it early.

Help for you to get through the difficult peri-natal period

What you should pay attention to during labor
-Eat more, eat high calorie soup, milk, eggs, etc.
blurb: “It looks like this time you’re really going into labor!”
-Giving birth at home is way too dangerous!
-Don’t be nervous going to the hospital to have your baby. It will go much better if you do it with a doctor.

What you should pay attention to during the post-partum period
-Make sure you get 10 hours of sleep every day.
-Maintain proper ventilation
-Eat less, but more often
-fruit
-get enough activity
-get adequate sunlight
-keep warm and keep sanitary
-vegetables

怎么生一个健康聪明的孩子
How to Have a Healthy and Smart Child

Why close relatives can’t get married
Regulation: It is illegal for relatives whose relations are closer than third cousins to get married.
blurb: “Cousin, Cousin.”
blurb: “Illegal!”
The mortality rate of children whose parents are close relatives is three times that of those whose parents are not related.

The chances of inheriting a genetic disease are 150 times higher for children whose parents are related as opposed to those of unrelated parents.

How to choose the best age to have children
blurb: “I’m 26 years old!”
sign: Females are fully developed by the age of 23-25.
The best age to have children is 25-29.

What is 优生?
优生means having a happy, healthy child
blurb: “This child is really smart!”
blurb: “This child is growing really well!”

Who determines the sex of the child?
banner : Having a boy and having a girl are the same
sign: mother XX father XY female child XX male child XY
The sex of the child is determined by the male!

note: The word next to the crying mother and female child in the bottom right (过去) means “in the past.” The word next to the two happy parents and the female child (现在) means “now,” thus implying in the past having a girl would make a couple sad, whereas today it will make a couple happy.

需要保护的怀孕期
Necessary Precautions for Pregnancy

How to project your due date
The easy way to calculate is to start from the last menstrual period and either subtract 3 or add 9 to the month, and from the day add 7.

Due date:
If the pregnant woman is used to using the lunar calendar, she can add 15 days to the date.

How do you know you’re pregnant?
The most important sign of pregnancy is that the menstrual period stops.
caption: “I don’t want to eat. I want to…throw up…”

Early on in pregnancy, most women feel nausea, vomit, notice enlargement of the breasts, and become picky about their food
What to pay attention to after pregnancy
You should:
-Keep the skin clean
-Take good care of the breasts during pregnancy
-Make sure you are having regular bowel movements
-Do a prenatal screening
-Control your sex life
-Wear loose clothing
-Stay in happy spirits

婴幼儿保健
Healthcare for Infants

What kinds of special neonatal care should be given to infants?

Neonatal refers to the period from when the baby is born until it is 28 days old

Remember:
Be sure to keep them warm, keep the skin clean and sterile, have good oral hygiene, keep the umbilical cord clean, sterile, and dry,
jaundice
loss of body weight

Do not button their clothes. Do not use a needle either. You should use a 带子系 which is tied at one side

The best thing for infants to eat is their mother’s milk

Mother’s milk is full of various nutrients. it’s easy to digest and absorb, it can boost the immune system, it’s economical, convenient, clean, and it’s the appropriate temperature. Under normal circumstances, at about 10-12 months, an infant should stop drinking its mother’s milk.

婴幼儿常见病护理
Care for Common Infant Maladies

What kinds of maladies do infants often get?
high fever,children’s pneumonia,
Make sure the air in their room is fresh
Give them enough water
Make sure the respiratory path is clear

Anemia
This disease is the result of low iron intake
(Eat) more foods which contain iron such as meat, eggs, liver, vegetables, and vegetables should be added to the diet.

Infant Diarrhea

Make sure the anus and surrounding area is clean and sterile
Control the diet
Do not use medication without the guidance of a doctor

Children’s Rickets
This disease is caused by a vitamin D deficiency
You should eat more eggs, liver, vegetables, and fruit, and spend more time in the sun.

Care and prevention for other diseases in infants

Hives
bed rest, cover the blanket, keep the room dark and ventilated, drink a lot of water

Care for whooping cough
Keep the air fresh to prevent choking on smoke
Eat less, but more often
make sure they get adequate sleep

“Children’s Hospital”

Go quickly to the hospital to get a diagnosis

选择适合您的避孕方法

Choosing the Most Suitable Birth Control Method for You
Contraception method choices

1. For unmarried women
The best contraception methods:
-the man wears a condom
-spermicide
-short-term or “visiting relatives” birth control pills
-make sure to stop taking the pills 6 months before you want to get pregnant

2. During the breast feeding period
The best birth control methods:
-IUD
-contraceptive implants
-long-acting contraceptive injections (get the injection every 3 months)
-spermicide

3. A mother with one child
The best birth control methods:
-IUD
-oral contraceptives
-contraceptive injections
-contraceptive implants

4. Parents with two children
-The best birth control methods:
-getting the tubes tied
-vasectomy
-IUD
-contraceptive implants

5. Couples living in two different regions
The best birth control methods:
-“visiting relatives” birth control pills
-condoms
-spermicide

6. Women nearing menopause
The best birth control methods: condoms
-spermicide
-IUD
(those using birth control should stop half a year after the onset of menopause)

控制人口数量提高人口素质
Control the population and thus improve the population’s quality.Strengthen the population and the Family Planning Policy.  Stabilize the low birth rate.
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17 Comments »

  1. Louise UNITED STATES said,

    November 20, 2008 at 7:10 pm

    What are “visiting relatives” birth control pills? The name is confusing.

  2. Josh CHINA said,

    November 20, 2008 at 7:20 pm

    That wall seems like it was miles long!

    I think my favorite part was seeing the cucumber-looking character chasing Little Red Riding Hood, apparently his cousin. Good thing that girl knows illegal when she sees it…ha!

  3. maxiewawa CHINA said,

    November 20, 2008 at 8:50 pm

    I bet that took a while to translate. 辛苦了。

  4. china pasticcio CHINA said,

    November 20, 2008 at 10:06 pm

    Love this and appreciate your xinku le. Though, had it been me and being even more adolescent than yourself it would seem…I would have gone with Green “Lust” Period as a translation for chūn.

    Again, thanks for sharing…

  5. 耿氏 CHINA said,

    November 20, 2008 at 10:54 pm

    yeah , fighting ! your translation is funning ,hehe. In fact, according to this education signs,I mean the country people look so childish,you see!,what makes me embarassed. in some way ,everything is lovely,including you and me.

  6. drewsky UNITED STATES said,

    November 20, 2008 at 11:05 pm

    what the fuck is a menstrual belt?

  7. Benjamin Ross UNITED STATES said,

    November 21, 2008 at 12:04 am

    @Louise

    According to two Chinese friends I consulted, “Visiting relatives” birth control pills are a pill which is designed for short-term encounters. For example, you will be going out of town for a weekend to see your wife/girlfriend/other girlfriend/secretary and the woman needs a birth control pill, but one which is only intended to be taken for a short period to provide temporary contraception. I did a little of my own research as well, and couldn’t figure out exactly which form of contraception this matches up to in English. If anybody does, please comment.

    @drewsky

    my thoughts exactly

  8. xge CHINA said,

    November 21, 2008 at 4:20 am

    There may not be a English name for Visiting Relative Pill. It is a Chinese thing. In the past, every thing is central planed, including your job and the place you are assigned to live in. People are not allowed to move around freely. For example, a couple may be assigned to two jobs in two cities. They are allowed about a month a year for family visit. The pill is specially designed for them.

  9. chriswaugh_bj CHINA said,

    November 21, 2008 at 5:11 am

    Would the “visiting relatives” pill be the morning after pill? Short term, as in take within 72 hours of having unprotected sex/breaking the condom. It generally works by bringing on the period within a couple of days.

  10. Sue UNITED KINGDOM said,

    November 22, 2008 at 5:29 am

    Hi, Ben,

    How things have changed from 20-30 years ago. Although those information are displayed publicly probably due to they are not taught in school or discussed privately enough. Still, I see this as progress as you will not see this 20-30 years ago.

    Just couple of minor questions about 3rd picture, in “What you should pay attention to during your menstrual period”.

    Dose “Do not shower” corespondent to “不要淋雨”? If so, would it be “Do not get wet in the rain”?

    I got confused by the word eluviate in “Every day use warm water to wash the genital area or eluviate”.
    Can’t find it in my dictionary and online translator.
    After google it, I got “to be subjected to eluviation”.
    Then in wiki eluviation
    “1. (soil science, countable) The sideways or downward movement of dissolved or suspended material within soil caused by rainfall,
    2. (geology, uncountable) Creation of geological deposits (eluvial deposits) by in situ weathering or weathering plus gravitational movement or accumulation.”
    I’m confused. How would you translate eluviate into Chinese?

    I would translate “每日用温水擦洗外阴或淋浴” as “”Every day use warm water to wash the genital area or shower”.

    moonlight?

    I feel a bit silly now going over the minor details here. I’ll stop.

  11. Jake UNITED KINGDOM said,

    November 24, 2008 at 12:08 pm

    That made my day! Ha!

  12. Shane UNITED STATES said,

    November 25, 2008 at 5:40 pm

    Hi Ben,

    I would like to talk to you about Fuzhou. I am planning a trip next year and would like to know your thoughts about certain questions I have about the Expat/European community there.

    Here is my email add: >>mattenleys@yahoo.com

  13. Ben UNITED STATES said,

    November 25, 2008 at 8:02 pm

    @ chriswaugh_bj

    The morning after pill is usually called 紧急避孕药 (“emergency” pill) or 事后避孕药 (“after the act” pill), so I am pretty sure the “visiting relatives pill” is something different. Also, the morning after pill usually makes women feel like crap for a couple days, so I doubt it would ever be recommended in any other context than emergency contraception.

    @sue

    -The wording in the third pic is不要淋浴, so I think it is referring to showering not necessarily the rain.

    -I am quite confused with the word “eluviate” as well. The word in question was 淋溶. When I checked various sources including Kingsoft Powerword and Google translate, “eluviate” was the best I could come up with. I think your translation is probably more accurate (and I was thinking along those lines as well), but was hesitant to just rely on intuition until I could actually figure out what 淋溶 means. More often than not though in translation, intuition is the most reliable source. Thanks for your corrections.

  14. eileen CHINA said,

    December 21, 2008 at 10:38 am

    it’s so funny to translate 美好的青春期 into “The Wonderful Green Spring Period”, lol, and i find the first item under the title “Choosing the Most Suitable Birth Control Method for You -Contraception method choices” is incorrect, i bet u have misunderstood , it’s for newly-married couples, not for unmarried women.

  15. Nina GERMANY said,

    January 4, 2009 at 2:30 am

    Great material, and thanks for translating. I was a little confused about
    “female: [...] the voice gets higher.”
    I was not aware that female voices actually get higher during puberty, I don’t think mine did and none of my female friends’ did. Is this more a cultural thing than a biological?

  16. shoe CHINA said,

    June 24, 2009 at 5:25 pm

    reading is an exhausting thing…

  17. cinsel ilişki TURKEY said,

    May 29, 2010 at 4:34 am

    I think my favorite part was seeing the cucumber-looking character chasing Little Red Riding Hood, apparently his cousin. Good thing that girl knows illegal when she sees it…

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