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Approved For Release 20000 FY CEASSPIER Or I BACKGROUND AND OVERVIEW (U) A. Chronology of Major Events (U) (U) Although interest in exceptional human functioning has historically been part of China's tradition, "parapsychological” or "psychoenergetics" studies have until recently been unacceptable as a subject of inquiry under Marxist rule, As recently as 1975, for example, the official journal of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Scientia Sinica, carried an article critical of increasing U.S. and Soviet interest in psychoenergetics.* (U) A reversal of this viewpoint can be traced to a report in the March 11, 1979, Sichuan Daily, which apparently acted as a trigger for renewed interest and exploration, In that report it was claimed that a 12-yr-old boy, Tang Yu, was able to read written material placed in physical contact with his ears, Although this claim was soon being criticized as unscientific in, e.g., The People's Daily in May 1979, reports began to sur- face from all over China that children elsewhere were duplicating this feat. (U) In September 1979, a major monthly science journal, Nature (Ziran Zazhi), carried a report entitled "Observation Report on the Non-Visual Recognition of Images." This report, written by a correspondent of the journal on the basis of his own personal observations, provided support for the claims.” The journal then followed up in its October-December issues with additional reports on experimental observations by scientists at Beijing (Peking) University and elsewhere, which provided additional evidence for authenticity of the claims,°~° * (U) "Peking" is translated as "Beijing" in the newer Pinyin transcription system, declared the official system of the PRC in 1958. 1 Approved For Release rood CLASSIFIER 00400320001-8