Why 'entertainment soldiers' are here to stay

While Western militaries count on religion and professionalism as the main source of their mental strength, the Chinese military uses literature and art for morale boosting, according to Gong Fangbin, a professor at the National Defense University of PLA. He says that several Chinese songs, popular both in and outside the barracks, have the power that no other education program could have in terms of soothing a soldier's soul and toughening him up in adversity.

One of them, A Little White Poplar Tree, rendered by a famous military singer equivalent in rank to a commander of an army corps, praises the selflessness of Chinese border guards. Another song, The Bloodstained Glory, reportedly first sung by a PLA war hero, eulogizes the bravery of soldiers willing to sacrifice their lives for the nation. And when it comes to troops' entertainment, Internet-enabled multimedia presentations can never match the thrill of seeing stars in flesh and blood. That is why the military has always insisted that its entertainers must perform for the troops on the frontlines.

For example, in May 2012, the military sent a song-and-dance troupe to Xisha Islands in the South China Sea to convey the nation's "regards and appreciation" to the troops garrisoned there. The troupe, reportedly comprising a tenor trained by Placido Domingo, a pop singing star and a Tibetan singer, entertained the soldiers, some of whom had been stationed on the islands for more than 16 years.

Another reason why the military is reluctant to let go of its retainer artists is the difficulty in sourcing entertainment programs from civilian providers. Besides being costly, the entertainment business is prone to be kitsch and materialistic, something the military has always been wary of because it wants to instill in soldiers and officers a more lofty value system with the help of its own entertainers.

Will the tough measures lead to an exodus of celebrity performers who may no longer be able to enjoy the best of the two worlds? Maybe. But the cleanup could just be another reason to justify the existence of the entertainment units.

The writer is editor-at-large of China Daily. dr.baiping@gmail.com