Organizations across China are celebrating the bicentennial of the birth of Danish writer, Hans Christian Andersen, whose fairy tales were first introduced to China in 1913.

To mark the anniversary, the China Puppet Theater performed Andersen's "Daughter of Sea." In its first show on Saturday, 622 tickets were all sold out, Zhang Jianping, the sales manager of the theater said.

"I feel very sad about the death of the little mermaid, I wish there is a magician in the story to save her," Song Jia, a six-year-old girl said after watching the performance.

The Shanghai Subway Corporation distributed 15,000 cards in honor of Andersen, depicting the poor little girl lighting a match and then turning into an angel.

The Chinese Ministry of Culture, Denmark Embassy and Hans Andersen Club plan to organize more than 30 memorial activities in China this year.

Hans Christian Andersen, born in Denmark in 1805, was a poor shoemaker's son. His fame today rests on his fairy tales, written between 1835 and 1872. Since his stories were introduced to China in 1913, his "Ugly Duckling," the "Emperor's New Clothes" and the "Match Girl" have become popular among Chinese. Several of his stories have even been selected into compulsory textbooks in Chinese primary and middle schools.

"Andersen is probably the most sold foreign writer in China," Tian Hong, a clerk of a Beijing-based bookstore said, explaining that she has sold many different translations of Andersen's works in different versions.

"I can always perceive new things from his stories," said Zhou Siyuan, a professor with the Beijing Language and Culture University, "His works glitter with the sense of sympathy and humanity."

In the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the Hong Kong Hans Andersen Club held a string of celebrating activities Saturday.

At the grand hall of Run Run Shaw College of the Chinese university of Hong Kong, over 300 people including members of Hans Andersen Club and those of Hong Kong Federation Handicapped Youth gathered together to enjoy the performances such as theater and storytelling with the theme related to Hans Andersen's fairy tales.

The activity aimed to encourage young people in Hong Kong to form a good reading habit which would help enhance their knowledge and wisdom in dealing with life challenges.

Besides, a series of activities were held here in memory of Hans Andersen. Hong Kong Post held a Letter Writing Competition with the theme "A Letter to My Favorite Fairytale Character" with an objective to promote students' interest in letter writing as a means of expressing love and care for others.

Special stamps "Children Stamps - Andersen's Fairy Tales" were also issued on March 22 as one of the memorial activities. The featured four famous fairy tales including the Ugly Duckling, the Little Mermaid, the Little Match Girl and the Emperor's New Clothes.

(Xinhua News Agency April 3, 2005)