Culture is not about making money

Comment on "Dishonest beauty in pursuit of profit" (China Daily, Dec 26)

As usual it's another great piece by OP Rana. I've often ignored commenting on the so-called "Chinese culture industry" because I don't want to waste my time. In my opinion, the present Chinese "intellectual" pygmies are mostly shallow people who never understood either Western or Chinese culture. They exist to ape the West, and have taken monetary profit as the starting point of cultural production.

Chinese cartoons, for example, used to be recognized as a unique Chinese art form, and productions such as Uproar in Heaven have earned respect from the West. Uproar in Heaven has won medals and been shown on television in many Western cities, from London to Paris, and even Moscow.

I recall how, during the 1960s, the Chinese movie Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai (Butterfly Lovers) took several foreign capitals such as New Delhi and Kuala Lumpur by storm. Some Indian commentators said the movie captured their hearts. The movie Liu Sanjie was the rage all over Southeast Asia, and it prompted many tourists visiting the heroine's birthplace. The movies, songs, and musical talents of New China's first generation were not perfect, but they spoke to people all over the world because of their authenticity and Chinese characteristics.

LawrenceD, from China Daily forum

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