China to Step up 'Learning from Lei Feng' Move

The Communist Party of China has ordered an intensified media coverage of activities of "Learning from Lei Feng" to promote virtues of the nation's most famous Good Samaritan.

According to a decision made by the CPC Central Committee, major news website portals including xinhuanet.com, people.com.cn and cntv.cn will dedicate special sections and microblogging services to such news reports.

Mobile phone-compatible short videos and text messages will also be used to encourage the public to follow Lei's example, according to the decision which, announced Friday, called for intensified efforts in promoting Lei's spirit.

A spate of activities have been designed to propel people to do Samaritanism, such as volunteer services, education among youngsters, and campaigns to improve services at banks, hospitals, hotels and public areas.

Lei Fei, a young Chinese soldier in the 1960s, is known for devoting almost all of his spare time and money to selflessly helping the needy. He died after being hit by a falling pole while helping a fellow soldier direct a truck on Aug. 15, 1962.

A year later, late Chairman Mao Zedong called on the entire nation to follow Lei's example, and March 5 of every year is designated "Lei Feng's Day."

Explaining the campaign's appeal, the CPC circular, publicized Friday, urged people to draw motivation from Lei, carry forward the traditional virtues of the Chinese nation, act according to socialist morals and develop good social customs.

The circular came after the CPC Central Committee in a plenary meeting late last year called on a "Learn from Lei Feng" campaign to be conducted in a deep manner, which is believed to facilitate China's building of a strong nation in terms of cultural influence.

In a related development, Guo Mingyi, a 53-year-old Chinese mine worker, was awarded the title of "Contemporary Lei Feng," for selflessly helping the needy, by the Central Commission for Guiding Ethic and Cultural Progress at a forum on the "Learning from Lei Feng" campaigns on Friday.

Guo has spent around half of all his salary over the past 16 years to sponsor the schooling of 180 children from needy families. In addition, he has been a regular blood donator for the past 20 years.

Li Changchun, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, attended the forum and delivered a speech at the forum.

During his speech, Li called for deepening and continued efforts to learn from Lei Feng, as the campaign is an important way for the country and the Party to advance the building of the socialist core value system and to unite and inspire the entire nation.

Lei's spirit is a precious spiritual treasure for the country and the people, Li said.

Li called on the Chinese people to learn from Lei Feng's patriotism and altruism as well as his innovative spirit.

He also urged Chinese to promote contemporary Good Samaritans and organize more volunteer type activities.

The public should be mobilized to participate in volunteer activities and the Party's members and officials should take the lead in the campaigns to learn from Lei Feng, Li said.

In March last year, Guo began to use the Sina Weibo microblogging service to share what he had been thinking about and doing to help others.

With 6.8 million followers of his microblog, Guo has ranked among the top 50 individual Sina Weibo user.