(CN) Building moral code urgent

[Guest guest]

China Daily

http://www1.chinadaily.com.cn/cndy/2001-12-26/49593.html

by ZHANG XIA

12/26/2001

 

A report by the Beijing Morning Post caught my eye: tens of thousands

of people in Beijing were attacked by dogs in the first 10 months of this

year. Some 7,688 victims were from the Haidian District alone.

 

The story said that deputies to the Beijing Municipal People's

Congress are conducting an intensive investigation and will present a motion

to the Congress' session to be held early next year - very likely they will

propose stricter limits on raising dogs.

 

This is not the first time that " nasty dogs " has hit the headlines. In

1994, some 400 deputies signed a motion asking for harsh restrictions on

dog-raising, citing public complaints about dog's attacking people and dog

droppings, which were littering the streets.

 

Whether a motion will be presented and more limits will be imposed on

dog-raising is uncertain, but it seems to me that it is not dogs that should

become the target of blame. Instead, the key to solving the problem lies

with the people who own and raise dogs - their unawareness and disrespect

for other members of the public has invited many complaints.

 

If pet owners had taken into consideration the rights and interests of

others - their safety and their demand for clean public places - the number

of complaint cases would not be so dauntingly high.

 

To have a family pet is fun, that is why the number of dogs in the

capital city has soared despite a document going into effect in 1994 that

imposed restrictions.

 

Pet owners should also bear in mind that sometimes their pets are

harmful and inconvenient to others.

 

We are not making a fuss, the seemingly trivial things in life reflect

to some extent the moral standards of some people, which, sadly, are not

very satisfactory.

 

One does not bother to look too far around to find similarly

unpleasant things in life: People spit, litter wherever they walk even

though garbage cans are inches away; some never wait in queues for buses or

subways.

 

Last month's Leonid meteor storm attracted numerous stargazers to

local mountains to watch the spectacular moment. Reports the next day said

that the mountains were covered with garbage left by visitors.

 

All of these are small things, indeed, but they point to a big social

problem: the threat of a decline of moral standards.

 

Chinese people are famous for their traditional good virtues, which

stress honesty, sincerity and call for people to love and respect each

other.

 

The above-mentioned behaviour indicates that some people apparently

lack respect for others.

 

Unpleasant behaviour in public places also relates on the image of

this country.

 

A story about a Chinese tourist's experience in a European country

lingers persistently in my mind. When boarding a lift in a hotel, the

tourist was astonished to find that there were words written in Chinese in

the lift - " No spitting. "

 

Isn't that an embarrassment to Chinese people? With the further

improvement of people's living standards, more people will have the chance

to travel abroad. It is high time that every one of us began to mind our

manners to prevent such shameful things.

 

And with the further opening-up of the country, especially after its

successful bid for the 2008 Olympic Games, the country is ready to meet and

receive more guests from all around the world. Beijing is determined to

present a good image to the world under the slogan " New Beijing, Great

Olympics. "

 

In recent years, many foreigners travelling to China have been deeply

impressed by China's economic prosperity and by the friendliness of the

Chinese people. But the immoral behaviour of a few people may totally ruin

the good impressions. A common complaint from foreigners, for example, is

that they are overcharged by taxi drivers.

 

Today's moral degradation in some aspects, experts believe, has

reflected the country's increasing conflict relating to material interests.

 

With the country's economic transition from the central planning to

market orientation, new concepts, such as the awareness of increasingly

fiercer competition and the survival of the fittest have become so pervasive

that some people misinterpret them as " personal gains override everything. "

 

With such a belief some people might become selfish, which would,

consequently, lead to moral degradation. China's lasting reputation for

virtue will be under real threat if the problem is left unchecked.

Furthermore, a lack of moral standards could lead to corruption and could

disturb social and economic order.

 

That is why the idea of ruling China by law and morality was proposed

timely by President Jiang Zemin earlier this year, which was received with a

warm response from the public. The idea also kicked off the building of a

comprehensive moral code across the country.

 

In a speech on July 1 to mark the 80th anniversary of the founding of

the Communist Party of China, Jiang reiterated his idea by defining the

ongoing moral development as a crucial part of the country's task for

" developing an advanced socialist culture. "

 

With the year ending, the Implementation Outline on Ethics Building of

Citizens was issued nationwide to help widen and deepen the moral

reconstruction drive. The outline put forward a 20-character principle for

citizens, which includes love of the motherland, abiding by laws, behaving

correctly, credibility, honesty, kindness, frugality and devotion to one's

career.

 

Sociologists have pointed out that resorting to compulsory legal means

alone will not ensure a prosperous and stable society. Developing an ethical

code will be more efficient in shaping people's moral outlook which will

regulate people's behaviour where legal means cannot reach.

 

The public's enthusiasm in responding to the central government's call

for moral code building reflects people's resentment for immoral activities,

and their longing for a society with a lofty, moral outlook. This enthusiasm

will surely serve as the power behind a successful campaign.