The New York Review of Books blog has posted an Ian Johnson interview with Zhang Ping (who writes under the name Chang Ping), one of China’s most daring writers whom the Communist Party previously hounded out of reporting from China.
The piece is worth reading for both the interviewee and the interviewer.
Inspired by Liu Binyan to become a journalist, Chang Ping has a career that shares many similarities with that of his role model. But there’s one major difference. Liu, with his journalistic exposes of the inept Communist Party political, economic, social, and moral management of China, inspired a generation of disaffected youth to carry the intellectual flame.
By the late1990s, when Chang Ping came into prominence at Southern Weekend, a Guangzhou-based newspaper famed for its investigative journalism, the Party had begun to buy out China’s intellectual class so successfully that it could easily persecute those who couldn’t be bought out – individuals such as He Qinglian, Ai Weiwei, and Chang Ping.
Chang Ping now lives in Germany, but is attempting to start a new media organization to effect change in China. Unfortunately, as was the case with Liu and He, Chinese intellectuals tend to fade away once in exile.
For China watchers, Johnson needs no introduction, as he’s the most intellectual of Western reporters working in China today. In much of his recent reporting, Johnson spends a lot of time sipping tea with exiled Chinese writers or meditating with Daoist masters. And I think he does so because he seeks enlightenment on a question that must gnaw at all China watchers: Does China have a soul?
This question must sound embarrassingly racist or, given China’s economic trajectory, increasingly irrelevant. But it’s also China’s most important question because the flip side of this question is: Does China have a future?
We are often blind to these questions because we are so focused on economic data, which we faithfully believe to reveal the reality of China to us. But GDP growth, consumer spending, and stock market ups and downs don’t tell us the level of individual happiness or the strength of social cohesion. Economic data may tell us that China is more prosperous and powerful today than at any time in its history, and that’s true. But what’s also true, if you crisscross China talking to elderly Chinese, is that China was more honest and happy back in the Mao Zedong days than it is today.
It’s obvious from his reporting that Johnson would rather trust his own eyes than economic data. He’s interested in China’s intellectual and spiritual state – or what Chang Ping calls “the civic spirit” – because that’s what reveals a nation’s “emotional intelligence,” China’s ability to absorb the shock of the inevitable economic downturn, and China’s will to hold together when the economic glue fades.
The United States is facing a tough economic storm now, but no one doubts that the American people share “civic spirit” and are all invested in the nation’s democratic soul, as is so eloquently outlined in Jefferson’s “Declaration of Independence” and Abraham Lincoln’s speeches. And that’s why most can be confident that this current recession will only make America leaner and stronger in the end.
On the other hand, the European Union has no unifying ideas and values, and that’s why the possibility of a Greek default, no matter its impact economically, could begin the process of the EU’s political death.
Within the Party’s inner sanctums, the nation’s soul is very much a concern. Consider President Hu Jintao’s speech calling for China to expand its cultural power both abroad and at home: The Communist Party is desperate for a unifying vision to unite the Chinese people for the economic tough times ahead.
Ironically, a nation’s soul and cultural unity comes from the same poets and philosophers, its thinkers and writers (individuals such as Liu, He, Ai Weiwei, and Chang Ping) that the Communist Party has persecuted. The United States soft power – its vision of individual freedom and empowerment that animates both Disney movies and Special Forces troops operating in the world’s most far-flung corners – developed its power and force through generations of open and honest and vigorous debate over its soul.
Does China have a soul? We’ll only know once the China edifice starts crumbling. If it doesn’t have a soul, then China may very well fall into the abyss. If it does, whether it be a previously hidden intellectual or religious tradition, it will naturally rise to the challenge.
Johnson is now scouring China for what could save the Communist Party, or what could possibly come after the Party and ultimately save China. And that’s why his reporting, while neither trendy nor topical, is certainly urgent and necessary.
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Oro Invictus
While I’m sure that this post will not doubt spur a rash of bitter posting down here in the comments section, I would like to note this is a solid, if somewhat topical, piece on the challenges China faces today regarding social cohesion. Indeed, as I have noted before myself, the apparent lack of unifying ideals amongst the people of China (due in no small part by the CPC’s persecution of individuals exhibiting “dangerous” ideas and the enforced restriction of information flow to prevent mass movements from forming) will serve to ensure a China under the CPC is doomed to fail; to use a rather tired analogy, the PRC government has been building a massive structure upon shifting sands and rotten foundations which will, when either it reaches a sufficient size or is faced with a large enough crisis, will collapse. However, as opposed to the other cases in which this analogy is applied, the foundations of PRC society are not weak simply because of being overlooked, but because the CPC requires it be so to maintain its power. Every creaking and groaning of the structure is presented to the people by the CPC as evidence they require them to prevent collapse, when it is the CPC who instigates and continues the actions which create the instability; and the CPC will not stop, even when the walls around them begin to crumble, for what they fear more than collapse is the day in which a solid structure emerges and the people realize that they don’t need their self-proclaimed “guardians” anymore.
Henry003
The western press has been predicting the demise of PRC since the founding of PRC but it never materialized.
For the simple fact that for most Chinese live are getting better with every day and only small segment of population known known as dissident would like to follow the west. The majority of the people couldn’t care less
I can never understand why people still beating the dead horse over and over again
Oro Invictus
@Henry003
Do you actually ever address the point of the posts you reply to? Or do you just enjoy further undermining whatever nonsense it is you are spouting by base displays of projection and denial?
Caseyorourke
Just prior to the 2011 National Day holiday, I asked my students, Chinese high school seniors planning on attending college in the US, if the upcoming festivities filled them with any feelings of patiotism or pride. Their answers ran from “Get Real” to “Why should I?”
Darryn
Does China Have A Soul? is the author of this article of Chinese descent? The definition of soul should not be measured based on financial and economical strength, nor should it be compared with an example of a breakaway British colony, epitomized as a nation possessing soul, or spirit. After all, isn’t the whole national pride thing our version of propoganda? Should nations take pride in separatist movements? An adoption of the democratic and freedom values that created the United States of America? I think the author missed several critical points, one of which is that the fabric of Chinese society has been a work in progress for over 4000 years, and this society will indeed continue to persist, now more than ever, under the pressure of foreign forces who would love to see the nation collapse. Most will disagree with this statement, on the surface. The US is a little pup compared to the civilization that is China. We have a lot to learn from them, for their unity has endured, and their culture is all too familiar with one party rule (monarchs). The path ahead will see change, but the path walked is also one of the longest in the world. The soul of China is its people, a peoples who have existed in the same land for thousands of years and who have continuously helped shaped this world. So the answer to the question of this article: of course.
Spartan
Whenever someone says that China has a 4000 year history I cringe because the Communist Party did a pretty good job at destroying the previous zeitgeist. Sometimes when taking a taxi in DongBei I’ll run into a driver who wants to talk down to me as the “young American” and tell me that his country has a 4000 year history. Unfortunately, China in many respects resembles a narcissist who was beaten as a child and has to talk itself up to maintain a working degree of self esteem.
Trashcan
Stop comparing American history to Chinese history. Just because you’ve been in existence longer does not mean that you will survive longer into the future. China today is nothing like China a century ago, let alone 4000 years ago.
The Communist Party’s original vision was to destroy the old order and create a new China. The irony of the Communist Party seeking to promote Confucianism and nationalist values is quite bitter.
drive by
Does corporation have a soul? The question sounds similar to Mitt Romney’s logic that corporation is human. The answer is a resounding NO. Now that Chinese economy is developing rapidly, all of a sudden Western “intellectuals” lost interesting in China’s economic data. China’s next generation of leaders is fully aware of China’s problems, such as inequality, social safety net, affordable medical care and education, civil law, pollution, and environment degradation etc, and will continue to combat these problems. It will be a long battle, but winnable eventually. Unlike in the West and US, where the ruling elites are so deeply entrenched, virtually nothing that really benefit the ordinary people can be done now.
aaron
Surprised that the author didn’t mention Confucianism. The party has been supporting greater Confucian influence (or its own interpretation of Confucianism) as a tool to support its legitimacy and increase social stability. Several Mainland Scholars who have lectured here in Taipei (國關中心) emphasized the importance of Confucian thinking on contemporary thought in China. It seems that Confucianism is likely to play a big part in China’s search for its “soul.”
Reason
@aaron
If you knew anything about CCP history you would know that the CCP has spent a great deal of effort and time attacking Confucianism throughout its short history – so it’s not so easy for it to just switch over and maintain any semblance of credibility.
Sure – there are many in the CCP who think that if switching to Confucianism could stop the CCP rot then the CCP should do it – but the political left, who hold much sway in the CCP are not going to allow this as it would basically chop away the shaky foundations which they precariously cling to.
Ultimately, the CCP is a foreign based organization dominated by an alien ideology for China.
China can not rediscover what it means to be Chinese while the CCP continues to block it
aaron
@Reason
And if you knew anything about the contemporary CCP then you’d know that it has undergone tremendous change since the Cultural Revolution. The party doesn’t have much credibility, other than ensuring economic progress, so supporting (who said anything about “switching over”???) aspects of Confucian tradition can only strengthen its reputation. It’s precisely because the CCP is an “alien” entity that it seeks to align itself with certain traditional values such as Confucianism. Supporting traditional Chinese culture makes the CCP appear to be less foreign. Have you not noticed that the Chinese government has been opening hundreds of Confucius Institutes around the world? Do you suppose it’s just a coincidence that they choose to call them “Confucius Institutes”??? In any case; I highly doubt that the hand-picked PRC scholars who visit Taiwan, and discuss Confucian revival, are straying from the party line. You should really read up on the issue before you try to reply to my comments.
Bierstadt
This is a timely article. I am deeply concerned about this issue as well. I would ask that anyone inclined to suggest this is nonsense, first explain what China’s identity truly is now. All of China, not just the part of it that is Han Chinese, or just the part that speaks Mandarin, or what unified China during the reign of the emperors. What unifies China now, after the cultural revolution and after Deng Xiaoping? What is China’s identity?
I don’t know that there is an answer to this now, and if that continues to be the case it could be disastrous. Domestic troubles presage many a war, as conflict unifies a people against another people and is thus politically useful. Answering the question under discussion is the most important thing that the Chinese people can do for the world in the next decade.
DownRedChina
NO. CCP creates society with cold-blooded and morally corrupted people. I am talking about 2 year old toddler was ran over by 2 cars and 18 people passed by but nobody stop to help. CCP detained/house arrest 6 year old school girl. CCP is a cancer. Chinese people deserve a better government.
EAM
Most ordinary Chinese I know do not worry about stuff like this. Their priority is to get by and look after their families – just like the folks in any other country whether the US or India or Europe. Most ordinary folks do not have time for naval gazing on questions like this. As for matters of “soul”, there appears to be plenty of religious observance in China, Buddhist, Taoist and Confucian – not to mention Christian and Muslim. Probably more so than here in Australia. Their attitude also seems quite pragmatic and healthy with observance often crossing lines of sect. They have no history of religious war as far as I know – like those in Europe such as the wars that depopulated Germany in the 1600s. If anything, inn their live and let live attitude to matters of faith, they have something to teach us here – not the other way around.
Andao
EAM, I think you described the problem more than you realize. The Chinese people I know ONLY care about their families, there is very little drive to make society a better place or improve their city/neighborhoods. Religion in mainland China is extremely restricted, especially when you compare the religious diversity of Hong Kong or Taiwan. I don’t know how China compares to other developing countries in this regard, but when visiting Indonesia and Vietnam, I felt them both to be more engaged in the society than Chinese people.
Leonard R.
Tell me what a ’soul’ is, and I’ll tell you if China has one.
The ’soul’ is one of those things people talk about a lot but never bother to define.
I don’t know if China has a soul or not, because I don’t know what a ’soul’ is.
Suijen
It’s difficult to tell how this ranks among ordinary Chinese. You can argue that China had a soul for thousands of years, but I doubt that the peasants who represented 95% of the Chinese population before the revolution cared so much about the intellectual debates between the Neo-confucianists and Buddhists. Most likely they concerned themselves with the well-being of themselves and their families. Times now are not so different.
Worse comes to worst, I fail to see why the CCP cannot just revive Confucianism. Is it because of the Cultural Revolution, because the CCP somehow managed to revive excessive Capitalism by just slapping a “Chinese characteristics” label on it? If not, there’s Buddhism/Christianity/Daoism/Islam to fill that spiritual void…or nationalism. The “Communists” have state-sanctioned churches and you’d be surprised how superstitious government officials are.
Is the Chinese population that much different from the rest of the world’s? If I take a look at Yahoo/Youtube comments, there’s the same doomsday “where have the morals gone?”/”our people are doomed” phrasing that appears on Chinese boards.
gngottawa
A country’s soul can only express itself organically. An authoritarian party cannot cultivate a soul (e.g. CCP’s revival of confucianism) but can damage it (e.g. Cultural Revolution). For those of us who don’t live in China, it’s really hard to tease out China’s modern soul because of absence of free media and free expression. If the CCP were to allow a true civil society to develop with all the diverse expressions of values, religions and discourse to circulate, only then would a clear idea of China’s modern value system (or soul, whatever that really is) emerge. Even if it doesn’t, there are many, many successful countries without a clear national soul either (as a Canadian, I can vouch for that).
a_canadian_observer
No, it doesn’t.