Last month, President Xi Jinping of China addressed a forum of prominent artists and writers in Beijing to enlighten us with his views on the arts. In a talk liberally seasoned with cultural allusions, Mr. Xi made a show of his literary knowledge and explained how he sees the role of art in today’s China.
According to the Xinhua news agency, Mr. Xi said the emphasis by artists on “quantity over quality” has led to a one-size-fits-all approach to the production of art. Culture is derivative, plagiaristic and stereotyped, he said; it produces “mechanized fast food” that is full of “vulgarity” and “lust.”
He instructed artists on how and what to create: “Use a realistic spirit and romantic feelings to illuminate real life, deploy light to dispel darkness, and goodness to defeat ugliness. Let people see the good, feel hope, have dreams.”
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