The nude photos of a Chinese woman taken in Dali’s Erhai Lake, which were posted secretly by her driver on social media and become viral last week, are not works of art, declared Chinese state media Xinhua News Agency.
The declaration by Xinhua applies not only to the stolen shots, but other recent naked photos shared in social media such as the woman with no lower garments in Ikea China and another women who stripped near a sacred Tibet lake. The largest and most influential media organization in the country questioned why public nude photography is proliferating in China. It also doubt if the display of skin has any artistic value, reported Nextshark.
However, the issue divided Chinese netizens. On one side, conservative thinkers agree with Xinhua. On the other hand, others with a more liberal outlook said otherwise.
Hou Wenkun, the Xinhua journalist who wrote the editorial, cited several Chinese thinkers are criticizing the use of artistic freedom by people posting their naked photos. He pointed to Li Chenhcai, a Kunming lawyer, who said those image proliferate in media due to people’s thoughts becoming more progressive and the way they show their feelings which has become more direct.
But Li cautioned, “Some people do not care how others feel. They have no common sense, are deficient in civil values and lack basic knowledge of the law.”
Huo also quoted Shi Hauiji, a Dali resident, who stated, “Artistic creations must not offend the prevalent social order, nor harm public interest. Our country’s traditional moral values and present social order does not permit nude photography in public areas,” reported Shanghaiist.
Netizens who agreed with Huo wrote, “If being naked is art, then everyone is an artist when taking a shower!” Another declared, “Porn is porn, don’t equate it with art.”
But those on the more liberal side asked, “Why do people think being naked is disgusting?” Another one wrote that since humans are only animals who view themselves as kings of the land, “They shouldn’t be covered up, but blend in with nature” which is true beauty.