This article was published at the Hong Kong Standard web page.

Actress urges tolerance for arts

28/02/1997

By Baby Sung in Beijing
INTERNATIONALLY renowned actress Gong Li wants the government to loosen its strict grip over the arts and literature.

Gong said on Thursday that the government should liberalise censorship and take a more tolerant approach on opening the film industry to producers.

She was disappointed that several well-produced Chinese films had been banned on the mainland.

Gong, a CPPCC member who attended the opening session on Thursday, intends to put forward a motion to push her views.

She said she was interested in taking part in the political process and felt honoured to be invited to participate in the discussions.

``It is best to let a hundred flowers blossom _ a real policy,'' she said in relation to her motion.

``Hundred flowers blossom'' was a well-known dictum promoted by Mao Zedong urging diversified views in the arts, literature and sciences.

Gong said although she had opportunities to co-operate with foreign and Hong Kong film producers, she was bound by Chinese government policy.

``Every time I perform outside China, I have to seek approval after examinations,'' she said.

She said conservatism caused the depressed state of Chinese films because it had limited the variety of subjects for films.

``I regret that many good movies cannot be shown to the public in the mainland after a lot of money has been spent on them,'' she said.

``These are the painstaking efforts and energies of cultural workers. I think those films should go to the public if they have been produced.''

On political reform, Gong said she supported democratisation because it was also the general wish of the public. But she believed the level of democracy needed to be decided by public consultation.

Gong has earned international acclaim for her films but many have stirred controversy in China and sparked criticism from propaganda officials.

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