NEWS & PERSPECTIVES
10 september 5 – 18, 2014
Epoch Times
crossing the culture gulf
A Country Where ‘You Know What’s Going On’ Peter Parks/AFP/Getty Images
Country continued from Page 1 A response of a similarly ambivalent tone was given earlier this year by the Political Consultative Conference’s media spokesperson, Lu Xinhua. When questioned by reporters about Zhou, Lu ended his brief reply with the words, “This is all I can say. You know what’s going on.” “You know what’s going on”, or “ni dongde”, is now a popular phrase among Chinese netizens. It is an informal expression of common tacit knowledge between parties. However, the use of such informal and equivocal language by the government’s official voices is lamentable. The presence of such public discourse is also symptomatic of a lack of open and transparent government in the country. First of all, such an ambiguous response – “You know what’s going on” – is an adroit evasion of responsibility. Even though it confirms our tacit understandings, officials can avoid all accountability for their statements as they have ultimately confirmed nothing; the final message is completely subject to our own interpretations and conjectures. More troubling is the regime’s cavalier attitude towards its citizens’ requests for information. Governments often withhold sensitive information for legitimate reasons, but such a casual and ambivalent response on
In China, rumours, hearsay and other unofficial sources of information are often the primary sources of information for the people.
an official occasion demonstrates an undermining and disregard for the citizen’s basic right to information. Last but not least, “You know what’s going on” is also an implicit acknowledgement and confirmation of information attained from rumours and other informal sources. In a regime notorious for its lack of transparency, rumours, hearsay and other unofficial sources of information are often the primary sources of information for the people. Where information is a privilege, not an entitlement, Chinese citizens are often forced to gather information from their own unofficial channels and sources, and then discern and analyse them before they can be adequately informed of the contemporary state of affairs. To
an external observer, the word “rumour” may carry all the connotations of unreliability and frivolity, but in China, rumours often carry greater currency than official news. Not only are they readily available, but they are also sometimes more accurate. There was an incident a few years ago that vividly showed me the potency of rumours in a country devoid of transparency and trust in the regime. It was the aftermath of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in Japan. There was a rumour going around the northern regions in mainland China that the leaked nuclear radiation would pollute the surrounding seawater and the edible salt made from it. I could see people sending parcels of salt to their hometowns while I was still groggy from sleep that morning.
In a country where there is a scarcity of reliable information, rumour gains currency, and it is often safer to believe than to ignore. This has been a painful lesson taught to the Chinese people time and again in recent history. When I finally caught wind of the rumour, the supermarkets had been emptied of all salt, and street vendors were selling salt at 20 times its usual price. In stark contrast, the social order in Japan remained impeccable despite it being the epicentre of the incident. A friend of mine reasoned that the contrast stemmed from the bad habits innate in our race and culture. But I think that the true reason is not that the Chinese people love to spread rumours. In a country where there is a scarcity of reliable information, rumour gains currency, and it is often safer to believe than to ignore. This has been a painful lesson taught to the Chinese people time and again in recent history. When the authorities said that there would not be an earthquake, countless lives perished in the
2008 earthquake in Szechuan. When the authorities said that food was safe, dozens of children died drinking toxic milk powder. A running joke in China is that the only reliable information provided by state media CCTV’s News Simulcast is the date. Under such circumstances, Chinese citizens have little choice but to act upon rumours, be they true or false. Most would rather suffer a little monetary loss and inconvenience than to place their own lives in danger. In a society bereft of reliable news and information, effective and honest communication between the government and people is what China needs to restore public confidence and trust. According to an ancient Chinese saying, “Rumours do not spread beyond people of intellect.” But as a more modern version of the saying goes, “Rumours do not spread beyond people who know the truth.” Frank Lee is a Chinese immigrant. During his stay in Singapore, Frank experiences a great contrast between the social and cultural conditions of Singapore and those of China. He finds this contrast fascinating and illuminating, and has graciously volunteered to share his reflections with The Epoch Times. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Epoch Times.
More than Music with Pianist Abigail Sin Pianist continued from Page 5 How do you get your mind prepared right before a performance? I’m a Christian, so I pray and remind myself that it’s really not about me and my abilities nor what I’ve worked for. Musically, I need to have a solid plan for each piece and certain key ideas to focus on. It can be a catchphrase or a rhythmic hook or harmonic goal points. I do pre-performance performances for my colleagues, so I get used to feeling nervous and understand what I tend to do when under stress. What are the differences be-
tween the music scene in Europe as compared to the music scene in Singapore? In your opinion, how can we cultivate an appreciation for classical music among Singaporeans? The music scene in Singapore has a lot of potential because of the availability of government funding for the arts and also because of the sheer number of school children who are exposed to classical music through individual lessons, school CCAs and concerts. I think it comes down to education and presenting classical music in an engaging and relatable manner. We need to convince people that classical music can be a relevant and vibrant force in society and is
something that should be valued. Why did you form the group More than Music? More Than Music aims to present world-class classical music performances to audiences in a more accessible and enjoyable way. We wanted to challenge the stereotype of the boring and stuffy classical music concert, break down the formal barriers separating performers and audiences and introduce new audiences to the music that we are so passionate about. In More Than Music concerts, the performers share candid, personal stories and even crack jokes about the lives of the composers, the music we have chosen and
what it means to us. More Than Music concerts feel more like a big house party, rather than a traditional recital. How is working with violinist Loh Jun Hong like? Jun Hong and I have been friends since our early teens. I’m proud to be working with him and I think we have a lot of respect for each other musically and personally. What advice would you give to young pianists and young musicians about pursuing a career in music? I think it’s important for young musicians to love what they do and to know why they’re doing it.
You will begin doctoral studies at the Royal Academy of Music in September 2014. Are you excited? Yes, I am excited to start doctoral studies in September and I am honoured to have received the prestigious Lee Kuan Yew Scholarship for my studies. I was actually accepted to both Cambridge University and the Royal Academy of Music, so I had a very difficult decision to make! My doctoral project is on the piano music of the American composer Charles Griffes. I’m fascinated by how Griffes constructed his artistic identity, harnessing an eclectic range of influences from Scottish poetry to Japanese the-