OPINION> Commentary
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Writer as counselor
(China Daily)
Updated: 2008-10-28 07:51 Feng Jicai's appointment as a counselor to the State Council is a sign of the central government's increasing attention to the protection of cultural heritage, both physical and others. Feng, 66, is a renowned fiction and prose writer. But in recent years, he has been even more popular with the general public for his proposals or opinions on the conservation of cultural heritage. As a standing committee member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), he moved a proposal to have Spring Festival Eve designated as a national holiday, which was adopted in 2007. Counselors are usually appointed by the premier, and once appointed, continue in that position for five years. With the privilege to directly put up their opinions or suggestions at the State Council meetings, they form a think tank for the country's cabinet. By having such a literary figure in such a position, the State Council has apparently demonstrated the importance it gives to effective protection of cultural heritage. Against the backdrop of rapid urbanization, vandalizing of antiques has been a frequent occurrence during city renovations or real estate development. In a most recent case, a member of the Beijing CPPCC committee pointed out that some cultural relics buried underground were vandalized during the construction of some important public projects. This member suggested that attempts should have been made in advance to find out whether there were cultural relics underneath these public structures to be built and measures taken to protect them. It might be too much to expect engineers or construction managers to take into consideration the protection of cultural heritage that might be in the way of their construction. Yet, if only we had specific rules to investigate into possible existence of any cultural heritage and to provide for special fund for its protection before the launch of a construction project, many damaged cultural items could have been saved. Feng is an expert in this respect, who has conducted investigations on his own about both physical and non-material cultural heritage in many parts of the country. On his tour in north China's Shanxi province, he put forward valuable suggestions on the preservation of old courtyards of Ming and Qing dynasties (1368-1911). He is strongly opposed to the construction of fake items of cultural heritage. He once said that the history behind cultural heritage could never be reconstructed, and once such heritage containing messages about history were lost, there would be no way to regain them. Cool-headedness and vision, he suggested, were important in weighing the comparative value of the immediate economic benefits of tourism or other projects and the protection of cultural heritage when the two are in conflict. With him as counselor to the central government, the protection of cultural heritage will be higher on the agenda of the State Council. (China Daily 10/28/2008 page8) |