Students urge Christmas boycott*

北大清华等高校10博士联名抵制圣诞节

Ten doctorate* students called for a boycott of Christmas last week, triggering* intense* online discussion and polling*, in which tens of thousands of people urged a boycott of Christmas festivities*.

In a statement carried by many Web sites, the students, from Qinghua, Beijing and other top universities, wrote an open letter complaining that Christmas is a Christian* holiday imported from the West and suggesting that Chinese should stick to the traditions and festivals observed* in their own culture.

"We notice that many Chinese who do not believe or do not know anything about Christianity* would join in Christmas partying without much thought," the students said.

They said that many Chinese just follow the trends to celebrate Christmas, even if they don't even know the meaning of Christmas and the various symbols* associated* with it. Their celebration, however, is helping to popularize* Christian culture in the country, and accomplish* what missionaries* failed to achieve, they said.

They also lamented* the loss of Chinese traditions, amid what they said was the widening invasion* of Western popular culture.

The students said they supported religious* freedom but called on Chinese people who are not Christians to stop celebrating Christmas and not to give cards and presents or go to parties.

They also urged government departments to consider regulating Christmas activities in public venues* and in the media.

The statement touched off* a widespread* debate on the Internet.

As of Thursday morning, more than 43,000 netizens* had participated in a survey on the issue on the sina.com.

About 53 percent of respondents* agreed to boycott Christmas celebrations, believing it a Western cultural invasion. And about 30 percent of respondents voted for the celebration, saying people ought to be free to use the occasion to relax with family and friends.

In Shenzhen, young people in particular are using Christmas as an occasion for fun and romance, shopping and getting together, which has also provided a boost* to local businesses.

(SD-Agencies)