Cleaning Up the Cultural Market: A Former Official’s Account of Fighting Illegal Activities
By [Your Name]
[Date]
In the mid-to-late1980s, as China embraced market reforms, a new landscape emerged in its cultural entertainment scene. Gone were the traditional worker’s clubs and amateurperformances, replaced by luxurious nightclubs and karaoke bars that sprung up across the country. This shift, fueled by the pursuit of profit, brought with it a darkunderbelly: rampant prostitution, gambling dens disguised as electronic gaming halls, and a proliferation of pornographic materials. The impact on youth, particularly, was devastating, with many becoming addicted to these vices and neglecting their studies and families.
This was the reality I faced in 1995 when I was appointed head of the Cultural Market Management Office in Hebei province. My task was daunting: to clean up the cultural market, a mission that would inevitably clash with powerfulinterests and face fierce resistance.
One of the most harrowing experiences I encountered was the brutal assault on two of my officers during a raid on a nightclub called Bai Le Men in 1996. The establishment, notorious for its three-companion services, was a haven for prostitution. Whenour team arrived to conduct an inspection, they were met with fierce opposition. The club’s owner, backed by a group of thugs, attacked our officers, leaving them injured. This incident, along with numerous other confrontations, highlighted the risks and challenges involved in cracking down on illegal activities in the cultural market.
Despite the dangers, we persevered. One particularly memorable incident involved a video rental store in a rural town. The owner, enraged by our presence, began shouting and attracting a crowd of locals. I stepped forward, holding up a DVD cover depicting explicit content, and addressed the crowd: We all have children. Whoamong us wouldn’t want our children to grow up healthy and successful? If your children spend their days watching these kinds of videos, can you tolerate it? Can you rest easy? The crowd, moved by my words, gradually dispersed, leaving the owner to face the consequences of his actions.
My seven years incultural market management were marked by constant struggle, fraught with danger and moral dilemmas. However, the stories of those we helped, the families we protected from the insidious influence of these illegal activities, fueled my determination to continue the fight.
The cultural market in China has undergone significant changes since those turbulent years. While thechallenges remain, the lessons learned from those early days serve as a reminder of the importance of vigilance and the need to prioritize the moral and ethical well-being of our society.
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