Artist sees red over China's illegal ivory

Family background forms perfect canvas for Yuan Xikun's eco-protection mission

The well-known Chinese artist Yuan Xikun threw out a magazine featuring an exclusive interview with him a few weeks ago. He did not object to the interview content, but the magazine cover depicted a craftsman carving ivory, conveying a sense of elegance and nobility. With the title Patron of Arts and Environment granted by the United Nations Environment Programme, Yuan expresses a strong dislike for this kind of art, viewing it as anti-wildlife.

"I don't want to see these kinds of things and I am ashamed to be in the same magazine with these kinds of people," he says.

Yuan is celebrated artist, particularly for his sculpture and Chinese calligraphy. His sculptural work used to be given as national gifts by the Chinese government, and some could be found at UN offices in Vienna and in Nairobi.

Poaching is against nature, and that human beings wear animal bones to show off their shooting ability, he says.

"All these technologies and businesses that are out of harmony with nature and morality are sins, and nature's revenge is just a matter of time," he says.

"This is a tragedy, that people only think about GDP and how time is money. We have to think more about a balance between morality and spirit."

Ivory sculpture has been a traditional skill for many Chinese craftsmen, and one of the concerns of a total ban is that the skill may disappear. But Yuan, as a leading sculptor, says there are now many new materials to replace ivory and what we must conserve is the skill, rather than the material.

He says China has a tradition of living harmoniously with nature, which is reflected in mainstream ideologies and philosophies. For instance, Taoism calls for an integration of life and nature, and Buddhism emphasizes equality among all species and things.

"Nature is our teacher, and we have to obey its rule. Any behavior or consumption that burdens it to an unacceptably high level is the least ethical," he says.

However, nowadays some people are blind and choose not to see the result of consuming wildlife products. He says if there were a chance for mutual empathy, people would realize this is a brutal business.

He recalls a popular tale among his generation named Embroidered Lampshade. It is based on the story of a woman during World War II. One day she realized a beautiful lampshade she used to own was made from her son's skin, and that the Gestapo made the lampshade.

"Seriously, think about the day that human beings are made into different products by another species," he says.

Yuan is also a national representative of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, the top advisory body of the Chinese government. Since being elected to the national committee 22 years ago, his proposals have centered on the ecosystem and environmental protection, calling for a more comprehensive and strict policy.

In the past three years, his proposals have had a clear focus on wildlife protection, especially elephants. He is a strong advocate of banning the illegal ivory trade in China. In this year's conference, he submitted a proposal calling for a ban on ivory as any kind of gift among Chinese officials.

"We have seen progress. Especially because, for the first time, the priority of protecting the ecosystem is included into the Chinese Communist Party's charter, so we again understand there is no conflict between nature and modern society's wisdom," he says, as a nonpartisan national member of the conference.

But he also accepts that it takes time and energy for ideas to come to fruition, and that one has to be steady and consistent in his or her will. For example, it took him four years to turn a water-saving proposal into policy, and this is the third year he has submitted a proposal related to the ivory trade.

"Because I am really concerned about ivory issues, I have been submitting proposals on the matter in recent years. I propose that officials be banned from giving gifts of ivory to one another," he says. "I've been conducting research and investigation over the past few years and I know the ivory trade experienced a revival after 2006."

He says that in the 1990s the trade faced a clampdown and that the number of ivory craft factories fell from 100 to 20 in one region in southern China. But after 2006, the number increased to 80.

"They simply don't have the concept that the extinction of the tiger or elephant will result in a total collapse of the ecosystem," he says.

From a top-down perspective, he has confidence about the Chinese government leadership, saying it is serious about environmental protection, especially after having seen laws being adopted and enforced.

"President Xi Jinping has said protecting the environment must be like protecting our own eyes, and I totally agree with that. Also, I support the idea that the Ministry of Environment Protection should establish its own law enforcement team to be much stricter on those criminals," Yuan says.

Chinese artists usually express their feelings and spirits by depicting many beautiful scenes that are removed from everyday life, but Yuan says his mission is to use art to educate the next generation.

"Increasing their awareness is quite important in terms of a sustainable environment and ecosystem protection. So I am using Chinese calligraphy to write many environment-related mottos for young students, to let them know about our relationship with nature."

He is also trying to collaborate with the UNEP and other international organizations to produce more cartoons for children, to bring them into this campaign.

"This kind of education must reach into every family to raise correct values of honor and disgrace."

Asked why he is an advocate for wildlife protection, Yuan says his family background gives him a natural reason to be in this field.

"My grand parents are all Buddhist philanthropists. My mother was a biology teacher and my father was an artist. So benevolence to all has been my principle since I was young," he says. "So it's natural to combine my artistic skills with wildlife campaigns. Also, my son is working in the field of ecosystem protection."

lilianxing@chinadaily.com.cn