Lei Feng: Chairman Mao's Good Fighter

I. Introduction to Moral Education in China and Lei Feng's Significance

• Traditional Chinese Moral Education:

  • Tales of virtuous and self-sacrificing individuals were integral to moral instruction.

  • Young people learned about classical exemplars, such as the "24 Paragons of Filial Piety," which emphasized respect for elders and family duty.

  • Steadfast women, celebrated for their loyalty, chastity, or bravery, also served as role models.

  • Adults enjoyed stories and plays featuring clear-cut paragons of virtue or totally evil characters, which served to reinforce societal norms and ethical principles.

  • These stories often conveyed Confucian values, promoting harmony, righteousness, and ritual propriety.

• Contemporary Chinese Moral Instruction:

  • This method of using exemplary figures has continued, but with significant changes in the characteristics of admired individuals.

  • The focus shifted from traditional Confucian virtues to socialist ideals, emphasizing selfless service to the people, dedication to the Communist Party, and collective good over individual gain.

  • Heroes often emerged from the working class, military, or ordinary citizens demonstrating revolutionary spirit and socialist morality.

• Lei Feng (很{1939–1962}很):

  • The most well-known figure held up for emulation over the last three decades (prior to the source's 1993 publication).

  • First recognized widely in 1963 with the launch of the "Learn from Lei Feng" campaign by Chairman Mao Zedong.

  • He was portrayed as a diligent, modest, and selfless soldier of the People's Liberation Army (PLA).

  • His detailed diary, purportedly kept throughout his short life, revealed countless acts of kindness, devotion to the Party, and frugal living.

  • Died at the age of 22 in an accidental death while on duty, which further solidified his image as a martyr for the communist cause.