Using　functional　magnetic　resonance　imaging　(fMRI)　or　positron　emission　tomography　(PET),　much　knowledge　has　been　gained　in　understanding　how　the　brain　is　activated　during　controlled　experiments　of　language　tasks　in　educated　healthy　subjects　and　in　uneducated　healthy　subjects.　While　previous　studies　have　compared　performance　between　alphabetic　subjects,　few　data　were　about　Chinese-speaking　individuals.　In　this　study,　we　used　fMRI　to　investigate　brain　activations　in　processing　characters　and　figures　by　visual　tasks　in　26　Chinese　subjects　(13　illiterates　and　13　literates).　Different　activation　patterns　were　observed　in　not　only　Chinese　character　judgment　task,　but　also　simple　figure　judgment　task　between　literates　and　illiterates.　We　conclude　that　constellation　of　neural　substrates　was　different　for　literates　and　illiterates　and　education　may　enhance　this　brain　plasticity.