An image of Lei Feng. Photo: CFP

March 5 is the official "Learn Lei Feng Day," when local governments, schools and institutions commemorate and appeal to people to learn from the good deeds of Lei Feng (1940-62), a soldier of the People's Liberation Army (PLA). Lei Feng is known for his altruism and devotion to the country and people.

As 50 years have passed since Lei's death, his legacy seems to be fading away. For those born in the 1980s and 1990s, the cultural importance of Lei Feng is not as strong as the imprint he left on their parents' generation.

A distant memory

A more recent incorporation of Lei Feng in pop culture includes the hit song "All Northeasterners are Living Lei Fengs," crooned by singer Xue Cun in 2001. It was a song that resonated with Chinese people not just for its use of Northeastern dialect but also the celebration of Lei Feng spirit.

But behind the ballads and books, who is the mystical Lei Fung? When asked this question, Sun Jing, 28, an employee at a real-estate company in Beijing, said she had a vague notion. "During my primary and middle school years, my teacher told me that Lei Feng was a noble man who helped those in need. We were told to learn from him," Sun said.

"I've read books recounting his deeds, but his impact on contemporary culture is a bit unclear. But I was still touched when I read about his good deeds, which are rare in today's societies," she told the Global Times.
Sun is not alone in feeling this way. Jiang Fangzhou, 23, a student at Tsinghua University, commented on the changing role Lei Feng has played in different generations.

"For people born in the 1950s and 1960s, he was a national model and a symbol of selflessness," Jiang said.
"In today's society, it's impossible to recreate this feeling, and doing good deeds to the extent Lei Feng did seems unrealistic as well," Jiang said.

A saying in Chinese goes: "Coming in March but leaving in April, 'Uncle Lei Feng' does not have hukou [China's household registration system that governs resident permits]." This adage reflects Lei Feng's transient presence in the minds of young people in China today.   

Despite distant memories, Jiang believes that the most notable part of the Lei Feng spirit, his sense of altruism, is still worthy of attention today.

Resonating values 

Apart from noting the official "Learn Lei Feng Day" on March 5, people seem to know little about the man who was once the idol of a nation.

Born in Wangcheng, Hunan Province, Lei Feng joined a transportation unit of the PLA at the age of 20. In 1962, when directing an army truck in backing up, he was hit by a telegraph pole that was accidentally struck by the truck. He died at the age of 22.

In his short lifetime, Lei Feng was a reporter, a public servant and a factory worker. He was often praised as the ideal work model and known for his altruism.

In 1963, after Lei Feng's death, Chairman Mao Zedong designated March 5 as the official "Learn Lei Feng Day," where  citizens were called to derive moral lessons from the cultural hero.

Though it has been many years since Lei Feng passed away, his spirit perseveres. According to Wu Qing, a professor from China Youth University for Political Sciences in Beijing, the core of Lei Feng spirit that resonates is love, what today's society needs most.

According to Wu, the concept of the Lei Feng spirit has historical context. "We should interpret it accordingly to fit the environment and society we are living in."


All you need is love

As recent food safety scandals and public affairs have flooded China, concern over the lack of civic responsibility and duty for other people's lives endangers the harmonious society China is trying to build.

On October 13, 2011, 2-year-old Wang Yue (nicknamed "Xiaoyueyue") was run over by two cars in a street in Foshan, Guangdong Province. This incident sparked an intense debate about the callousness of Chinese society.

In the seven minutes that followed the accident, 18 people passed by the injured girl without stopping. She was finally saved by an elderly lady and sent to the hospital. Wang Yue later died of severe injuries. On October 23, 280 Foshan residents gathered at the site of the accident to mourn the little girl and swore not to let another incident like this repeat itself.

"We lack an education in love," Professor Wu said. "And that exists in the Lei Feng spirit. The difference between humans and animals is that our activities involve various kinds of social relations, bound by love. Love facilitates responsibility," Wu said.

"A popular topic today is happiness, as many people question their quality of life these days. But if our social relations are full of love, happiness is easier to achieve," Wu said.

Source: v.youku.com