In my wanderings around Wuhan, I have persistently seen a picture of a floppy hat wearing communist soldiers. After inquiry, I learned that this man is Lei Feng.
Lei Feng was a soldier who died at the age of 22 when a telephone pole fell on top of him while he was directing a truck. In his short life, he kept a diary that outlined many, many selfless deeds of altruism.
Lei Feng was a devout follower of Mao. The Communist party posthumously made Lei Feng into a national icon and symbol of what a good comrade does in their life.
Every March 5th, people honor Lei Feng by cleaning up parks and neighborhoods and doing good civic minded things.
I have seen Lei Feng's likeness at Walmart, on taxi cabs, and on various banners around the city. He is seen as the embodiment of good, selflessness.
However, it is unlikely that the picture of Lei Feng are genuinely him. Susan Sontag remarked in 1978 that the professionally taken photographs that exist of Lei Feng helping people would never have been authentically shot. The pictures were of mundane tasks of kindness and no photographer was following around the obscure young soldier Lei Feng at that time.
So, he is basically a propaganda icon. However, the ideal that he stands for is undoubtedly a good one.
Therefore, I encourage you, my gentle reader, to follow the example of Lei Feng.
This was a photo taken of a billboard on the wall of a Karaoke club.
"Study Lei Feng Comraades!"
Lei Feng was a soldier who died at the age of 22 when a telephone pole fell on top of him while he was directing a truck. In his short life, he kept a diary that outlined many, many selfless deeds of altruism.
Lei Feng was a devout follower of Mao. The Communist party posthumously made Lei Feng into a national icon and symbol of what a good comrade does in their life.
Every March 5th, people honor Lei Feng by cleaning up parks and neighborhoods and doing good civic minded things.
I have seen Lei Feng's likeness at Walmart, on taxi cabs, and on various banners around the city. He is seen as the embodiment of good, selflessness.
However, it is unlikely that the picture of Lei Feng are genuinely him. Susan Sontag remarked in 1978 that the professionally taken photographs that exist of Lei Feng helping people would never have been authentically shot. The pictures were of mundane tasks of kindness and no photographer was following around the obscure young soldier Lei Feng at that time.
So, he is basically a propaganda icon. However, the ideal that he stands for is undoubtedly a good one.
Therefore, I encourage you, my gentle reader, to follow the example of Lei Feng.
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