Post 6

The priest of Fuling survived very unforgiving circumstances during the Great Cutltural Revolution.  He is in his 80’s, a short man, and has a very raspy voice.  During his mass, he speaks in Chinese unless he has high levels of pain, in which case he says his mass in Latin.   He is a very significant character because of his religious background, as well as his life’s background.  Because he survived the revolution, he symbolizes the power of faith as it draws people to want to attend his services.  Because he had the will power to survive poverty and hunger, as well as the overall danger of being alive during the revolution, he is very important to the religious people in the area.  People look up to him as a symbol, and I think that Hessler wanted us to do the same.