Prostitution has flourished in China over the centuries. Only in 1949, with the revolutionary success of the communists, was a systematic effort made to destroy it once and for all. The ordinary Chinese people have been urged to lead a sexually pure life in the "new China." Prostitutes were "abolished" in 1949: those who had musical talents were trained to be actresses at the Peking Opera, while the rest were sent to work in factories or on farms. In 1953, dance halls were ordered to close and the dancing-girls were urged to follow the example of the erstwhile prostitutes.