40-year memories, a tribute paid to those youthful hard-workers

For 40 years, China has been changing, and so has a city or a family. Also, household items remind us of the days gone by while helping us look into the future.

A pair of shoes, a TV set, a bike, a fireplace, a washtub, a light bulb... They all mirror the effort you made, the progress in your family, and the dramatic change of times.

Let’s follow the senior editors’ memories to look into how their life has changed in the past four decades along with China’s reform and opening up.

40 years ago, TV shows status.

40 years later, TV is a pastime.

40 years ago, we had no extra shoes, only a pair for each.

40 years later, a cupboard for shoes stands in a household.

40 years ago, we knew limited songs taught by teachers.

40 years later, we listen to varied music on digital devices.

40 years ago, we just walk.

40 years later, we ride for fitness.

40 years ago, cooking means fire-making and smog.

40 years later, food is stir-fried free of smoke.

40 years ago, some stomp to fight the cold even at fireside.

40 years later, we sit in the living room at ease, holding a kitten.

40 years ago, people got together for watching movies.

40 years later, movie-watching can be a private affair.

Time flies and 40 years has gone by, but the changes in the past 40 years were made possible by efforts of many. The glorious 40-year success also offers us inspiration for better performance in the future.

By Zhu Dongran, Wu Rui and Wang Shixue