The holidays, which usually begin on May 1, were instituted a few years ago to stimulate domestic consumption.

This year the holiday has been reduced to five days to help curb the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) epidemic. And the official advice for the shortened holiday is to "stay indoors".

Feng Dengsheng, editor of a fashion magazine in Shunde in south China's Guangdong Province, was initially disappointed because he had to cancel an overseas trip. His mood, however, soon changed when he realized he could take the time to visit his parents in Guangzhou, the province's capital.

"My parents often ask my two brothers and I to visit them, but most of the time we let them down," said Feng. "This time we will all make it. My parents are happy about this and regard it as a grand family reunion. It's been done only at Spring Festival in the past."

All in all, Feng is delighted with the change. "When we were still kids, we used to sit around our parents and listen to their stories," said Feng. "There wasn't much entertainment then, but those stories made our childhood happy and memorable."

Feng said that for his part, he did not often tell stories to his 3-year-old boy. "I'll be able to do this in the next five days," he said.

For Mr. Ma, manager of a department at a foreign-funded enterprise in Guangdong, the no-fuss holidays are a perfect opportunity for romance. He is working on a scheme to cook for his wife.

Liu Ying, a woman living in the SARS-stricken area of the province, said she would take the time to get in touch with friends.

"I have received lots of greeting calls over the past few days, including some from a few long-lost friends. I'm really moved," said Liu. "During the next few days, I'll make thank-you calls or send them emails

Ma Qiufeng, a professor at Ji'nan University in Guangdong, said spending time with family and friends would be the highlight of this special 5-day holiday.

"People nowadays have to cope with a fast pace of life and work, even in their holidays. "This is a precious moment for them to reflect on their relations with loved ones."

Reviving fond memories aside, people will have no shortage of activities to make the holidays memorable.

Zhou Sheng, a teacher with the prestigious Qinghua University in Beijing, said he would read more books during the holiday.

"Work is usually busy and I don't have much time for reading. I'll do it now," he said.

Across the country, SARS has raised Chinese people's awareness of health and many will plan more exercise and a good clean-up at home.

Mr. Wang, who runs a badminton hall in Guangzhou, is overjoyed about the new trends. "All courts have been booked up for the next five days," he said.

Other sports facilities in the city, including tennis courts and pingpong tables, are enjoying the same heightened popularity.

For those still entangled in work, work styles have changed dramatically. Instead of person-to-person contacts, phones, faxes and the Internet are employed more frequently to maintain business operations.

Chen Pengcheng, general manager of Wanfu Economic and Trade Co.,Ltd. in Zhuhai of Guangdong, fits into this category. "We thought SARS would disrupt our normal operations, but with modern office equipment, everything is as usual."

"It reminds me that our work procedure could well be more streamlined. Many flights and meetings are actually redundant," said Chen.

Pan Yining, professor of Zhongshan University in Guangdong, said SARS had prompted the Chinese people to consolidate their unification and sparked their determination to win this battle.

"It's a good opportunity to strengthen the cohesion of the whole nation and for many people, a reassessment of the value of their lives."

"SARS is an all new test of the rapid response capability of China's public health administration, government officials and the mass media," said Pan.

"SARS will be beaten eventually, but the positive influences it has created will last for a long time to come."

Tang Yong, who works with China Southern Airlines, said he and his son would read his collections of reports on medical workers fighting SARS together during the coming holiday.

"I would tell my child this: when the Motherland calls, your parents would make the same choice. And I hope you do too," said an emotional Tang.

(Xinhua News Agency May 1, 2003)