It's another year, what they have to say about the Confucius Birthday?

It had been four years since I first follow on the reports about the worship of Confucius' Birthday on 28 September. The high point, I have to say, was still 2007. The vibe was extremely strong back then -- not only because of the fact that it was my 'fresh' and 'new' discovery of this bizarre return of Confucianism in post-reform China. The context was different back then -- it was the year before the Olympics, and the state is working so hard to recreate Confucius as the cultural symbols for the nationalistic 'sports' event (they announced the five-selected-verses from the Analects as one of the slogans for the Olympics). The UNESCO was established in 2005 but actually presented the award for the first time in 2007, also added the excitement for this 'international' event. But above all, the direct funding from the Central Government sponsoring the rituals and 'upgraded' that as 'state event' , I believe, explains the significance of the event.

Journalists and scholars had a lot to say about the ritual in 2007. From the 'vacuum of Marxism' to the 'return of Confucianism', everyone has their opinion to raise even though no one can tell us (back then, at least) how the revival of Confucianism is ACTUALLY HAPPENING among the people. What happened outside of the ritual hall that only invited special guests were allowed to participate? (since I've tried to find a way to get 'inside' but failed to do so, with my foreign-graduate-student-with-no-connection status -- why the pity-the-student card doesn't work for me?).

2008, the vibe was still high. It's just few weeks after the Olympics, tourists are still lingering around China and it's one of the must-go 'cultural event'.

2009, mmm, I don't remember I see much report on that anymore, especially in the out-of-China media. That was the year when I tried to get access to the ritual in Qufu but failed to do so.

2010, what they have to say about the ritual? Up to now I still haven't found anything report on the Qufu rituals yet. I saw news about the Taiwanese rituals, performed by the President Ma Yingjiu (and then, people outside fighting for the 'wisdom brushes' for calligraphy, not quite sure where the transcendent power is coming from that granted the 'wisdom', since it's just a 2 minutes-segment in the evening news). And the Guardian has this report -- and it focuses on the resume of rituals in the Beijing Confucius temple and not the large cultural event in Qufu. But other than that, it seems that the 'Confucian teacher' and the scholar of Confucianism has nothing new and exciting to tell us. The narrative remains the same for the past few years -- state need new symbols for legitimacy; rapid social change created yearning for new ethical and moral guidance/anchor; it's something 'rooted' in Chinese people's mind and it's about time for it's return...

The kind of reporting is still remaining at the superficial level -- scratching the surface, highlighting the visual and the meta-narratives (which almost became too convenient to make as it had been the same for the past few years) without actually telling us the complexity of the revival of Confucianism in China more than 'the musician' who found it not that personally appealing. I know it's 'just' a newspaper report, but isn't it about time to develop some more insight into the phenomenon?

Picture of Children reading the Analects of Confucius at the Confucius worship in Tianjin from the Xinhua News. (source: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/china/2010-09/28/c_13534300_4.htm)

Confucius Invasion?!

Obviously, Confucianism in classroom is not only an issue in China, but also in the US!!

But wait a minute, it's not really about 'Confucianism' here per se, the parents are upset about the invasion of 'communism' .....

Communism under the name of Confucianism, that, my dear readers, is the dilemma of all!

Sources: http://www.sgvtribune.com/ci_15909074

Tensions swell over Confucius Classroom; board member retains lawyer

Read more:http://www.sgvtribune.com/ci_15909074#ixzz0xqsXxF1v

By Maritza Velazquez, Staff Writer

Posted: 08/26/2010 11:04:07 PM PDT

Education

Get the scoop on schools, teachers and students. Visit our Education pagefor more articles and photos.

INDUSTRY - Tension surrounding Hacienda La Puente Unified's plans for a Confucius Classroom accelerated Thursday night as vocal opponents of the Chinese government-funded program threatened a recall and one board member has secured a lawyer to protect himself from slanderous comments.

Following a 4-1 vote in January, a group of opponents have spoken at nearly every board meeting in an effort to persuade board members to abandon the Chinese language and culture program, funded by the Chinese Language Council International, or Hanban.

Board members Thursday delayed a vote on an agreement to partner with a Chinese university to develop the Confucius Classroom at Cedarlane Middle School. According to the agreement, Yunnan Normal University would provide guidance, study abroad opportunities, books and reference materials to the Chinese language and culture elective class. In addition, two university representatives would serve on an advisory board for the program, also made up of district administrators, parents and teachers.

Opponents continued to assail the program at the school board meeting Thursday, arguing the district is inviting communism into the classroom.

"This is not about race," said Teresa Macias. "Those who oppose the Confucius Classroom are not racist, we are Americans against communism."

Following several comments made at previous board meetings insinuating a darker agenda for his trips to China, board member Norman

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Hsu said he has retained legal council to protect his privacy.

"I will take legal action against any individual or organization making defamatory comments against me," Hsu said before public comment.

One parent called Hsu's comments a scare tactic and threatened to try to remove board members who support the elective class.

"I hope that when we start a recall, you will join us and that will be very soon," Manuel Maldonado, a district parent, told the audience.

Rudy Obad, a World War II veteran, questioned the amount of money the school district spent on trips to China. He also said board members were inviting Communism into the classroom.

"I think we might have some communist here in this room," he said.

More than once, Hacienda La Puente Superintendent Barbara Nakaoka cautioned audience members in making accusations against board members and reiterated board policy that individuals would be removed for disruptive behavior. An extra uniformed district police officer was also on hand.

Student supporters also voiced their opinions and one former district teacher became emotional over some of the comments made by those who oppose the program.

"I really feel like why are we talking about this like we're at war with China," said Tina Tsai, a former Cedarlane educator. "If you keep pushing this you're passing on something that is antagonistic for the next generation."

As board members made their final comments, board member Jay Chen sought to address some of the concerns from community members, who said China was targeting the school district. Officials said no instructors from the nation would be in the classroom.

"China is not targeting our school district, we're not even the first district to bring this program here," he said.

Nakaoka said the board may vote on the partnership between Cedarlane and the Chinese university next month.

maritza.velazquez@sgvn.com

626-962-8811, ext. 2718

Read more:http://www.sgvtribune.com/ci_15909074#ixzz0xqsIZRBB

Past Masters -- China Daily report about my fieldsite in China

Sources: http://www.chinadailyusa.com/news/NewsInfo.asp?range=&lv2=6&id=20393

Life Past masters Wang Wudong listens to a student reciting Dizigui (The Standard Rules for Young Students). Joy Lam / For China Daily By Zhang Yue Published:7/14/2010 On a Sunday afternoon last month, some 20 primary school students are reading The Analects of Confucius aloud in a private class in Auhui’s capital city Hefei. Dressed in a white Tang suit, Wang Wudong, the teacher, stands at the front of the classroom, following with the rhythm of the students reading with his fingers tapping on a table and his eyes half-closed. Wang and his wife, Lu Yi, have committed themselves to the voluntary full time teaching of Chinese traditional literature since 2004. Over the past six years, they have taught, for free, more than 2,000 children aged from 3 to 13 to read Chinese classics, such as The Great Learning, The Doctrine of the Mean, The Analects of Confucius, and The Works of Mencius — the four must-read classics for Chinese ancient intellectuals. The couple established Xiao Shaizi, a non-profit Chinese teaching class whose Chinese name literally means “The Little Griddle” in English, guiding primary school students to learn about China’s ancient civilization as an extra-curriculum activity. “I named the school The Little Griddle because I hope the children here will pick up the best part of our country’s ancient civilization, just like a griddle,” says Wang. A small lobby outside the classroom allows the students’ parents to take a rest and chat while waiting for their kids. At the back of the lobby is a big bookshelf, where Wang puts his own collection of over 100 books of Chinese classic literature. Spreading the knowledge of the past has been a 37-year-old dream since he was a teenager. Wang’s passion for ancient Chinese civilization started when he began to learn taichi — a type of traditional Chinese martial arts — at 17 and read a lot of Chinese ancient literature works to understand the essence of the martial art. “Words from ancient times, once read by my heart, helped me to take a positive attitude towards life and the difficulties I encounter,” Wang says. In 2004, Wang and his wife listened to a lecture online by Wang Caigui, the first to promote classical reading among children in Taiwan. “I felt that this was something I wanted to do,” Wang says. At that time, Wang was working in the computer center at Anhui University with a monthly income of 1,200 yuan. Though respected as a teacher, he didn’t feel much sense of accomplishment, as his daily job was mainly recording cassettes for university students. After discussing matters with his wife, who has always been supportive, the couple quit their jobs and used their savings of 40,000 yuan to found the school and rented a classroom of 50 square meters. “We spent a week introducing ourselves to kindergartens and primary schools nearby,” Lu recalls. “Only 15 students showed up for the first class. Most of them came because their parents did not have time to care for them after school and they did not have high expectations.” The first class was a mess, Lu says. “Children under 6-years-old can only focus on reading for a short time. The students started to run and play 10 minutes after I started teaching.” Learning from that experience, Wang and Lu now play a piece of Chinese folk music during the 2-hour class to help the students calm down and focus on class. The first class of 30 students soon enjoyed great improvement, not only in knowledge but also in their daily behavior. “Children develop their views on life and the world between the ages of three and six,” Wang says. “I believe the legacy of our ancestors is extremely valuable, and will assert a positive influence on this process.” Wang mainly guides them to read and explain Dizigui (The Standard Rules for Young Students) and some other classics in class and talks to them about appropriate behavior in life. The students are required to recite 500 words of Dizigui every week. If one fails to finish reciting or does not behave well in class, Wang will lightly hit the student’s palm with a ruler, a traditional way of punishing students in China’s old-style private schools. “My son was very naughty and was punished almost every class during the first two months,” says Cheng Peng, father of 8-year-old Cheng Bo. “He is now quite a disciplined boy. I think the traditional way of punishing students still applies to kids nowadays.” Wang says that he is also strict with his own son, who is now 2-years-old. He sits in the back row of the class when his mother is teaching. Li Wenqing, a 12-year-old girl at Hefei Nanmen Primary School, has been with The Little Griddle for four years. Now, her quotes from the ancient classics sometimes surprise her parents. “Once, I was talking about a dress that was too expensive for us to afford,” says her mother. “And she interrupted by saying, ‘Dresses should be tidy and appropriate instead of being costly,’ which is a quote from Dizigui.” At the moment, the school has over 700 students and has moved into an office building with better facilities such as an air-conditioner and water dispenser. Paying the 3,500-yuan monthly rent and teaching so many children is not an easy task for Wang and Lu. But they are not alone. Many students’ parents offer help. Wang and Lu now receive donations of around 20,000 yuan each month. The couple takes 1,600 yuan for their living expenses, while the rest goes to the class. “Reading ancient classics with Wang for two years helped my son to be a well-behaved boy,” says a grateful parent who has made donations to the school and prefers not to be named. “I believe helping them keep running The Little Griddle is a way to help many kids with early childhood education just like my son.” Some others, like Li’s mother Xu Yuan, have become volunteer teachers. Xu, once a full-time housewife, has been working for The Little Griddle three evenings a week for three years. While The Little Griddle has benefited an increasing number of children and their parents, it’s also drawing attention from overseas. Joy Lam, a sociology PhD candidate from University of Southern California, is doing research at The Little Griddle for her doctoral dissertation focusing on the social implications of the revival of Confucianism in contemporary China. “By providing free classes, The Little Griddle provides a public space where people interested in traditional culture can gather, and where discussions about the compatibility of Chinese traditional culture with modern society is possible not only among academics but people in general,” Lam says. Wang says he is particularly impressed by the gratitude shown by students’ parents and their willingness to help. “Donations for The Little Griddle continue to pour in even though I tell them that we’ve enough to keep the class running,” Wang says. “So I suggest we use the surplus of donations to develop a project similar to the ‘Project Hope’, providing financial help for the poor in the remote areas. They love the idea.”

Apple Daily critique on the movie "Confucius"

探針：誰在強姦周潤發與《孔子》

2010年02月22日

孔捷生

《加勒比海盜：魔盜王終極之戰》遭大陸廣電總局剪掉十分鐘，挨剪的全是周潤發的戲份，理由是「有損華人形象」。戲中發哥光頭、爛面、留的小辮子不在後腦，卻在下巴，總之面目猙獰。海盜匪首應該甚麼模樣？張保仔倘若玉樹臨風，氣宇軒昂，就能長華人志氣？

周潤發演海盜相當出彩，他的失敗之作卻是《孔子》，該片塑造的是一個偽孔子，發哥演得越投入就越虛假，這和他的功力沒關係，而是《孔子》的立意宏旨和孔子真正的理想南轅北轍。這部大爛片不但「有損華人形象」，更有損中華文明。
孔子是獨立士人，用今天的話來說，就是公共知識分子。他周遊列國，宣傳仁政，效法周禮。其時列國君主廣納諸子百家，欲討教的卻是富國強兵之道，或者如何興農耕和建立嚴刑峻法，總之要圓強國夢。孔子不理會那些，他只去批判社會，針砭時弊，認為做君主和做人都要講仁義道德，有誠信廉恥，否則就禮崩樂壞。他畢生堅持自己的理想信仰，卻為現實政治所不容。
孔子為甚麼要講克己復禮，可參閱蕭建生的《中國文明的反思》，他指出西周比起商朝，是一個君權弱，人權興，有邦聯制、共和制互相制衡的社會，因起義奴隸協助周武王滅掉暴君紂王，所以西周基本廢除奴隸制，從出土墓葬和文獻記載中，絕少再見到活人殉葬。蕭建生這部學術著作竟淪為禁書，只緣他用自由、法治、人權的觀點去探究歷史，道出秦始皇中央集權的郡縣制是千年專制噩夢的開始。
同樣，一個真實的孔子更不能見容於現今的國家意識形態。連「公共知識分子」這個名詞，都被斥為「挑撥黨和知識分子的關係」和否定黨的領導地位。那麼孔子及其思想怎能以完璧示人？於是周潤發版的孔子就成了一個愛國者，成了宣揚「如果人不能改變世界，那應該改變自己內心」的怯懦偽君子。試問先後游說過十幾個諸侯國的孔子，怎麼可能是愛國者？他愛哪一國？他四處碰壁後與君王絕裾而去，回到魯國興辦私學，有教無類，不仰權力鼻息。我們今天紀念孔子，就要秉持他的獨立精神和道德人格，而非「改變自己內心」委身於強權。
《孔子》真實性、藝術性、商業性的多重失敗，令韓寒舉手加額，他在博客寫道：如果《孔子》大賣座，當局就會繼續去糟踐老子、莊子、孟子、墨子……我卻覺得，當局斷不會給孟子焚香上供，明太祖朱元璋已把孟子趕出二聖廟，共產黨怎能接受孟子「君之視臣如犬馬，則臣視君如國人；君視臣如土芥，則臣視君如寇仇」之說？尤其是「民為貴，社稷次之，君為輕」，這和愛國忠黨相剋相冲，依孟子此言，董建華「沒有國，哪有家」的金句便不成立；至於認定「中國人需要管」的成龍，去歲十．一大典獻唱《國家》，豈止歌詞「有了強的國，才有富的家」不成立，就連歌名都要顛倒過來了。所以孔子尚可按黨意志重塑金身，若說再打造一個偽孟子，當局真是半點興趣都沒有。

Confucius Lottery Tickets!

Here's the China Daily report on the 'ire' created by the lottery ticket with Confucius' images on it in Qufu. I just like this kind of story because it really challenges the academics who did our research but only able to capture the social condition at a certain moment but unable to catch up as fast as how the symbol transform its meaning (or the fact that there are multiple and even contradicting meanings that are circulating around).

I also like to read those logic-confusing statement that made by the 'authority' of lottery ticket, saying that "The Confucius-themed lotteries are the country's most real culture-centered tickets'. So can Confucius' image help the sales of lottery ticket? seems not, according to the China Daily report. Bummer.

A salesman at a welfare lottery outlet in Liaocheng, Shandong province, holds lottery tickets that use the image and sermons of Confucius. [China Daily]

An interesting point to me is : who really has the claim to capitalize the cultural capital of Confucius (and his image) -- and the Shandong province sees itself as the 'legitimate' player in this discourse because it was the birthplace of Confucius, and his image represents the 'region characteristics'. Sebastien Billioud and Joel Thoraval's recent article published in China Perspective discusses in details the whole 'enterprise' of the ceremonies for worshiping Confucius and the 'cultural festival' associate with it that take place in Qufu, Shandong annually. They suggests that it reflects 'two characteristics of Chinese socieity: its ideological background and the increasing merchandising of culture. The ideological agenda intertwines here with the economic needs of local authorities, for which cultural heritage and tourism revenue constitute important trup cards for local development' (Billioud & Thoraval 2009).

The Shandong government can capitalize the image of Confucius through their annual 'festivals' from tourism and 'trade show' surrounding the theme of Confucianism (No wonder Confucius need the copyright law to protect his image), but what and where the line should be anyway? While Confucius' name and image can be associated with stationaries, books, coins, or even wine, somehow his face appears on lottery ticket 'cross the line'.The dilemma, as I see it, is that while reconstructing the sacred image of Confucius is crucial in the process of 'opportunity maximization' (or, capitalization), the process in itself undermines the moral authenticity of the sacredness.

As the talk about the revival of Confucianism is becoming a 'hot topic' these days and the analysis about how the Chinese state is 'using' Confucianism to fulfill whatever 'vacuum' that they are facing, one question that we should have in mind is that how can the state capitalize on the cultural capital of Confucianism when its moral authenticity is in question?

Billioud, S. and Thoraval, J.. 2009. 'Lijiao: The Return of Ceremonies Honouring Confucius in Mainland China'. China Perspectives , 2009/4:82-100.

Confucianism, Google, and missionary to China?

How they are all connected?? check this out: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704878904575031263063242900.html?mod=wsj_share_facebook

Ian Buruma (2010), Taming the Gods: Religion and Democracy in Three Continent.

The dispute over Avatar vs Confucius continues...

The media in the West is crying out loud about this now, see here

http://www.yaleglobal.yale.edu/content/confucius-vs-avatar and http://globalvoicesonline.org/2010/01/24/china-how-does-the-young-generation-view-confucius/

But also, let's see what the academics have to say -- listen to the show about the dispute over Confucius and Avatar on NPR with guest discussants Tu Weiming, Zhang Xudong and Pei Minxin: http://www.onpointradio.org/2010/01/examining-confucius

And check out Stanley Rosen's blog entry, the professor of political science, on the issue from a different perspective: http://www.thechinabeat.org/?p=1397

The People's Daily review of the 'anti-Confucius' feeling:

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/life/2010-01/29/content_9396402.htm

'Confucius school' vs. 'Confucian school'

Reported by the China Youth Daily on 20 Jan 2010, one student dead and two went missing during a TV shoot in Wenchang, Southern part of Hainan province in China. 100 students from a local middle school were recruited to appear as extras in a TV drama that commerocate the 60th anniversay of the 'liberation' of Hainan Island. A big wave came in when they were shooting in the water, and 10 students got carried away.

What's added more to the story, as I found out in another report from the Apple Daily from Hong Kong, is that these students were recruited from the local 文昌孔子學校 (Wenchang Confucius School) . It is suspected that the principle, Liu Debing, had received RMB2500 from the production team and talked the students into working as extras. (report from Apple Daily attached below). So the paper says that this is example to satirize the effort that the Chinese government using Confucianism to reinstate the ethic order for the country.

When I see report like this, it reminded me the first question that I encountered when I think seriously about the revival of Confucianism in China -- how much it is are state-driven? and what they had actually done to drive it? Did the state encourages school like 'Wenchang Confucius School' to establish? If so, why the Shanghai Meng Mu Tang had been called as illegal schools and shut down by the government? It is strange to me that during my fieldwork in China, there are so many principals of Confucian school who complained about how difficult it is to start a school with classic-reading as the key syllabus, but then, Confucius school like this one in Wenchang can have a well-equipped campus (check their school website ) and have no trouble with the authority. The message is mixed, does the state want the Confucian education or not?

I use the term 'Confucian school' as a category in my analysis of classic-reading education movement in China. I use that to describe the kind of government-approved privately funded school that adopt the Confucian pedagogy and aim to nurture children's academic and language ability through classic-reading,and also focusing on children's character development and behavioral changes. But they are not 'Confucius school' per se because although Confucian classic plays a major role there, other classics including the Daoist and Buddhist one, are also playing an important role. None of the Confucian schools that I researched about use 'Confucius' as the school name, but term 'classic' (jindian 經典) is occasionally used. I assume that by calling themselves a 'Confucius school' and highlight the exclusiveness of Confucianism is not actually what most of the activists in the children classic-reading movement (兒童讀經運動) (which is highly associated with the revival of Confucianism movement) wanted. And it's large due the the historical and cultural baggages that the term 'Confucianism' had been carrying since the May Fourth Movement or the so-called 'Chinese Enlightenment' period.

I want to say something about this, not because I am a supporter of the conservative reform of classic-reading education. I have the same questions and suspicion about this movement (see how I am still calling it a 'conservative reform'?) , but during the process of researching about it in China, visiting schools and programs and interviewing teachers and parents, I found that this is something more complicated than simply a movement that fueled with state conspiracy (not to say that it is not there). To implement the 'actual' classic-reading program and the Confucian pedagogy is such an intensive work that one has to ask why parents and teachers want to go all the way to find an alternative education for their children? why it is so important for them to do that that even when it is extremely inconvenient and entails conflict with the authority (e.g. withdrawing students from the official school system)? To me, a big group of parents and teachers are making 'conscious choice' for their children that they think it is something better for their children. And that is the reason why we really to look careful, what this whole idea of revival of Confucianism and Confucian education really means.

I prefer to think that social agents are something more than just a subject of the state, even though they are subjugated under a strong authoritarian one in this particular context. They are (and should be) the one who make social changes possible, even though in the way that we do not like, prefer, or expected.

Source: The Apple Daily

Date: 21 January 2010

拍劇紀念中共佔據海南 60年　被轟「拿人命做獻禮」
海浪捲走臨記學生

2010年01月21日

為紀念中共佔據海南 60周年，海南省與中央電視台合作拍攝電視劇《解放海南島》，並請了當地 100多名中學生充當臨記，扮演解放軍由海上登陸搶灘的場面。不料，突如其來的大浪將 10多名「解放軍」捲走，致一死兩失蹤。當局一度出動直升機搜尋但無果。內地網民怒轟當局「拿三條人命做獻禮」！

《解放海南島》被視為中共佔據海南 60周年（中共 1950年 6月 5日佔領海南島）的獻禮片，被喻為政治工程。全劇 30集，總投資逾千萬元（人民幣．下同）。據悉，劇集拍攝期間雖出了人命，但劇組未受影響，拍攝工作仍在進行中。

事發在上周五（ 15日）下午約 3時半，當時劇組人員正在文昌市的大澳灣拍攝解放軍搶灘登陸的鏡頭。 100多名來自當地孔子中學的學生，個個準備就緒。但沒有一個學生察覺，這時的海底已經發生了很大變化。在 10多名學生的前方，海底已形成了一個很深的沙坑，由此產生的暗流正在海底猙獰旋轉。當同學們靠近沙坑的時候，身後一個大浪打來，部份學生開始東倒西歪。緊接着再一個大浪打來， 10多名同學全被捲入海中。
「當時，大澳灣的風特別大，浪特別高，海水特別凉，同學們被組織起來排成數個隊列，走到齊腰深的海水中。劇組的攝影機架在沙灘上，同學們要迎着鏡頭從齊腰深的海中衝向岸邊。」大難不死正躺在病床上的付冬冬回憶說。

事故發生後，劇組和所有參演的學生都慌了神，大家迅速開始自救。雖有多名同學被當場救出，但仍有一些學生不見了蹤影。文昌市公安局在接報後，迅速趕到現場。最終一人經搶救無效死亡，兩名學生失蹤，多名受傷的學生被送院救治。次日，直升機在海面上盤旋搜尋失蹤學生，但一無所獲。死亡和失蹤的三人均屬中五生。

校長收錢挑選男生拍攝

「怎麼會這樣啊？」失蹤學生的家長隨後被帶到了大澳灣，他們由當地政府的工作人員攙扶着，邊走邊哭着說。有獲救的學生指，校方和劇組選人時，除身高有要求，也不問會不會游泳、有無身體不適，且參加拍攝首日，他們主要負責扛道具，做苦力。
更令人感到氣憤的是，該校校長劉德斌事後被揭發曾收取攝製組 2,500元，但沒有入公賬。他現已被拘留。
海南省委宣傳部事後禁止當地媒體報道。但北京媒體千里迢迢前往當地採訪而揭露事件。有網民怒斥當局罔顧人命，「《解放海南島》播出當日，中央電視台應該下半旗向三位學生致哀！」而海南當局迄今未回應事件。
《中國青年報》/本報記者

盡論中國：命都敢賣　還怕賣學生？

2010年01月21日

在中共總書記胡錦濤欽點為主旋律作品的電影《孔子》即將上畫之際，海南文昌市孔子中學爆出人命醜聞：校長只收了 2,500元，就把 100多位學生賣給電視劇《解放海南島》劇組當臨時演員，結果造成學生一死兩失蹤。校長如此無恥地出賣學生，對當局大張旗鼓地宣傳孔子、期望重塑公眾道德，無疑是一大諷刺。

熱捧孔子　難喚回社會道德感

胡錦濤主政以後，曾針對利慾薰心的社會問題掀起多次政治運動，包括針對中共黨員的「保先」（保持黨員先進性）及針對公眾的「八榮八恥」。「保先」要求黨員人人過關，但結果落個「保先」不如「保鮮」的笑話；「八榮八恥」被封為新時代的道德指針，大學要開專題講座、中小學要納入課堂教育，甚至要求傳唱「八榮八恥」歌，但結果諸如「以腰纏萬貫為榮、以一貧如洗為恥；以二三四奶為榮、以一條光棍為恥」的調侃，遠比胡錦濤「以服務人民為榮，以背離人民為恥；以艱苦奮鬥為榮，以驕奢淫逸為恥」的訓話流傳更廣。
當局不着力於政治制度的改革，以約束、制裁官員的貪腐行為，從而確立社會規範和公眾道德觀，反而樂於搞政治運動、樂於宣傳政治口號，與其說是要倡導正確的人生觀、道德觀，不如說是要吹捧領導人，走的是「一句頂一萬句」、萬民表態效忠的造神舊路。結果，貪官越打越多，民間鋌而走險、為錢賣命的事件越來越多，福利院賣孤兒、醫院賣病人、學校賣學生，屢見不鮮。
中共近年熱捧孔夫子，極盡宣傳之能事，僅是海外孔子學院已辦了近 300間，一方面是試圖向世界宣揚中國文化，以孔子的睿智、和平形象，緩和西方的中國威脅論，另一方面則是試圖倡導儒家的禮義廉恥和忠孝君臣觀念，作為強化統治的工具。但是，文昌孔子中學校長的行徑說明，當局到處大打孔子的旗號，根本無力喚回社會的道德感、無力挽回社會走向墮落的趨勢。

電郵： China@appledaily.com

(李平)

Avatar is supressed so that Confucius will success

My favorite movie of the year just won the best picture from the Golden Globe (although I also think that will deserve that too). Yet, reported from Apple Daily, a newspaper from Hong Kong, the Chinese government limited the showing of this world-wide success movie to only the 3D-version (since there are limited number of cinema equipped with the facilities for showing 3D movie). The movie is a big box-office success, and had a record-making ticket-sales for 5 billion RMB in 2 weeks. The Propaganda Department requests that media should focus their report on the movie <> instead, since it's identified as the 'main melody' by the higher ranking central government officials. The article argues that there are two possible reasonse for the Chinese government to do so: 1) since it's so popular, it is over-taking the movie market from the locally-produced movie; 2) the storyline may remind audiences about forced demolition and relocation, and it encourages violent resisteance.

'main melody', according to Baidu.com, means something more than just theme or motives but also refers to 'film, television shows and other products of art that is accord with the benefit of the ruling class. Promotion of these products is usually lead by the ruling class'. The movie became part of the 'main melody' identified by the Propaganda Department in March 2009, when Hu Jintao said that 'it's about time to release a movie about Confucius'. It is described as 'a great film with singificant political, cultural, and historical meaning', and the icon to promote Chinese Confucian culture around the world.

Is becoming the tool for communist China's propaganda? This question remind me the article by Peter Foster at the Telegraph (see here) when he discusses the concept of 'propaganda' in China context. It seems to me that, according to Foster, the key difference between propaganda versus a government promotion of certain policy/ideas is depending on whether one have the right to refuse/challenge. While people in China may have the right to choose to see or not to see the movie (or simply, cannot afford to see the movie), it seems that the modern way of propagate certain idea is to limited choices.

Source: Apple Daily

Accesses date: 16 January 2010

北京捧《孔子》驅趕《阿凡達》
恐劇情惹強拆遷聯想　強勁票房危及國產片

2010年01月18日

全球熱播的荷李活巨片《阿凡達》（ Avatar）在內地遭截擊。中國電影發行放映公司（中影公司）指示各地停映《阿凡達》普通版，僅放映立體版；而中共中央宣傳部（中宣部）則下令媒體不准再炒作《阿凡達》熱。據悉，當局截擊《阿凡達》有兩大原因，一是該片吸金過度，搶了國產片市場；二是影片引起觀眾對強迫拆遷聯想，並有煽動暴力抗爭之嫌。

內地接近中影公司人士昨對本報證實，中影公司近日向各地發出指示，要求在本周初撤下《阿凡達》 2D和膠片版（即普通版），僅保留 3D版繼續上映。

《孔子》將於本月 22日在內地各地同步上映。

放大圖片

《孔子》成為中共力推的主旋律影片。

抽起 2D僅保留 3D版

因內地 3D影院不多，該指令實際是限制《阿凡達》在更大範圍繼續傳播。該人士稱，有關決定來自國家廣電總局，「可能是帶有政治性的決定。」據悉，即使是 3D版可能也只能放映三至四周。《阿凡達》是在本月四日開始在內地上映。
消息透露，中宣部近日也發出指示，要求各地宣傳主管部門管好媒體，不要再炒作《阿凡達》掀起的熱潮，並正確引導相關輿論。中宣部同時要求，媒體娛樂新聞報道重點，應轉到即將在全國上映的國產巨片《孔子》。由香港明星周潤發主演的《孔子》將於本月 22日（周五）在內地各地同步上映。
北京影評人劉毅認為，中影公司和中宣部同時出手截擊《阿凡達》，原因之一是該片在內地上映短短半個月，票房已近五億元人民幣，打破內地影片吸金紀錄；當局要扶持國產片，不想讓一部進口電影佔據太大市場份額；另外，《孔子》是獲中共高層力捧、被定為「主旋律」的獻禮影片，當局不想讓它被一部外國進口片搶去風頭。

放大圖片

《阿凡達》被指有煽動觀眾「以暴抗暴」之嫌。

放大圖片

《阿凡達》票房強勁，已收近五億元人民幣，打破內地影片吸金紀錄。

被指煽動「以暴抗暴」

放大圖片

《阿凡達》勾起民眾被逼遷之痛。圖為上海一群被強拆的業主誓言維權。

還有消息指，中宣部下令輿論冷待《阿凡達》還有一個重要原因，就是該片挑起觀眾對強迫拆遷的聯想，甚至有煽動觀眾仿效片中情節對逼遷「以暴抗暴」之嫌。隨着影片熱播，內地互聯網出現不少相關議論，有網民直指影片「講的就是發展商和政府以開發為名，強迫搬遷的故事」，「要向納美人（片中反抗外來者強拆的外星人）學習」！
內地近年因強迫拆遷釀發悲劇不斷，居民不時以自焚或自殘等方式抗議。有網民指，《阿凡達》導演一定在中國住過，受中國社會強拆逼遷事件啟發，才想出這個故事，「唯一差別是，電影結局是有希望的，而中國被強拆的民眾只有絕望」。網民又說：「《阿凡達》是紀念釘子戶抵抗強迫拆遷的成功輓歌。」

中共力撐　圖以儒治國

2010年01月18日

北京截擊《阿凡達》原因之一，是本周將上映的國產影片《孔子》，當局一方面要扶持國產片，另一方面因《孔子》是中共總書記、國家主席胡錦濤力撐的「主旋律」影片。中共期望以孔子的儒家思想灌輸民眾，維持統治。

內地媒體披露，去年 3月全國人大會議期間，胡錦濤在江蘇團遇到全國人大代表、電影女導演胡玫。胡錦濤問：「你在做甚麼？」胡玫答：「我在拍《孔子》。」胡錦濤聞訊大悅：「哎呀，那可是一個重大的……」停頓數秒後胡錦濤說：「現在推出《孔子》，正是時候！」
正是因胡錦濤這句話，正在籌拍的《孔子》就被中宣部納入「主旋律」作品之列，譽之為中國首部「具重大政治、文化、歷史意義的巨片」，決定作為中國儒家文化思想代表在全球推廣。據悉該片製作拷貝多達 2,500個，超過建政 60周年獻禮片《建國大業》（ 1,450個），更創下內地電影拷貝紀錄。
內地文化人昝愛宗指，馬列意識形態今天在中國難獲認同，中共處心積慮搬出孔子，欲以儒治國，因儒家的「忠、孝、君、臣」等觀念，十分適合中共在社會動盪之際維持統治的心態。他表示，胡錦濤對電影《孔子》的熱情及中共在全世界推廣孔子學院的做法，都是證明，「孔子與馬列格格不入，馬列哲學已徹底破產，共產黨救不了自己，要孔子救共產黨，恐怕也是毫無出路。假如孔子在世，一定討厭自己被政客所利用。」