ABSTRACT
This chapter provides an overview of China's experiences with HIV infection. It explains the ways in which HIV and HIV prevention are generally managed transmission paths and trends, and the dominant attitudes about HIV among urban Han Chinese. The chapter focuses on representations of HIV, particularly the changing embodiment of HIV and AIDS sufferers in urban China's media and public health campaigns over three decades. It explores the role played by the frequently drastic and shocking stories contained in China's media in encouraging the spread of HIV-related kong'ai reported among urbanites. The chapter suggests that the emergence of the so-called people who panic about AIDS is a result of the combination of media representations of HIV, state management of public health, and pre-existing local ideology and understandings of those who typically are shown as having HIV. It highlights the importance of representations of disease to the public health and well-being of the population.
