During the global outbreak of the coronavirus, we all witnessed heart-wrenching stories firsthand, with countless people losing their loved ones, and many others passing away due to the lack of cooperation from others. In “Oedipus the King,” the people also suffered from a nationwide epidemic, just like us, placing their hopes on the national leader. However, as we have seen, no country’s policy was able to completely stop the plague, mirroring the torment experienced by the people in the story. Whether in reality or in stories, there will always be dissatisfaction and resistance, leading to more people getting hurt. During the pandemic, I lived in China, where everyone was quarantined at home, with no one allowed to go out. Everyone monitored each other, and the situation was initially very successful. In less than two months, the virus in cities was isolated, people wore masks outdoors, and used a special virus QR code to facilitate scanning and confirmation of health status. In 2020, when the whole world was quarantined at home, I could travel through various cities in China, walking in bustling night markets. But no one could accept being locked at home forever. I remember in 2021, when the coronavirus variant swept across the globe again, but this time the virus was not very harmful, many countries opened up policies, while China locked down the entire country again, with no one allowed to go out. However, a few months later, people realized that it was impossible to avoid infection, and began to resist. In Shanghai and Xinjiang, people started a series of resistance movements, known as the “White Paper Movement,” expressing their dissatisfaction with the government by holding up a blank piece of paper. Less than a week after the outbreak of the movement, China reopened, and no one escaped the coronavirus. In my small city in China, almost everyone was infected with the coronavirus during that period, fortunately, not many people lost their lives.
2 thoughts on “Discussion week 7 Ye Fang”
I was in America when the pandemic hit and it seems that we had similar experience but I never knew about the white paper movement and I find this movement very interesting. I love the way people were able to come together and fight for what they believed in. I find it crazy how your city although small were able to make it alive and Im glad for that fact. I hope you and your family are doing well.
The equals drawn between the pandemic and “Oedipus the King” Highlight the universal topics of misery and the battle for control in the face of crises. Your experience in China mirrors the complicated elements of pandemic reaction, from severe quarantine measures to inevitable opposition and cultural tension for resuming. The “White Paper Movement” highlights the human requirement for organization and articulation, even in time of crisis. Eventually, your narrative highlights the strength of networks in the midst of vulnerability and the sobering reality that a few difficulties can’t be completely moderated regardless of endeavors to contain them.