Abstract :
The list of recognized creators is constantly changing with the
passage of time. An up-to-date list of recognized Chinese
creators emerges from a survey of a large sample of Chinese
students in various places in China. To understand the sustainability
of the creators’ fame, this study examines how the
creators’ personal characteristics affect their fame, creativity,
social contribution, and esteem, based on the students’ viewpoints.
Results show that scientists, compared with other professionals,
consistently maintained higher fame, creativity, and
social contribution. This finding is consistent with the emphasis
on science, rationality, and objectivity in modern education
as well as the meritorious evaluation bias in perceiving
the utility of creativity in Chinese society. The creator’s creativity
showed an inverted-U shaped relationship to fame.
Hence, a moderate level of creativity was associated with
the highest fame in the creator. There were some differences
between Hong Kong and Mainland Chinese students’ perceptions
of the sustainability of fame, which is largely attributable
to the influence of commercialism in Hong Kong.
