One person's impressions about children in China are reported along with information obtained from informal observations and discussions with psychologists involved in teacher preparation and other Chinese psychologists and psychiatrists. Observations were made wherever possible; visits were made to both an urban and a rural kindergarten, a primary and a middle school, and a child unit at a mental hospital. These experiences suggest that, in China, a strong family, community, and educational structure establishes a fairly common set of values and expectations that guide the socialization of children. Such values and expectations include nonviolence, respect for and obedience to the system, and preparation for service. The Chinese apparently aim to produce a homogenous people, oriented toward group welfare rather than toward individualism. Professionals such as psychologists do not play a major role in this process. Their role is limited to treating the few children deviating from societal expectations. Treatment is consistent with the society, relying heavily on drugs, because deviation is considered a medical problem, and on re-education or re-socialization to the aims of the society. (RH)