China's vast reservoirs of soft power
- By Sajjad Malik
0 Comment(s)
Print
E-mail China.org.cn, December 9, 2016
Fine arts for a lay man may just mean something akin to entertainment and enjoyment. But they are more than that. The appeal and importance of dance, music, films, paintings, carvings and literature go beyond sensory pleasure. In fact, these soft, delicate and lovely objects and ideas constitute the core of the soft power of a nation.
Rising powers like China and India are conscious of the soft constituent of "power" and have been trying to promote arts to build their images abroad. Top political leadership patronizes the finer aspects of life by encouraging artists through a variety of ways, including ceremonies, giving away awards and prizes and bestowing honors.
President Xi Jinping's participation in the opening ceremony of the 10th Congress of the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles (CFLAC) and the 9th Congress of the Chinese Writers Association (CWA) in Beijing on Nov. 30 is an expression of his love for art and culture, and a symbol of his efforts to portray the soft power of China.
He was joined by Premier Li Keqiang and other senior state leaders. The ceremony was also attended by about 3,300 people from the mainland, Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and abroad.
Xi spoke at length about local arts and artists and their role in nation-building. He also told the artists that proper understanding of their culture was a key to creating master pieces.
"To create outstanding works with vivid national characteristics and unique personal style, one must have a profound understanding of Chinese culture and a high level of cultural confidence," he said.
Xi also said that writers can play a crucial role in establishing a true socialist society and strengthen the core socialist values of the country. They should also encourage people to have a sense of national pride.
He also called on artists to contribute towards humanity. Xi's idea is that writers should always adhere to moral values, which can help to immortalize the artistic and literary works and greatly contribute to the development of culture.
China is lucky to have all the natural ingredients of soft power. Its vast territorial outreach and manpower, ancient knowledge, cultural diversity and historical developments make it a vast reservoir of art and culture. But it is not enough to have the right ingredients if they are not transformed into a solid product and offered to others in splendid shapes.
I think China faces a daunting task to convey its arts and artistic work to the outside world. Comparatively, the United States and the Western powers are more comfortable to sell their soft power enshrined in fine arts. The U.S. has the advantage of English, which is spoken and understood all over the world, while Western culture resonates with the youth and elite of the world.
China should invest more in its education system, making it easy, affordable and approachable for foreign students. Selective and effective doses of local culture and arts should be packaged with educational materials and syllabi to familiarize others with Chinese folklore, ancient knowledge, traditional medicine and wisdom.
For example, Chinese traditional sayings are rich in meanings and intellectual wisdom. Some of them can easily become quotes for the foreigners as well. I have heard many people using the Chinese proverbial curse, "May you live in interesting times" quite effectively. It could be true in case of other maxims.
Apart from books and education, films exploring ancient themes peppered with modern realties can attract a large foreign audience. Since China is a vast country, local film producers may not need foreign viewers to make profits. But films are an effective tool to sell ideas and concepts to foreigners. Hollywood and Bollywood can serve as good examples.
President Xi's encouragements for artists and writers are just one part of the hidden soft power of China. The country has much more than it is exploiting so far.
Sajjad Malik is a columnist with China.org.cn. For more information please visit:
http://www.china.org.cn/opinion/SajjadMalik.htm
Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.
Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)