Writing in ... China

       While on the one hand, as reported at Livemint, Publishers aim to take Chinese literature to the world, the local authorities haven't all gotten the memo -- or rather: they're sticking with an old script. Yes, as Xinhua reports in China Voice: Boom of arts, a must for Chinese dream Chinese president and general secretary of the CPC Central Committee Xi Jinping:

addressed another forum on literature and arts, again calling for artworks to "embody socialist core values in a lively and vivid way", to "uphold Chinese spirit" and "rally Chinese strength".

       Apparently the concern is that:

Although China has already had a Nobel Prize winner in Literature and a number of Chinese films have won international awards, there are plenty of vulgar, repetitive and fast-food art works. They lack insight and artistic values and do not meet the needs of the people.

       Always good to see when the state (or any other pseudo-authority) decides what exactly meets the "needs of the people" .....
       But maybe here is finally an explanation why Chinese literature (which seems to be thriving in China ...) hasn't done particularly well abroad yet ?

The current weakness of Chinese literature and art may derive from the pervasion of consumerism and money worship. These trends prevent artists from reaching deep into society to find the most vivid materials -- the method that Xi called for in the meeting.

       Down with such pervasion ! (?)

       Though I have to admit Xi's speech did give me the giggles -- the thought that he could take himself seriously (much less believe any 'artist' might) .....