Still a need to learn from Lei Feng

Yixiu Qingfeng, Beijing

Lei Feng (1940-1962) is a widely known Chinese hero who was a soldier in the People’s Liberation Army. He is characterized as a selfless and modest person who closely followed Chairman Mao and the Communist Party. As such he became the subject of a propaganda campaign by the Communist government called “Learn from Lei Feng.” His name in mainland China represents earnestness and service. Everyone begins learning about him in school. The “spirit of Lei Feng” has been carried forward in the country for nearly half a century. It was hoped the people and their moral standards would get better by following his example. However, after so many years, we can only see corrupt officials falling from grace one after another, as well as stories of shoddy building work, gutter oil, tainted milk powder and dyed steamed buns. People are often reluctant to give a helping hand to an elderly person who falls over or a child who is knocked down by a car. They ponder if they should defend the weak when seeing injustice happen. What is the problem? Why is that? Details of Lei Feng’s life, as presented in official propaganda, have been subject to dispute on the internet. We do not discuss what kind of person Lei Feng was, but question if the officials or the system that created this model can carry out Lei’s spirit in their daily lives, workplaces and in society. China is an atheist country but it never lacks idols. Lei Feng is one of them. He became a political tool that the ruling >Yixiu Qingfeng is the pen-name of a Catholic webmaster in China.