"It's a shame that the country cannot feed its best writers," said Tie Ning in a recent interview with China Youth. The 49-year-old chairwoman of the China Writers' Association was elected as the third chairperson and first female leader of the organization on November 12, 2006.

Tie said this when she was asked about writer Hong Feng begging on the street in Northeast China's Shenyang, with his name written on a sign he held in front of his chest, because the Writers' Association to which Hong belonged ceased giving him the writer's stipend of 2,000 RMB per month, reportedly because he failed to show up for meetings and other such behavior. This incident caused quite a stir on the Internet in November 2006.

Tie Ning was elected as the third chairperson and first female leader of the organization on November 12, 2006. [file]

Han Han, a post-1980s writer, was very critical of Hong's actions.

"First, he is not a writer," said Han on his blog, "Being a member of the Writers' Association does not necessarily mean you are a writer. Independence and patriotism are the two major criteria for a writer. A writer does not depend on any organization to make a living, and should be able to support himself. Second, his begging is absolutely a show for some reason. I suggest he beg in front of a McDonalds or something. I wish him good luck begging."

Another writer, Mo Yan said Hong did this for justice, because he did not get a government stipend like many other writers in China.

As a hangover of the planned economy, China gives money to some "professional writers" so that they are free to create better literary works.

Nonetheless, many who are taking the stipend are still inept of producing influential works. Becoming a member of the Writers' Association, which could also mean a number of other privileges, has become the ultimate goal for a lot of so-called writers, and a shortcut to a guaranteed paycheck.

The low threshold to join the Writers' Association has made it much easier for them to realize the ultimate goal.

Eighteen Internet writers joined the Hunan Writers' Association in December last year. When asked why they wanted to join this organization, one answered "I heard that after joining the Writers' Association, you can watch movies for free. Also, you can go premieres for free."

The paradox is that the best writers in China, and in the world, are usually not professional writers who get stipends from the government. Ernest Hemingway, Lu Xun, and Lu Yao held jobs as a soldier, teacher, and factory worker respectively, but all created timeless works while they were still working to support themselves.

Some of the best writers in the world have been funded by others, but usually from patrons, rather than the government. Madame de Stael generously helped writers such as Johann W. Goethe, Voltaire, and others when they needed money.

Shame on China for not funding some of its writers.

But is it?