$array = Array('a'=>'one01', 'b'=>'two01', 'c'=>'three01');

echo json_encode( $array );

{"a":"one01","b":"two01","c":"three01"}

$json= {"a":"one01","b":"two01","c":"three01"}

echo json_decode( $json );

Array('a'=>'one01', 'b'=>'two01', 'c'=>'three01');