Cultural Renaissance, a long way away

Premier Wen Jiabao explained in a report on the work of the government that China should energetically promote cultural progress in 2010. “We will draw upon and carry forward the fine traditional culture of the Chinese nation, draw on and make use of the achievements of the cultures of other countries, and build a home of spirit.” To fulfill this mission, we still have a long way to go.

To begin with, what is culture? The answer is varied. But still, we may agree that culture gives birth to institutions. We also acknowledge culture as a symbol of a nation’s essence and spirit. Furthermore, we all experience culture as a dynamic force that both influences and is enriched by people.

As the spirit and soul of a nation, culture displays its soft power. Yet it can also be transformed into hard power to create material wealth. By incorporating culture and commerce, the culture industry carries a value chain, which prompts us to move upward from manufacturing to creating cultural products. Only in this way can we achieve cultural progress.

Cultural progress is also reflected in a harmonious public space. Some cities in China have made great strides in economic development, yet little progress in the preservation and management of their culture. For example, historic sights are demolished as dilapidated buildings; public signs are ill-translated and misleading, which undermines the image of the city. Therefore, it is a pressing concern to address the imbalance between a highly developed economy and underdeveloped culture.

Another way to enhance our culture is to vigorously develop cultural exchanges with foreign countries, and make Chinese culture more influential internationally. Confucius should not be the only representative of Chinese culture. Unique as it is, the culture of a nation also embodies universal values, which are underlined in the International Convention on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. Therefore, we should display diversified cultural performances that resonate with international audiences.

Furthermore, the private sector must be involved if our culture industry is to prosper. Authorized projects are prone to be mediocre as they primarily focus on awards given by the Central Government. Instead, a favorable environment should encourage the private sector to take a greater role and bring in new blood to the whole industry. A current example is “Butterfly,” one of the most popular music dramas in China, which is inspired by the well-known love story of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtan. As a product of private investment, the drama has become a champion of both artistic value and box office profits.

However, the government also has its own role to play in terms of cultural development. As is made clear in Premier Wen’s report, “Our government needs to better carry out its responsibility for developing non-profit cultural programs and ensure that the people's basic demands are met and that their rights and interests are protected…. We will make admission to more art galleries, libraries, cultural centers and museums free of charge; and enrich the people's intellectual and cultural lives.”

Here I would like to share with you my personal experience. As citizens in Hangzhou, my wife and I bought annual subscriptions to the Hangzhou Theater for 1000RMB each, which enables us to enjoy no less than 50 performances in a year, cutting the price for each show to a mere 20RMB. Policies like this are truly beneficial to ordinary Chinese people.

To summarize, a cultural renaissance is essential to our country’s revitalization. Everyone should be committed to promoting the cultural progress of the whole society.