2006 China Essay Anthology

Author: Yan Leshan (Editor)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-12-01
Features: "Inspecting Du Fu's Thatched Cottage," "Mencius as a Contemporary Critic in 2005," "Zhu De as the Main Character," "The Return of the 'Spherical Typical'," "Why Ma Yinchu Enjoyed High Reputation in the Economic Circle," "Xu Jinglei, This Is Not Your Fault," and more. Chief Executive of Hong Kong, Tsang Tsan-tang's "Stepping Out of the Reception House," which is a "letter from home" he wrote to the people of Hong Kong. Of course, not speaking to the "subjects" in the role of a "parent," but genuinely sharing his feelings after serving as the Chief Executive for over a year: "To truly understand the meaning of power is to not remain aloof, and to never look down upon the common people with the arrogance of an elite." Expressing his desire to "be with the people," he earnestly pleads, "When you see me eating braised beef noodles in a tea restaurant, please don’t doubt in your hearts, ‘Is this really Tsang Tsan-tang?’ Give me a greeting! In a place like Hong Kong, if you put on a show of being outwardly relaxed but inwardly tense with strict vigilance, aren’t you just inviting public and media criticism? Comparing his 'letter from home' with the typical speeches of a 'Grandee' or TV news reports, we can gain many insights. "The Pre-arranged Will of Cartoonist Liao Bingxiang," this short piece vividly portrays the personality of a master and the mastery of personality. Reading the will, one can imagine his character—full of profound life philosophies and unreserved contempt and disdain for social ills, especially the rigid, state-centric hierarchical system with Chinese characteristics.