soared by 1, 630 percent from 316 yuan 19. CHANGES OF CHINESE PEOPLES to 5, 160 yuan g, ru LIVING STANDARD DURING 20 people's average living spad e rose YEARS OF REFORM AND OPENING 8. I to 22. 46 square meters, and urb 3.6to8.8 With the miraculous economic take- Twenty years are but a blink of an off brought about by the 20 years of eye in the long history of mankind, bu form and opening-up, Chinese people these two decades of reform and opening living conditions improved significantly up have opened up a bright path. The About 250 million people were under Chinese people, now well on the path, are poverty line in 1978. By the end of 1997 sure to bring into full play the advantages the number had been reduced to 50 mil of the reform and opening-up policy, and lion. Meanwhile, Chinese people's living hus further enjoy the still sweeter fruits tandard as a whole was of reform and opening-up from"wen bao"(a term for satisfying ba- sic needs)to"xiao kang"(a term for the tter off). during the 20 years, the per capita income of peasants increased 15 fold from 133 yuan in 1978 to 2, 090 yuan in 1997. Also, city dweller s average income