Complaint about mural of famed writer smoking sparks online debate

The company that manages the Lu Xun Native Place in Shaoxing, Zhejiang province, has defended its decision to keep a mural of the renowned writer smoking after calls for its removal, saying it would respect history, art and Lu Xun's legacy.

The response, issued on Monday, follows widespread media coverage and online debate that drew more than 63 million views on Sina Weibo, China's version of Twitter, as of Tuesday. The controversy was triggered by a complaint calling for the mural's replacement.

The company said Lu Xun was an advocate for modern woodcut art in China, and that the mural's woodcut style fits the historical context of Lu Xun culture. The mural, which has stood for 22 years at the entrance to the scenic area, has become a highlight for visitors from around the world, the company said.

The scenic area is dedicated to honoring Lu Xun, preserving history and valuing art, and would not change its established image "on a whim", the statement said. It added that more than 100 people had contacted the scenic area by phone urging it not to alter the mural based on "the opinions of a few people".

The debate began on Friday when a woman surnamed Sun posted on social media that the mural could mislead young visitors and should be replaced, according to a report by media outlet ThePaper.cn.

Sun, who describes herself as an anti-smoking campaigner focused on public smoking bans, told Chongqing-based Shangyou News that she saw a post about the mural on Aug 20 and filed a complaint.

Reactions online and in news apps were divided.

One comment said: "Respecting history means adopting a correct historical perspective, which involves evaluating past actions based on the understanding and context of their own time, rather than judging them by today's standards."

Another wrote: "Sun might as well focus more on managing people who smoke, as that's where secondhand smoke really comes from."

Some supported Sun, saying the image could subtly influence young people to view smoking more positively because a famous person was depicted doing it. They thought that her aim was to stress the need for more education on smoking prevention among teenagers.

ThePaper.cn quoted a manager from the scenic area as saying, "It is a historical fact that Lu Xun smoked and that was part of his life. Why should we change that?"

A descendant of Lu Xun told ThePaper.cn that the debate is about public perception, not the family's opinion.