18 | Friday, July 3, 2020 HONG KONG EDITION | CHINA DAILY LIFE Fighting against racism starts with recognition

Imagine that, while riding the capable of behaving like that in pub­ him worse than his white peers. In The Psychology of American ion, where more people than ever are dragged facedown on the ground, bus, a passenger approached you lic. I shouldn’t have needed an educa­ Racism, a recent article in the acknowledging the problem of with the officer at one point even and told you to “go back to your Her story, however, didn’t surprise tion like this to realize that the respected journal American Psychol­ racism. For example, a recent Mon­ placing a foot on Wang’s head. Neti­ country”. me — and not just because I had seen scourge of racism and discrimina­ ogist, the authors observed how mouth University poll revealed that zens, who have largely condemned That’s what hap­ many reports over the years on tion still thrived in the US. And my “American racism is alive and well” 76 percent of respondents consid­ the incident, have also stressed the pened to a friend of racism in the UK, or that I had read friend shouldn’t have had to spend and that, contrary to what many ered racial discrimination as a big need to see this as racism — and to mine during her Why I’m No Longer Talking To time in the UK to discover the truth believe, “Racism is a system of problem in the US, up 25 points com­ speak up. One commenter wisely brief stint living and White People About Race, British there. advantage based on race. It is a hier­ pared to 2015. While making wrote, “People might think, what working abroad in journalist Reni Eddo­Lodge’s award­ The protests that have emerged in archy. It is a pandemic. Racism is so progress will ultimately require tak­ does this have to do with me? Don’t the United King­ winning deep dive into race relations the wake of the deaths of George deeply embedded within US minds ing concrete action against racism, affect my ability to earn money. But dom, a time that in her country. Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud and US society that it is virtually none of that is possible until people next time, it might be you.” Jocelyn shattered the idyllic Rather, it was because I had lived a Arbery and countless other people of impossible to escape.” The greatest around the world recognize how per­ Eikenburg notions she once version of it in the United States with color have made it impossible to factor that perpetuates racism is vasive and serious racism really is. Contact the writer at Second harbored about the my husband Jun, when we resided ignore what has been dubbed the what the authors call passivism or I’ve seen signs of encouragement [email protected] Thoughts West. there for nearly eight years. That pandemic of racism, an epidemic passive racism — indifference to while reading recent media reports The animus period served as a painful education that didn’t begin in 2020. It has such systems of advantage based on about Mona Wang, an Asian nursing Online behind this and oth­ in just how widespread racism and infected societies like the US and the race or even a refusal to believe they student in Canada who says she was Scan the code to er similarly racist encounters she discrimination was in my own coun­ UK for hundreds of years — and it is are there. physically abused and emotionally hear an audio experienced had shocked her. She try. I saw the many ways, both covert not a relic of the past that has magi­ This moment in history has wit­ scarred during a police wellness version. had never thought people could be and overt, in which people treated cally disappeared. nessed a seismic shift in public opin­ check, with video showing her being Candid camera: Ace it Young Party members relish helping campaign to eradicate poverty

CHANGSHA/URUMQI — moved to their new houses in a When Huang Tianlun decided to township from their reclusive vil­ return to his village deep in the lage. They also tried to plant herbs mountains to start up a business to increase incomes. after a decade working in a city, his Last year, the per capita net father discouraged him. But he income of villagers reached 7,600 insisted on pursuing his dream — yuan ($1,075), and the village to change the fate of his fellow pov­ shook off poverty overall. “We plan erty­stricken villagers. to increase the planting of the He made it. Two years after he herb, and develop e­commerce to served as Party chief of Jiaoxi vil­ expand sales,” says the village Par­ lage in Yongshun county in Cen­ ty chief. tral China’s Hunan province, Like Huang, the vast rural Huang, 38, has successfully helped regions have become a land of villagers shake off poverty and dreams and opportunities for hun­ move into new homes in a dis­ dreds of thousands of young Party placement program for poverty members to serve the people and reduction. realize their value by helping Huang, a native of Jiaoxi village, farmers shake off poverty and live graduated from college in 2005 and a better life. became a journalist for a newspa­ In Oqar county, Xinjiang, per in Changsha, the provincial 28­year­old Zhou Long is devoted capital. In the same year, he joined to poverty alleviation work. the Communist Party of China Zhou, deputy government head under the influence of his father, of Boritokay township and also a A boy with a hairstyle in the shape of an ace of spades plays with crushed ice used for freezing seafood Online also a Party member. Becoming Party member, has been working at a market in Xiamen, Fujian province, on June 22. The market is a popular focal point of the local Scan the QR code for Party chief of a village has been his in Xinjiang since graduating from community. CHEN ZHONGQIU / FOR CHINA DAILY subscription or to get a ideal since he was young. a teachers’ college in Sichuan copy of today’s paper. During his college studies, province, in southwestern China. Huang says, he was deeply moved The township shook off poverty by a TV drama series based on a in 2018. “We have done a solid job true story, featuring a doctor who in poverty alleviation in recent went to the Pamir Plateau to help years,” Zhou says, adding he cares Mountain concert expected to be height of entertainment treat the sick in the northwestern most about the families on the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous verge of poverty. region, from the eastern coastal It is his routine to visit house­ By CHEN NAN province of Jiangsu in the 1960s. holds, go to the fields to chat with [email protected] “The doctor made great contri­ villagers, and discuss solutions butions to people living on the pla­ with other officials to increase the Huashan Mountain in Shaanxi teau. I thought the Party was really income of herders and farmers. province is one of China’s five most great,” says Huang. Last year, villagers were mobi­ famous scenic mountains and is In 2014, he quit his job at the lized to plant tulips, roses and oth­ known for its steep and perilous newspaper and returned to his er flowers. “The sales of these have peaks. On Saturday, the Xi’an Sym­ home village, which is located in a already been booked out, and the phony Orchestra will hold a concert national nature reserve, to start his revenue is much higher than that on the mountain’s west peak, at an own business. He developed green­ of vegetables,” Zhou says. “One of altitude of about 2,000 meters. The houses, sightseeing agriculture, our key tasks is to strengthen the concert will be streamed live. and sold produce. Three years later, coordinated development of agri­ Titled XSO Meets Huashan Moun­ he was elected to be a member of culture and husbandry.” tain Summit Clouds Rhapsody, the the Party branch of the village, and Hua Mengli is busy at her family concert will feature more than 200 director of the villagers’ committee, farm in Jurong City, Jiangsu prov­ musicians from the Xi’an Symphony because of his high education back­ ince. The farm covers an area of 72 Orchestra and its chorus under the ground and experience. He was lat­ hectares and has an annual reve­ baton of conductor Tang Muhai. er appointed Party chief of the nue of 8 million yuan. Yet the land­ According to Cao Jiwen, branding Artists of Huayin Laoqiang rehearse at Shaanxi Opera House on Tuesday. They will perform at a concert village, where nearly 70 percent of scape was totally different a few director of the Xi’an Symphony to be held on the west peak of Huashan Mountain on Saturday. PHOTOS PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY the village’s 655 people lived in pov­ years ago. Orchestra, all musical instruments erty due to its harsh natural condi­ This 25­year­old girl chose horti­ will be transported to the west peak tions and poor infrastructure. culture technology as her major at by cable car. old piece into a 3­minute­long work the rhythm of local dialect. “The Though Huang’s father did not the Jiangsu Vocational College of “It’s exciting to imagine musi­ for the concert. “I didn’t know much musicians of the orchestra and cho­ support his decision to work in the Agriculture and Forestry, where she cians performing among a sea of about Huayin Laoqiang, but when I rus look at the conductor but musi­ village, the young man insisted joined the Party. After graduating in cloud on the peak of Huashan read the material, I was impressed cians of Huayin Laoqiang don’t and stayed. 2016, she gave up the opportunity to Mountain. The audience will enjoy by its history and culture. The adap­ have to look at the conductor. They “A poverty­stricken village work at the college but instead classical music with a stunning vista tation has to be loyal to their tradi­ have their own rhythm.” needs people to come back. To chose to work in her father’s farm, of nature,” says Cao, adding that the tion and the combination of Other music pieces to be staged eliminate poverty and vitalize the which was at a loss then. idea of holding a concert on classical music and the ancient during the concert will include Chi­ rural areas, young people are She and four of her classmates Huashan Mountain was suggested a opera should be creative while pre­ nese composer Zhao Jiping’s Sym­ needed to do things. I wanted to now work together to operate the year ago. Due to the coronavirus Tang Muhai, renowned serving their distinctive features.” phony No 1, Beethoven’s Egmont take the initiative,” Huang says. “I farm differently from her father. pandemic, the concert had been conductor. Graduating from the Shanghai Overture and composer Tan Dun’s felt obliged to accomplish the mis­ “People in cities have a huge postponed until July. Conservatory of Music with a mas­ violin concerto for Chinese director sion assigned by the Party.” demand for rural farming experi­ He notes that Huashan Mountain ter’s degree in 2011, Sun, who is also Zhang Yimou’s film Hero. He said he had worries that he ences,” Hua says. She began to is also a holy site in Taoism and is ed. The traditional opera form is a a pianist, has been teaching at the Founded in 2012, the orchestra would meet with various difficul­ shift the traditional management associated with the birth and prac­ genre developed from a folk story­ university’s conducting department has recruited musicians from ties as he lacked work experience model to a service­oriented one. tice of traditional Chinese martial telling art in Shaanxi province, since then. He has adapted lots of around the country, mostly younger in rural areas, and it was no easy The farm provides services such as arts. crafted at the end of the Ming music pieces both from China and than 30. task to handle villagers’ affairs. produce picking, fishing, catering, Therefore, the repertoires of the Dynasty (1368­1644) and early peri­ from the West, including Chinese It’s not the first time that the Xi’an In pushing the targeted poverty and delivery of fruits and vegeta­ upcoming concert will showcase the od of the Qing Dynasty (1644­1911). folk songs, Jasmine Flower and Lion Symphony Orchestra performed reduction measures, he encoun­ bles for tourists and customers. mountain’s rich significance and It was listed as a national intangible Dance, both staged at the Palace of outside concert halls. They’ve tered a small setback. Precise iden­ They even built a plant cultiva­ local culture. cultural heritage in 2006. Versailles in 2014 during a concert played at various locations in Xi’an, tification meant that unqualified tion lab to foster flowers and seed­ One of the highlights of the con­ In 2015, Chinese pop singer Tan marking the 50th anniversary of the including the Shaanxi History households would be removed lings. Last year, the farm received cert is the opening piece, which will Weiwei and five senior artists from a establishment of diplomatic rela­ Museum and the Emperor Qinshi­ from the registered list of poverty­ orders for seedlings worth 4.5 mil­ have musicians and the orchestra troupe of Huayin Laoqiang jointly tions between China and France. huang’s Mausoleum Site Museum. stricken villagers. That means they lion yuan. chorus perform with a local troupe performed on a TV show, which “I have done lots of adaptations Cao says that the Xi’an Symphony would get less or no poverty relief The farm has provided stable of Huayin Laoqiang (Huayin caused a sensation among viewers. which mix Chinese and Western Orchestra has been finding creative fund and could not enjoy other pol­ jobs for 12 college graduates and ancient tune), a traditional folk The performance brought Huayin music pieces together. I used to ways to engage with their audience icy support for poverty­stricken dozens of villagers nearby. song, titled Jiangling Yisheng Zhen Laoqiang into the spotlight and combine two different music styles amid the COVID­19 pandemic. families any more. He faced oppo­ “Affluence is not the only criterion Shanchuan (The General Com­ attracted many audiences. and minimize their differences. But Since Feb 21, the orchestra chorus sition and obstruction from some for success. Through our example, mander’s Order Shakes Mountains “When I was commissioned to now, I want to present their differ­ has presented about 80 shows villagers, including his relatives, farmers can master more scientific and Rivers). adapt the piece, I was surprised and ences and to showcase their own through live streaming and the sym­ but he stuck to his sense of fairness. planting knowledge, and protect Considered as the oldest version excited. It felt like a good cook hav­ styles,” says Sun, adding that West­ phony orchestra has performed 11 “I kept my principles and origi­ the ecological environment, which of rock­and­roll in China, Huayin ing the best ingredients, which will ern classical music is based on beat online shows. The shows have nal aspirations,” Huang says. is the greatest comfort,” Hua says. Laoqiang was born in Huayin city, give birth to a great dish,” says com­ while the high­pitched and power­ attracted more than 23 million Thanks to a government­funded where Huashan Mountain is locat­ poser Sun Chang, who adapted the ful Huayin Laoqiang is centered on viewers. relocation program, the villagers XINHUA