精神治霾法(jing shen zhi mai fa): Spiritual therapy for smog

Smog with high concentration of PM2.5 (particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 micrometer or less and extremely harmful to humans) used to affect only a few Chinese cities until recently. But during the past weeks, hundreds of large and medium-sized cities have been covered by thick layers of smog. Such is the fear the smog has created that protective facial masks have run out of stock in many stores.

The smog has become a main point of public discussions. But still people cannot accept the suggestion of Yu Dan, a cultural celebrity and professor, to spiritually guard against the smog. In her micro blog, Yu says that to fight the smog, we should "switch on the air purifier, try not to go outside nor inhale the polluted air ... (and if) these efforts fail, we can rely on our minds to safeguard the heart from being polluted by the smog".

People worried about the physical and psychological harms the smog may cause are likely to seek proper medical help. But people who believe in Yu's idea of spiritual protection against the smog could be fooled into ignoring the hazards of severe air pollution. To begin with, it is not possible for salaried people to stay at home and not all of them can buy an air purifier, for it costs a decent amount of money.

The public seems to have sensed the tone of old-school political ethics in Yu's comment, which tells people neither to complain nor to worry about an event or development, and instead to savor life's happiness despite the harmfull effects of the smog.

The entire nation is trying to clear the smog. Fortunately, more down-to-earth officials have abandoned the old governance style, replacing it with more pragmatic modern governance which will help clear the smog faster. The spiritual therapy proposed by Yu could be helpful in other cases but it will not protect people from the harmful effects of the smog.

(China Daily 02/28/2014 page9)