Current location:politics >>
VOX POPULI: China remains same heartless nation as seen in grim 1984 film
politics2879People have gathered around
IntroductionThe impression one gets from watching a film for the first time may keep drastically changing with e ...
The impression one gets from watching a film for the first time may keep drastically changing with every viewing.
For me, a case in point is the 1984 Chinese film “Yellow Earth,” the directorial debut for Chen Kaige, who was forced to live in a rural area during the Cultural Revolution.
With refreshing sensitivity, Chen tells a story set in a bleak village in the barren backwoods of northwest China.
A young Communist Party soldier traveling around the nation on a mission teaches a young village girl about the outside world.
With great pride, he speaks of an ideal future society where all people are equal.
When I first saw this film, I sensed something propagandist about this soldier’s too-good-to-be-true goodness.
And when I saw it again, I realized this could be a metaphor of sorts.
Everything the soldier says is utterly right and proper, but the Communist Party could not--or would not--save even one hapless young girl.
As if in accusation of that sort of hypocrisy, the voice of the girl shouting, “The Communist Party saves the entire nation,” is drowned out by the sounds of the rushing river.
A Chinese woman died in Tokyo last week. This was not a movie but a real story.
Tang Zhengqi, 27, a student in Japan, suddenly became ill three years ago and remained in a coma until her death on Feb. 2o.
Her father in China, Tang Jitian, wanted to travel to Japan to be with her.
But because he is a prominent human rights lawyer, Beijing refused to let him leave the country.
The reason the authorities gave was that his visit to Japan could “imperil China’s national security.”
How could national security possibly be jeopardized by a father being with his dying daughter?
China has become so prosperous and powerful, yet the government continues tormenting the people by abusing their human rights at will.
I am frustrated and angry beyond words.
--The Asahi Shimbun, Feb. 27
* *
*Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.
Tags:
Reprint:Friends are welcome to share on the Internet, but please indicate the source of the article when reprinting it.“Culture Chronicles news portal”。http://spratlyislands.fivesixgroup.com/html-98d199892.html
Related articles
Sarah Jessica Parker divides opinion with enormous hat on set of And Just Like That
politicsSarah Jessica Parker and her character Carrie Bradshaw seem to love pushing fashion boundaries, and ...
【politics】
Read moreTaylor Swift and Travis Kelce doing Coachella in style! They will be staying at a TOP luxury members
politicsTaylor Swift and Travis Kelce will be hitting Coachella this weekend to support their friend, singer ...
【politics】
Read moreDonna Kelce flies into Cincinnati for Travis and Jason's live New Heights showt
politicsDonna Kelce has flown into Cincinnati for her two sons Travis and Jason's live New Heights show late ...
【politics】
Read more
Popular articles
- Australia, New Zealand send planes to evacuate nationals from New Caledonia
- Atletico Madrid star reveals the footballers'
- Neymar jokes about his contribution to Al
- Tiger Woods heads out onto Augusta National course with Justin Thomas for another pre
- Sienna Miller's lookalike daughter Marlowe, 11, makes her first ever red carpet appearance
- Paulo Dybala mocks Matteo Guendouzi by during ill
Latest articles
Kid Rock 'uses N
Paulo Dybala mocks Matteo Guendouzi by during ill
Sarah Everard's killer Wayne Couzens should never have been police officer
PLAYER RATINGS: Scores revealed for DIRE Liverpool stars who flopped in first leg against Atalanta
Wildfires sweep across Finland, straining rescue services
Video shows Victim Support worker 'bragging' about smacking his children
LINKS
- Top 10 buzzwords in China in 2023
- Suki Waterhouse reveals the gender of her new baby while performing on
- Katy Perry's ex
- Steve Clifford wins final game as Charlotte coach, Hornets beat playoff
- Dawn Staley and her NCAA champion South Carolina Gamecocks celebrated with parade and rally
- China to launch national survey on cultural relics
- LeBron James' triple
- Masataka Yoshida hits 1 of 3 homers for the Red Sox, who beat Angels 5
- Joan Deslandes: From learning Chinese to becoming global citizens
- 81st World Science Fiction Convention kicks off in Chengdu