(English) Reading the Parable of the Rich Fool in the Context of Chinese Culture through the Lens of A Chinese Christian Poster

This essay provides an illustrative case study of one poster that demonstrates how Chinese Christian posters can help readers understand and teach biblical passages within the Chinese context. The poster of the parable of the rich fool is imaginatively designed, with a clear and direct message and surprising elements that allow us to read and interpret the parable through a new lens. It was published by Religious Tract Society, Hankow & Shanghai, China, and is now housed in the library of the University of Birmingham.

       Western depictions of this parable typically show only one character, the rich fool. In contrast, the Chinese poster tells the story in a way that distinctly places the rich fool in his familial and communal context. Perhaps in a Western context, it is easy to imagine the rich man as a lonely and miserly Scrooge. However, in a Chinese context, it seems easier to imagine the rich man within his familial and communal setting. At the end of this case study, I will return to this observation and reflect on how it may help to communicate the message of the parable within a Chinese context, both for those outside the church and for those within the church.

       In this poster, in addition to the black and white printing, there is gold, which represents both grain and wealth. The title of the first line at the top is “Watch out, and keep yourselves from all greed”, indicating that the rich man acts out of greed and self-interest. The verse referenced on the left is Luke 12:15. The poster includes a sequence of three pictures, moving from the top to the bottom right to the bottom left. Each picture provides insights into the character and fate of the rich man.

       First, the verses on the left side of the first picture at the top correspond to Luke 12:16–21, describing the rich man who stores up possessions for himself but loses his life and can not enjoy it. Picture 1 depicts 12:16–19, which shows how the rich man saves his wealth. Most Chinese people can easily distinguish the rich man. He wears gold clothes decorated with traditional embroidery that expresses the pattern of “wealth,” and he wears what looks like a special crown, a hat clearly different from those of ordinary workers, accompanied by a servant who helps to carry his cane. Although the rich man clearly looks old, the smile on his face displays him as full of life. His eyes and hands are pointing to the larger barns he is building, and the grain in them is almost overflowing.

       Two elements stand out in picture 1. First, the doors of the barn are marked from the bottom up with numbers from one to ten to help him count the grain in his barns. Although the barn is almost full of grain, the people in the distant boats and along the walkway are still bringing the grain into the barns in a steady stream. His income continues to flow. Therefore, in this picture, workers are busy building a bigger barn for him. This first element highlights many Chinese people’s ability to “calculate.” Most Chinese people pay attention to the advice to “store up food in anticipation of famine, to prepare for the rainy day” (积谷防饥，未雨绸缪), which means being prepared for adversity before it happens. So the behavior of the rich man shows that he is a person who knows how to plan and prepare. Here is a second element in the picture: the rich man is significantly taller than all the others. Of course, this may be due to the perspective of the picture with the larger characters standing closer and the smaller characters standing farther away. But it is clear that the sense of proportion is not entirely consistent, so that the height of the rich man may be intentional. However, for most Chinese people, this observation may carry extra meaning. It can be said that only the rich can ensure adequate diet and nutrition, and will be taller than everyone else. The picture can also be understood from a moral point of view, with the rich man’s taller height expressing his position as “superior to others” (高人一等). Although it seems absurd, this is the normal life faced by many people in Chinese society, and the wealthy life of the rich man is also the envy and pursuit of many Chinese people.

       Picture 2 in the bottom right corner corresponds to Luke 12:20. The rich man’s soul is required from him that very night, and he does not know who will receive what he has prepared. This is a complete tragedy and a sad ending. There are some interesting elements in the picture. The moon and stars outside the window indicate that the rich man died at night. The old rich man lay in bed, his eyes slightly open, his face no longer smiling but frowning, very weak, and full of fear of his impending death. Those who seem to be his son and daughter are weeping over him. There is a child servant boiling water or boiling medicine for him.

       The parable of the rich fool does not mention the burial of the rich man after his death, as the parable of the rich man and Lazarus does in Luke 16:22, but the final third picture in the bottom left corner of the poster shows this easily recognized and important event of a funeral procession. Picture 3 shows some vital elements. The rich man’s coffin is marked with engravings and inscriptions, which is superior to ordinary wood. At least four people carry his coffin. Others carry flags, while a band plays. All these elements show that after his death, he won the “mourning honor” and the “generous burial” valued by most Chinese people. Ironically, however, it also highlights the key point of the parable: no matter how much wealth the rich man accumulates for himself, he must eventually face death. This is a parable of a wealthy man who cannot escape death.

       In the bottom line of the poster, there are some small words. In addition to including some simple information about the press, the middle also contains a sentence that says, “Please go to a church to hear the gospel and study the Bible.” Therefore, the poster directs its message at least in part to those outside the church, preparing them to hear the gospel. This poster was used to share the gospel and introduce Jesus to Chinese people who were facing a time of turmoil and crisis. In fact, this poster of the rich fool provides a significant and effective way to talk about salvation with Chinese people. For most Chinese people, this rich man’s life may be considered a success, as wealth is also what they value and strive for in life. The rich man had many servants who worked for him and showed him respect. He had family members who mourned his death. However, the death of the rich man makes people realize that no one can take with them the things they have stored up. In addition, most Chinese people also have a variety of opinions on the final destination of people after death. Therefore, the funeral picture added at the end of this poster also leaves an open space for readers to reflect: where will the rich man go after death? Heaven or hell?

       In addition, from the point of view of Chinese culture, this poster is also helpful for encouraging believers within the church concerning the proper use of wealth. Chinese people’s concepts of hoarding wealth and possessions are closely combined with their strong “family concept,” and Chinese people have an extraordinary dedication to their families. The poster itself highlights the familial setting. From this background, the behavior of the rich man in the poster may be more consistent with traditional Chinese culture, since most Chinese people accumulate wealth and build houses, not entirely or mostly for themselves, but for the continuation of future generations and the prosperity of the family. Yet the poster still depicts the rich man as greedy and misguided in light of his imminent death. For Christians, this poses the question of what it means to be rich toward God, especially in light of family commitments. Perhaps the poster can help Chinese Christians to reflect on how to extend the concept of the family, ideas about  familial and economic relations, so that it includes the family of God. Then they may be more willing to contribute and commit more to the growth and flourishing of the family of God. This poster aims to help Chinese Christians better understand and practice how to change the object of their savings from a personal small family to God’s big family. Although it is not easy, once Chinese Christians realize that they should use their money to build God’s family, hopefully they will use their ability to accumulate wealth to make a tremendous contribution to the ministry of the Kingdom of God.

       In conclusion, as a hermeneutical tool, the poster functions not only as a beautiful piece of art but also as a guide for the viewer to arrive at a proper theological understanding of the parable within the context of Chinese culture. More than just an artistic nicety, this poster’s attention to traditional Chinese culture provides practical exegetical insights. While Western commentators focus on the individual, this poster reveals the communal dimensions of saving money for one’s family in the Chinese context. Often Chinese Christians are focused on financial savings for the benefit of their small family group. However, this poster offers a helpful re-framing by placing the parable in the wider context of God’s family and the mission of the Church, just as the parable appears in the wider context of Luke and Acts with its focus on the mission of the Church. This insight can aid pastors and church leaders as they teach Chinese Christians to use their economic ability to create wealth in order to contribute to the spread of the gospel. This encouragement is particularly relevant for the present Chinese Church context in Asia.