President Xi Jinping's speech on the importance of arts and literature at a forum on Oct 15 is not the first time a Chinese leader has spoken on the subject.

Way back in 1942, addressing a group of artists and writers at the Yan'an Forum at the revolutionary base in Shaanxi province, Chairman Mao Zedong emphasized how socialist literature and arts could contribute to the cause of communism and liberation of the Chinese people. Mao defined the working class and farmers - not intellectuals - as the major patrons and connoisseurs of arts and literature. His encouraging speech gave rise to dozens of writers and artists, many of whom are still popular today.

Addressing a forum 72 years later, Xi again called writers and artists to "embody core socialist values in a lively and vivid way", to "uphold the Chinese spirit" and rally Chinese people's strength. Xi said today's artists and writers too should fulfill their responsibilities toward the country and the people.

Ordinary people should be the major readers and audience of writers' and artists' works, as well as the source of their creation. He warned that art works should not become "the slave of the market" and never bear "the stench of money".

Xi's remarks did not come out of the blue. Compared with the notable increase in the economic and State power, China's literature and arts are less impressive. Although China has a Nobel Prize for Literature winner and a number of Chinese films have won international awards, vulgar, repetitive and insignificant works dot the social landscape. Such works not only lack insight and artistic values, but also fail to meet people's needs.