ABSTRACT
I have often been told by Chinese law students that constitutional law is among the most boring subjects in their four-year curriculum. What happened (and in many respects, what did not happen) since the turn of the century seems to have proven the students wrong. Indeed, and until quite recently, the constitutional scene has been both lively and interesting, sometimes with joy and other times with disappointment. However, in all cases, there has been some considerable popular participation and support. Whether encouraged or disappointed, the signifi cance of the various events in the last several years need to be understood in context – political and constitutional.
