Nobel Literature Prize laureate Mo Yan's former, rundown residence in Gaomi City in Shandong Province has been stormed by tourists swarming into the rickety structure and taking good-luck souvenirs, as well as pulling up weeds and carrots from the garden plot - more superstitious good-luck tokens from Mo's success.
It's absurd that Mo's success is actually hurting his own home and turning the award of the Nobel to a Chinese writer a black comedy. The euphoria is understandable, but the so-called Mo-mania should have encouraged us instead to read more and to focus on the problem of fading Chinese writing of serious quality.
Fame and money
However, what we are witnessing is a fame-and-money carnival to benefit Mo's hometown leaders, tourists, and developers who want to cash in, build a shrine and sell trinkets and books. Chinese literature is not a beneficiary.
Literature is serious. Serious authors need to reflect, focus on ideas and stay away from the vanity fair.
The local government should beware of the rocketing number of tourists and reckless expansion of tourism.
The media should report more on serious Chinese literature than on one individual, and the public should read more instead of simply worshipping Mo.
Recommendations:
Landmark building should respect the public's feeling
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