Abstract

According to a report from Comrade Ma Ran, of the Youth Federation of Heilongjiang, Department Stores Nos. 4, 7, and 8 of the city of Harbin as well as the arts and crafts factory retail departments have been selling "crucifix" necklaces. Some market stalls also display such necklaces for sale. In addition, some young people are going around with these necklaces in their hands and hawking them. Some of the crucifixes are cast with representations of Jesus Christ, others with representations of the Virgin Mary; some are gold-plated, others, silver-plated; some are manufactured locally, others come from places such as Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Suzhou. These crucifixes attract many people, and young people in particular fall over each other in their eagerness to buy them. Most of the young people buying the crucifixes do so not out of religious conviction, but because it is the fashion, or they want to look nice. Many young people on the streets already have crucifixes hanging around their necks.