Emergency Call -- Folk Culture Dial 120

Author: Feng Jicai
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-01-01
Features: Just recently, I went to a national treasure exhibition, and the shoulder-to-shoulder crowds were truly indescribable in words. For a moment, I felt our national quality was showing signs of rapid improvement. But after reading Feng Jicai's Emergency Call, the confidence I had just gained was completely shattered. Old Feng didn't say anything alarmist—just a simple line: "The country has the Cultural Relics Protection Law, but we don't have the Cultural Heritage Protection Law." Think about those poems, calligraphy, and paintings that were collected in imperial treasuries across dynasties, and in the end, only 72 precious pieces remained, with original works being even rarer. Even with careful preservation, it was like this. In today's rush to catch up with the global media age, the self-sustaining folk culture across the country seems even more neglected, like orphans with neither parents to care for them.
This year, I didn't write any novels. Instead, I spent my time promoting the rescue of China's folk cultural heritage—campaigning, writing articles, and talking to various relevant people. I kept dialing 120 for folk culture—emergency call. But once, at a conference, when I spoke about the urgency and importance of rescuing folk culture, I was disheartened. I remember getting so emotional that I was practically on the verge of tears. Honestly, I had hoped the leaders on the stage would be moved by my words. But as I spoke, I glanced over and saw two leaders whispering to each other, completely ignoring me. Their faces were smiling, as if they were enjoying some secret joke. My heart sank; who was I calling 120 for? Who was I screaming for help to? Was I starting to resemble "Wuxun"?