China has a reputation for keeping information under wraps. From killer diseases to manufacturing slip-ups, the Chinese government has always taken extreme measures to keep their citizens and the international community in the dark. So when the International Olympic Committee insisted that the Chinese authorities provide full media access during the Beijing Olympics this past August, the hosting country toiled away to orchestrate a performance that would makeover its damaged world image. Part of the act included booting a 7-year-old girl from the stage for her plump face and buck teeth.
Yang Peiyi was supposed to perform the Chinese national anthem "Hymn to the Motherland" at the Beijing Olympics opening ceremony. At a dress rehearsal before the event, however, a senior official of the Chinese Politburo deemed Peiyi "not cute enough" to present at the show, and requested a sudden change. A replacement for the tiny singer was found in 9-year-old TV star Lin Miaoke, who lip-synched the song to a pre-recording of Peiyi's voice at the ceremony. And that is how China made a fresh debut on the world stage. To add salt to the wound, Chinese authorities planned to keep the last minute switch a secret. Filmmaker Zhang Yimou, the ceremony's director, played along with the charade - despite being fully aware of the replacement. Yimou's quote, "She [Miaoke] is a lovely girl and she sings well," appears on the Beijing organizing committee's Web site.
Even Chinese TV broadcasts, radio talks and newspapers poured over Miaoke, calling her the latest musical sensation. CNN reported an article in the China Daily newspaper that read "Tiny singer wins heart of nation" without ever pointing out that Miaoke was not the actual singer. Granted, it is possible that these sources were unaware of the switch. However, given that the state operates all realms of media - this allowance seems unlikely.
Thanks to the ceremony's musical director, Chen Qigang, Peiyi's talents were at the very least recognized. In an interview with the Beijing radio, Qigang explained that he felt the need to "come out with the truth." "The little girl [Peiyi] is a magnificent singer. She doesn't deserve to be hidden," he said.
Had Qigang not publicly revealed the swap, Chinese and international audiences would have, once again, remained oblivious to the on-goings behind the government's set. Qigang's efforts are therefore commendable, even if his justification for the change is not: "The reason was for the national interest," he said.
To an extent, Qigang's claim rings true. With all of its negative press to recover from, the Chinese government needed to use the Beijing Olympics to improve its reputation and display its turning wheels of modernism and democracy.
But instead of reflecting admirable changes, this musical scandal portrays the communist state as still being dishonest and closed-minded. It goes without saying that the Chinese government is not yet prepared to allow the world to see China's very essence.
What makes matters worse is the grueling fact that the Chinese government prioritizes the well-being of its citizens well below its concern for outward appearances. The senior official who demanded the adjustment did not even consider the effect his decision would have on the two children involved.
Chinese retail worker Luo Shang in Beijing captures part of it: "This damages the reputation of both kids for their future, especially the one lip-synching. Now everyone knows she's a fraud, who cares if she's cute?" Though Miaoke attained success with her performance, her credibility in the TV industry may suffer from these poor domestic opinions. As a child, how is she to handle such emotionally scarring criticism? The same goes for Peiyi, who, in all honesty, bears the brunt of it all. Though the darling girl told China Central Television that she was honored to have her voice used, she may not pursue her singing for fear of her looks. This awful possibility is made so much worse by her musical potential, and incidentally, her sweet, totally normal face.
At the least, several Chinese populations are outraged that the girls were used and abused to enhance the nation's image. Many have been voicing their opinions on blogs and articles. Even Miaoke's father Lin Hui insisted to China Daily that, "in my opinion, she [Peiyi] was not ugly. She looks cute." Comments such as these offer some refuge from the stern grip the government has over the society.
Still, these criticisms cannot undo the damage. So while China did make a truly impressive spectacle out of the Beijing Olympics, its tremendous efforts hardly reflect the state's intentions, and can certainly not give good reason for the senior official's excessive and cruel decision.
As for now, Chinese Politburo, hold off on any encores.
Shruti Sehgal is a Collegian Columnist. She can be reached at ssehgal@student.umass.edu.
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