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The out-of-this-world birthday of Shenzhou XI commander Jing Haipeng aboard the Tiangong II space lab recently was indeed a cause for celebration. Children in China and around the world sent video greetings to "Uncle Haipeng". But beyond the obvious reason for national pride, the celebration also sends a message that is more subtle and also of great societal import. That is that Jing, someone who is approaching his golden years, would be considered by traditional mores to be apt only for sitting in a rocking chair, tending to songbirds and playing with grandchildren. (And there's certainly nothing wrong with those things for those who choose them.) But there Jing is, China's oldest working astronaut, leading a mission vital to China's space ambitions. In China, the retirement age is still 60 for men and 55 for white-collar women, but those are still significantly younger than retirement ages in many countries in the world. China's earliest retirement age is 50 for blue-collar female workers. At 50, however, Jing is undertaking a task requiring extraordinary physical and mental stamina. Yet, societal attitudes have been slow to change. I have been asked by many people why I'm still working in my 50s. I've been told it's considered odd for couples of my age to express even very mild affection such as a hug or peck on the cheek publicly, while people don't bat an eye at such expressions among young couples. | 
