In 1957, on the fifth anniversary of China Reconstructs, a cartoonist depicted the headquarters of China Reconstructs in a traditional Beijing courtyard. The woman piloting the plane in the shape of a dove of peace, holding an olive branch, is Soong Ching Ling.

At its initial stages, the circulation of China Reconstructs was limited, mostly to friendly countries such as India and Indonesia, whose leaders had good relations with those of new China. Some such leaders had long-standing friendships with Soong Ching Ling, who played a great role in the popularization of the magazine within those countries. In the West, the magazine was banned, particularly in the 1950s and 1960s, when the Korean War was ongoing, and China had been blockaded. The American government put the magazine on a blacklist of prohibited imports, and ordered post offices and customs houses to destroy all copies discovered. Any individual who received this magazine was required to register with the authorities. In Europe, even countries with diplomatic relations with new China were affected by various restrictions on the distribution of China Reconstructs.

In the 1980s, at a Britain-China friendship reception held in London, an English worker in his 40s took a Chinese man who had been working in Britain aside and showed him a copy of China Reconstructs that he had secreted inside his jacket. When the Chinese man asked him why he was being so covert about reading the magazine, the worker replied that if his boss were to find him with it he would be fired. He nevertheless wanted to know more about China. To him, the Chinese were an industrious, peace-loving people, and a great nation.

"I like this issue, especially the cover," Soong Ching Ling wrote in a letter to the editorial board praising the cover of the January 1960 issue of China Reconstructs.

Both Zhou Enlai and Soong Ching Ling knew all too well the importance of a main body of foreign publicity, and its relationship with, and effect on, communications. Through their influence, China Reconstructs had a competent editorial board, well suited to international communications. They were Jin Zhonghua, a celebrated journalist and expert on international issues; Chen Hansheng, an economist of high repute; Qian Duansheng, a well-known jurist; Li Dequan, social activist and wife of famous patriot and general Feng Yuxiang; Liu Hongsheng, a notable entrepreneur; Wu Yifang, an illustrious educator; and Wu Yaozong, a Christian. Shen Suru in his "China's International Communication -- A Theoretical Study" analyzed the characteristics of these people. "All enjoy high prestige both at home and abroad. They represent various walks of life, and are not leaders in the Communist Party of China. Soong Ching Ling herself enjoys high status nationally and internationally. All this enables China Reconstructs, as principal medium of international communication, to have wide-ranging appeal and to establish an affinity with foreigners in diverse countries."

In the 30 years between the founding of this magazine and Soong Ching Ling's death, she lavished on it enormous love and care, having personally written over 30 articles on a wide range of topics. Despite her dedication to national affairs and to welfare organizations for women and children, Soong Ching Ling always read the magazine from cover to cover, and sent letters of encouragement or criticism to its editors. In January 1960, upon receipt of that month's magazine she wrote, "I like this issue, especially the cover. It is lively and interesting. I think it will have a good response. The layout is better than in past issues, although it still leaves something to be desired."

A young rural couple at their wedding after the promulgation of China's first marriage law in 1952.

Her interest extended to the field of circulation. During a visit to India in 1956 she managed to find time to listen to the comments of Indian friends on the magazine and made efforts to expand its distribution and readership there. Throughout the 30 years until her death in 1981, she personally mailed out dozens of copies addressed to old friends in a variety of countries every month.

On the founding of the magazine, Soong Ching Ling and other staff members were both friends and colleagues, and the offices of the magazine had a family atmosphere. In January 1957, to celebrate the 5th anniversary of the magazine, several well-known artists created a large-format cartoon, vividly reflecting the editorial board at work against the backdrop of a traditional Beijing courtyard.

Zhang Yan, former deputy editor-in-chief of China Today, wrote in an article: "No matter how often I see this cartoon, it reminds me of the cordial family ambience of that time, where there was no distance between people, and all regarded one another as brothers and sisters. They greeted each other informally as Lao Fang, Xiao Sun, Da Tan, Xiao Tan, Eppy (Israel Epstein), and Elsie, or just used their foreign names: Betty, Barbara, and Marian. The only exception was Chen Hansheng, vice-chairman of the editorial board, who was addressed as "Han Lao." This was because he was the eldest and very serious, being strict with himself as well as others."

The lively cultural life in the office has enabled the staff to maintain high spirits as they work. Here can be seen a traditional "land boat dance" performed by foreign experts at the 1965 New Year get-together.

Executive Editor Epstein is, like Han Lao, not only the founder of the magazine, but also of its fine tradition. These two were held in awe and veneration by all that worked with them, and everyone knew that no manuscript could pass by Epstein without correction. In this big family, despite the strict demands of work, after-work life was bright and lively. On holidays and festivals, each department performed its carefully prepared performance, and in the spring and autumn, staff members and their families went on outings, a practice which has since become one of the magazine's traditions.

China Today continues as a big family, and is today letting its readers in on this good feeling. In the East and West, people share equally in the happiness of a developing country and its progress.