Many in China think themselves 'grassroots'
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Han Xi, a 26-year-old resident in Dalian, Northeast China's Liaoning province, lifts a bike with his teeth in this photo taken this month. Han practiced the stunt in preparation for his performance at a talent show held by Shandong Television Station that aims to provide a platform for grassroots stars. [Photo: China Daily] |
The use of the word caogen, the Chinese equivalent of grassroots, has become increasingly common in recent years with the rise of grassroots stars, culture and groups, indicating that many people consider themselves to be part of the fundamental level of society, according to a recent poll.
The survey was conducted by China Youth Daily's social research center over the past three weeks and attracted more than 4,000 people online.
Nearly 60 percent of the respondents said the description "grassroots" fits them well and said the word embodies the notion of being "underclass, vulnerable, and powerless".
The term is even being attached to a certain type of celebrity.
In China, an esteemed grassroots star is Han Han, a best-selling author and probably the most popular blogger in the country, who has attracted hundreds of millions of hits to his blog. To some observers, his fame stems from his use of bold words, which many believe express the hidden thoughts and feelings of those without power or influence.
"And in turn, grassroots people promote him to a higher position so that their voices can be more widely heard, especially by using various new media such as blogs and weibo (the Chinese equivalent of twitter)," said Wu Xia, a resident of Wuxi city, in Jiangsu province, and a regular reader of Han's blog.
She said she believes the grassroots movement mostly encompasses middle-class people who are fighting for their dreams like she is.
Several sociologists said the grassroots movement reflects the advent of a more democratic society and of a public better able to exert its strength.
"Despite thinking that they are negligible, lowly, and powerless, people still want to present themselves and let their voices be heard," said Xia Xueluan, a sociology professor at Peking University.
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