Ma Weiran, a prominent Datong city entrepreneur, is busy these days with is cultural and public welfare undertakings, seeking information for culture experts and scholars worldwide as well as like-minded friends, in addition to the routine management of his company.

Datong is a historic city, but it lacked popular culture products, especially branded ones, and activities that the rest of the country had. So, the question was how to give its people a broader cultural vision and more culture and Ma had an idea of how to do that: establish a public lecture hall that would benefit a large number of people.

So, he got sponsorship from the municipal Party publicity and organization departments, and that public lecture hall has been open for two years already. But now, Ma and his colleagues have to make a decision about who to get as the speaker for next year and what the topic will be.

A basic requirement for a successful Public Lecture Hall, according to the municipal Party publicity and organization departments, was global vision with an open mind. And, to ensure that the culture activities would pass the test, Ma and some volunteers spent their time, shuttling back and forth, between the cities of Beijing and Shanghai, and Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces to talk with well-known scholars.

And they have got several celebrities who were only seen on TV until now, and their impassioned speeches by elite people, and words of wisdom former experts and scholars have become a standard part of life for Datong’s people. Ma explains that the Public Lecture Hall has seen 14 events, with thousands of people taking part and they are not just the beneficiaries of outstanding urban culture, but also participants in public cultural undertakings. This year, as part of a Public Lecture Hall and Datong Evening plan, 19,000 books have collected, nine libraries have been built, one schoolhouse repaired, and funding for five students from impoverished families provided, along with 130 copies of public lectures for poor rural primary schools. Ma adds that the Public Lecture Hall has become a cultural brand in people's minds and that he and his volunteers will continue to provide outstanding cultural items for those who long for greater knowledge.

Edited by Roger Bradshaw