The translations are by Rogier Creemers of China Copyright and Media.

1 March 2007, 16:04

All websites: Concerning the issue of unlawful construction in Qinglongtou Village, Fangshan District, there may be no reports.

2 March 2007, 17:10:17

All websites: Please appoint a special person to report situations daily during the “Two Sessions” period.

All websites: The national “Two Sessions” will convene tomorrow, during the period of the “Two Sessions,” all websites are requested to appoint a special person to report that day’s propaganda and reporting situation concerning the “Two Sessions” to the Network Management Office Network Management Section. Content reported by portal websites must include the number of articles (including pictures) issued between 12:00 the previous day and 12:00 of the day in question, the situation of content increase in the “Two Sessions” special subject, newly set-up columns, undertaken VIP interviews and titles, and audiovisual real-time report situations; websites other than portal websites may report all sorts of propaganda and reporting related to the content of the “Two Sessions” in integration with the specialties of that website. All websites are requested to report the above content before 14:00 of every day to Huang Jing at the Network Management Office Network Management Section (e-mail: huangjing@bjwgb.gov.cn, telephone: 671966780). All websites are requested to start reporting the situations starting from 12:00 this Sunday, when reporting matters, ensure that these are succinct and correct.

4 March 2007, 13:35

All websites: please link to the live broadcast URL of Qianlong Net (http://live.qianlong.com/live/news/2007/3/1920/2@1920.htm) on the main page of websites, with the title “The ‘2007 New Spring Well-Wishing Text Message Recommendation Selection Event Award Ceremony’ to Be Held at 15:00 Today” (on a red background), and begin transmitting the award ceremony at 15:00.

5 March 2007: 9:25

All websites: during the “Two Sessions” period, all websites are requested to appoint a special person to report that day’s propaganda and reporting situation concerning the “Two Sessions” to the Network Management Office Network Management Section. Content reported by portal websites must include the number of articles (including pictures) issued between 12:00 the previous day and 12:00 of the day in question, the situation of content increase in the “Two Sessions” special subject, newly set-up columns, undertaken VIP interviews and titles, and audiovisual real-time report situations; websites other than portal websites may report all sorts of propaganda and reporting related to the content of the “Two Sessions” in integration with the specialties of that website. All websites are requested to report the above content before 14:00 of every day to Huang Jing at the Network Management Office Network Management Section (e-mail: huangjing@bjwgb.gov.cn, telephone: 671966780). All websites are requested to start reporting the situations starting from 12:00 this Sunday, when reporting matters, ensure that these are succinct and correct.

5 March 2007, 13:59

I. (1) Please remove all column forms about the Two Sessions concerning “I have a question to ask the Premier, to ask the Foreign Minister, advice to offer,” etc., that directly create an interactive relationship with netizens to within the special subject on the Two Sessions, it is not permitted to directly put them on front pages and the important news section of news centers. (2) Netizens’ making statements shall first register and then make statements, anonymous statements are not permitted.

II. First Finance and Southern Metropolis Daily are non-standard copy sources, it is stressed again that from this day, they may not be reprinted, including that it is not permitted to reprint First Finance copy from International Online, Eastern Net and other focus news websites or Southern Metropolis Daily copy reprinted on Southern News Net of Southern Newspaper Net. If copy related to the national Two Sessions has been reprinted, please delete it.

III. All websites: Concerning the matter of the person who petitioned the Hebei Provincial Government, Ping Shuangxi’s “Journalist notification conference accusing the Hebei Public Security organs of persecuting petitioning masses,” no website may reprint this, interactive segments are not to disseminate or discuss this.

6 March 2007, 21:09

Concerning the matter of Chen Liangyu still being an NPC representative, do not open trackers without exception. Where they are open, please close them, thank you.

13 March 2007, 16:43

All websites: Please close trackers on images concerning “Tyranny on Chang’an Avenue During the Two Sessions Period” and corresponding information, push it to the back stage at the same time.

13 March 2007, 17:33

All websites: Foreign hostile forces disseminate “Son of a Bitch,” “Kill Kill Kill,” “Avenging the People,” and other harmful audiovisual information on foreign websites, all websites are requested to not reprint corresponding information, forums and blogs are not to reprint or discuss this.

15 March 2007, 14:51

All websites: Please immediately cease advertising and propaganda articles related to “Ant Strength God” capsules.

16 March 2007, 18:36:01, Chen Hua

The data concerning netizens’ questions to Premier Wen provided at Premier Wen’s press conference of this morning is corrected as follows: “Only on the Internet, more than 100,000 questions were asked to Premier Wen, the number of individual clicks exceeded 26 million.” All websites are requested to rapidly correct this.

2007年3月北京网管办发出的禁令（一）

2007年3月1日16时04分

各网:关于房山区青龙头村违法建设问题不得报道.
2007-03-02 17:10:17

各网：请指定专人在“两会”期间每天上报报道情况

各网：全国“两会”将于明天召开，在“两会”举行期间，请各网指定一名专人将当天“两会”宣传报道的情况上报网管办网管处。 门户网站上报的内容要包括前日12时至当日12时新闻发稿（含图片）的条数，“两会”专题里内容的增添情况、新开设的栏目、所开展的嘉宾访谈及题目、音视 频实时报道的情况； 门户以外的网站可以上报结合本站特点开展的与“两会”内容相关的各种形式的宣传、活动。 以上内容请各网在每天14时前，传网管办网管处黄婧（邮箱：huangjing@bjwgb.gov.cn 电话：67196678 ） 请各网从本周日12时前开始上报情况，上报时办求简短、准确。
2007年3月4日13时35分

各网:请在本网站首页以《“2007年新春祝福短信推荐评选活动抽奖仪式”今日15时举行》为标题（套红），链接千龙网的直播地址 （http://live.qianlong.com/live/news/2007/3/1920/2@1920.htm），并在15时准时开始转播抽 奖仪式。
2007年3月5日09时25分

各网：在“两会”举行期间，请各网指定一名专人将当天“两会”宣传报道的情况上报网管办网管处。 门户网站上报的内容要包括前日12时至当日12时新闻发稿（含图片）的条数，“两会”专题里内容的设置情况、新开设的栏目、所开展的嘉宾访谈及题目、音视 频实时报道的情况； 门户以外的网站可以上报结合本站特点开展的与“两会”内容相关的各种形式的宣传、活动。 以上内容请各网在每天14时前，传网管办网管处黄婧（邮箱：huangjing@bjwgb.gov.cn 电话：67196678 ） 请各网从今天14:00前开始上报情况，上报时办求简短、准确。
2007年3月5日13时59分

一．1、请把两会中关于“我有问题问总理、问外长、建言献策”等直接和网友发生互动关系的各个栏目形式，一律撤到两会专题页内，不允许直接放到首页和新闻中心要闻区。 2、网民发言应当是先注册后发言，不允许匿名发言。

二．第一财经和南方都市报为非规范稿源，再次强调，从即日起，不得转载，包括不得转载国际在线或东方网等重点新闻网站转的第一财经稿件、南方新闻网或南方报业网转的南方都市报稿件。有关全国两会的稿件，如已转载，请删除。

三．各网：有关河北省上访人员冯双喜“控诉河北公安机关迫害上访群众记者通报会”一事，各网站不要转载，互动环节不传播、不讨论。
2007年3月6日21时08分

关于陈良宇仍为人大代表一事一律不开跟帖.已开的，请关闭，谢谢
2007年3月13日16时43分

各网:关于”两会期间在长安街横行霸道！”的图片及相关信息请关闭跟帖,同时压后台
2007年3月13日17时33分

各网：境外敌对势力在境外网站传播”狗崽子”、”杀杀杀”、”为人民报仇”等有害视听信息，请各网站不要转载相关信息，论坛、博客、播客不转发、不讨论。
2007年3月15日14时51分

各网：请立即停止”蚁力神”胶囊的相关广告及宣传文章。
2007年03月16日 18:36:01 陈华

今天上午温总理记者招待会上有关网民向总理提问题的数据更正如下：“单就互联网上向总理提问题的已经超过10万多条，点击的人数超过2600万人次。”请各网站速更正。

These translated directives were first posted by Rogier Creemers on China Copyright and Media on December 18, 2012 (here). This post is the 41st in the series.

© Anne.Henochowicz for China Digital Times (CDT), 2012. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Beijing Internet Instructions, censorship, Censorship Vault, Chen Liangyu, Directives from the Ministry of Truth, hebei, Internet censorship, Ministry of Truth, propaganda, Southern Metropolis Daily, two sessions
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If you are interested in participating in this project by submitting and/or translating terms, please contact the CDT editors at CDT [at] chinadigitaltimes [dot] net.

不明真相 (bù míng zhēn xiàng): don’t understand the actual situation

Invented character combining the four characters in the phrase “don’t understand the actual situation.”

This stock phrase is often used by the government and official media to describe participants in “mass incidents” (群体事件 qúntǐ shìjiàn), such as riots and protests. It suggests that those who participate in mass incidents do so not because of any real grievances, but because they have been duped by a few schemers with “ulterior motives.”

Even state-run media have questioned this demeaning term. In July 2009, Xinhua ran an editorial suggesting that this phrase should not be the immediate explanation for all mass incidents. The Southern Metropolis Daily commented in August of that year:

Whenever there is a mass incident, some government agencies will always issue statements to the effect that “people who didn’t understand the actual situation” were incited by “those with ulterior motives.” But this pretext is lifeless and unconvincing.

每有群体性事件，一些政府机关的文宣必定是“不明真相”的群众是被“别有用心”的人蛊惑的。可这套说辞却是最苍白也没有说服力的。

Netizens have since co-opted the phrase.

© Anne.Henochowicz for China Digital Times (CDT), 2012. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: don't understand the actual situation, mass incidents, netizens, Southern Metropolis Daily, surround and watch, word of the week, Xinhua
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As Secretary of the Central Political and Legislative Committee, Zhou oversees a broad range of public security apparatuses, from police enforcement to labor re-education. This year’s national public security budget surpasses that of defense spending.

Zhou was in charge of the “Clean the Web Campaign” (清网行动) to scour the Internet for criminal suspects between May and December 2011. He alluded to that campaign this April:

SouthernMetropolisDaily: Zhou Yongkang: Public Security Maintains Conformity with the Party center from Beginning to End: During an April 6 discussion of the “Clean the Web Campaign,” Zhou Yongkang expressed that public security is a blameless shield for the country. “The Party and the people thank you.” He stressed that “what the masses most abhor, we will attack; what the masses most loudly make known, we will tame.” In addition, public security must “maintain conformity with the Party center from beginning to end.” People’s Daily

南方都市报：【周永康：公安始终同党中央保持一致】周永康6日在“清网行动”座谈时表示，公安无愧为共和国之盾，“党和人民感谢你们”。他强调，公安要做到 “群众对什么最痛恨，我们就打击什么，群众对什么反映最强烈，我们就整治什么”，而且要“始终同党中央保持高度一致”。人民日报

When this screenshot was taken in April, the post on Southern Metropolis Daily’s Weibo account had been forwarded 2,179 times and commented on 1,254 times. As of June 13, there are 2,917 forwards, but only 11 comments. From the selection of comments below, it’s easy to see why so many disappeared. Still, a few telling remarks been left, such as this one from May 31:

TravelingDoctor: Supposing the masses most abhor the central government, what will Public Security do? “What the masses most abhor, we will attack” or “maintain conformity with the Party center from beginning to end?” Please respond!

云游郎中微博达人：假如群众对中央最痛恨时，公安是要做到“群众对什么最痛恨，我们就打击什么”，还是要“始终同中央保持高度一致”呢？请回答！

You can read more comments from CDT Chinese. Translated by Deng Bolun.

JadeMama: Recently, it seems like in every piece of news you see this sentence: Maintain conformity with the Party.

璇子的妈：最近好像在各种新闻上都能看到这句：跟党保持一致

HuaiRiverEastBarbarian: Do the Party and the people include me? I don’t have a f*cking vote, and I can’t open my own mouth. Like f*ck I’ve been represented by you.

淮水东夷：党和人民包括我吗？尼玛老子既没有选票，也发不出自己的声音，就特麽被你们代表了

xuyichao: You carry guns everyday. Do the masses dare say what they abhor?

xuyichao: 你们天天带着枪，群众敢说痛恨什么吗

_QiJY: What if we abhorred the Party?

_赵JY：如果痛恨党中央咋办？

LoveVienna: Just like a bunch of gangsters.

最爱维也娜：真像黑帮大会

MiTuLiuJingWen: Why keep stressing conformity these days? Haven’t things always conformed?

米秃刘敬文：最近为啥老强调一致啊？不是从来就一致吗?

Charlescc0574: Before there was one rumor after another. These days you are suddenly so animated. Is it that the more you try to hide, the more you expose?

Charlescc0574：之前传言纷纷，这些天马上就见你特别活跃，这不是欲盖弥彰吗？

HappyYilan: Is it the Party or the masses [that matter] after all? Don’t you think you’re contradicting yourself? Shouting a slogan, can’t you put a little effort into thinking about this?

快乐的依澜：倒底是党中央还是群众？不觉得自己自相茅盾吗？喊个口号你们都不能花心思想点

Lxion-Lixi: Attention all departments, attention all departments. Everyone please line up in order. Stand properly. There will be meat.

Lxion-李昕：各部门注意，各部门注意，请大家按秩序站队，站好队，将来有肉吃~~

SouthSeaGuest: Last month Chongqing’s municipal government said the same thing. Wasn’t it said in vain? Chinese society now—whether Chongqing’s government, the Ministry of Public Security or even the whole national system from top to bottom—must without a doubt maintain conformity with the central government. Need this be said? Once you’ve said it,  won’t other people think you have ulterior motives?!

南海客人：上个月重庆市委市政府也是这样说，但都不是“白说”么？现在中国社会，不管是重庆市委市政府，还是全国公安，甚至全国上上下下的政府机关，肯定要与中央保持一致的，这还用说吗？没说则罢，说了别人还以为你心中有鬼呢？！

SeanAzureSky: The masses most abhor corrupt officials and public servants who misbehave. And we most abhor the police officers—they’re shadier than the mob. Take a look and do what you see fit.

SeanAzureSky：群众最痛恨贪官和公务员不作为，最痛恨比黑社会还黑的警务人员。你们看着办吧。

DunWeiqing: This is great material for textual analysis. Since that which represents the Party also represents the people, the thank “you” (Public Security) is immediately followed by maintaining conformity between the Party and that which represents “us” (Public Security). This is a power play: I am not only myself, I am also you. The identity transforms so quickly, it’s breathtaking.

郭巍青：这是做文本分析的很好素材。既代表党，又代表人民，感谢“你们”（公安），紧接着就代表“我们”（公安）与党保持一致。这是一种权力技术：我不但是我，我还是你。身份变化之贼快，叹为观止。

TangBiqing: Later, the name will be changed to “Party Security.”

唐必青：以后改名叫“党安”

CantFindHunger: Not allowing Weibo comments is what the masses abhor most.

找不到饿的感觉：群众最痛恨不让微博评论

© Anne.Henochowicz for China Digital Times (CDT), 2012. | Permalink | One comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Bo Xilai, Deng Bolun, Ministry of Public Security, netizens' voices, Politburo Standing Committee, Public Security Bureau, sina weibo, Southern Metropolis Daily, tencent, weibo, Zhou Yongkang
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Dear Representatives! Get up, go out and attend your meeting! Slap on your Dior cosmetics, put on your Chanel necklace, pick up your Hermes bag… Gourmet restaurants have prepared an array of fine dishes from different regions for you, from the deep sea to wildlife, from Fujian to Hainan, from France and from Germany… The roads have all been blockaded for you… After you eat, remember to go to the Great Hall to clap! Raise your hands! Clap! Raise your hands! Clap! Raise your hands! My dears, you can even sleep at the meeting!

Netizens’ scrutiny has been boosted by the Southern Metropolis Daily’s “billion pixel” photograph of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference opening ceremony. As chinaSMACK reports, Sina Weibo users have pored over this eagerly, pointing out attendees sleeping, reading, using smartphones or tablets, and even, in one case, paying attention.

The widespread preoccupation with the proceedings’ opulence echoes last year’s survey of official’s luxury watches by “General Secretary of the Flower and Fruit Mountain”. The target in that case was corruption, revealed or at least suggested by timepieces worth several times the officials’ monthly salaries. But expensive baubles are a less reliable indicator of bribe-taking in an assembly whose richest members’ wealth far outweighs that of top-level US politicians. Instead, delegates’ clothes and accessories are being seen as signs of the country’s yawning economic divide.

In one image reposted at Danwei, Li Xiaolin’s garish US$2,000 Emilio Pucci suit is contrasted with a gaggle of mud-caked rural children; original poster Cairangduoji commented that “That amount could help 200 children wear warm clothes, and avoid the chilly attacks of winter.”

Li Xiaolin, the CEO of China Power International Development Ltd., is the daughter of former premier Li Peng who is known as the “Butcher of Tiananmen” for his involvement with the military crackdown of 1989. Her proposal at this year’s conference included the now infamous quote: “I think we should open a morality file on all citizens to control everyone and give them a ‘sense of shame.’”

Ministry of Tofu gathered more examples, accompanied by netizens’ comments:

lin12y：Can they still speak on behalf of ordinary people?

我喺羊咩咩：Our country has grown strong! Those people’s delegates have been leading a decent life on our behalf!

我是小卡车：Could be knock-offs from Taobao.

© Samuel Wade for China Digital Times (CDT), 2012. | Permalink | One comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: CPPCC, danwei, fashion, luxury goods, NPC, Southern Metropolis Daily, two sessions, wealth gap
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The Beijing police department said Wednesday that Ai Weiwei has been released on bail because of his good attitude in confessing his crimes as well as a chronic disease he suffers from.

The decision comes also in consideration of the fact that Ai has repeatedly said he is willing to pay the taxes he evaded, police said.

The Beijing Fake Cultural Development Ltd., a company Ai controlled, was found to have evaded a huge amount of taxes and intentionally destroyed accounting documents, police said.

From The Guardian:

Ai’s younger brother Ai Dan told the Guardian he had no information on his brother. The artist’s wife and mother could not be reached immediately and Ai’s phone remained switched off.

NPR’s Louisa Lim, however, reported on Twitter that:

Ai Weiwei’s mother Gao Ying said she’d only heard about his release through the media, no idea when he’d be back. “We won’t sleep tonight”

…and:

Ai Weiwei’s mother Gao Ying said she didn’t want to comment on Ai’s confession until she’d talked to son, and seen his condition

Further details will be posted as they emerge.

Update: Independent confirmation of Ai’s release has come, first from his lawyer, Liu Xiaoyuan, who tweeted “I sent Ai Weiwei a text message at 11 o’clock. He just replied: he’s out!” Liu also stated (via Louisa Lim) that tax evasion need not carry criminal liability as long as due taxes are repaid.

Ai has arrived back at his studio, apparently looking thinner than before.

ITV’s Angus Walker pointed out that the release comes on the eve of Wen Jiabao’s trip to Germany and the UK; it might therefore have been intended to set a favourable tone for the visit.

There is no news of other missing members of Ai’s circle.

Update: The Telegraph recounted a carefully guarded conversation with Ai following his return home:

“I’m out, I’m back at home,” Mr Ai told The Daily Telegraph by phone, his voice notably softer than before his incarceration, “please understand, however, that I cannot accept interviews”. Asked how he was treated while in detention, Mr Ai again deferred to his bail conditions, but hinted that there were no imminent court proceedings against him. “I am out on bail for one year, that is all I can say,” he added.

Asked whether his bail would also prevent him using Twitter – a medium he used prolifically before his arrest – Mr Ai only managed a tired laugh, repeating apologetically that he was unable to speak further.

The New York Times provides more detail on Ai’s legal situation, as well as current photographs of the artist:

“Bail” is the shorthand commonly used as an English translation of the Chinese term “qubao houshen,” which means obtaining a guarantee pending trial [but see Siweiluozi's proposed alternative translation, "obtaining a guarantee pending further investigation"]. It generally means that prosecutors have decided to drop charges against a suspect on certain conditions, including good behavior, and subject to monitoring during over a period of time during which charges could be reintroduced.

“This is a technique that the public security authorities sometimes use as a face-saving device to end controversial cases that are unwise or unnecessary for them to prosecute,” Jerome A. Cohen, a scholar of the Chinese legal system, said in an e-mail. “Often in such cases a compromise has been reached in negotiation with the suspect, as apparently it has been here.”

Mr. Cohen said Mr. Ai’s release “is very good news and perhaps the very best outcome that could have been expected in the circumstances of this difficult case ….”

Mr. Cohen said the circumstances of “qubao houshen” usually meant that the detainee had agreed to limitations on his or her behavior, and that the case could be quietly dropped if the detainee adheres to that agreement and other compromises made. Legally, the police can continue to pursue the case for up to one year. During that time, the suspect is allowed freedom of movement, but the police generally hold on to the person’s travel documents.

Cohen discussed the situation at greater length on the U.S. Asia Law Institute site:

It is important to remember that, although the announcement claims Ai has “confessed his crimes”, no formal charge has ever been made against him; he was apparently not even formally arrested” (逮捕), not to mention indicted (起诉). Ai has thus not had to plead guilty to any crimes, although the term “renzui” (认罪), or admitting guilt, has been used in the press report. He can end the tax obligations by payment with interest, and perhaps a fine, as the press report says he is willing to do.

The decision to grant QBHS has little to do with the rule of law, but everything to do with the untramelled exercise of discretion enjoyed by Chinese authorities. This outcome makes clear that great international public pressure plus significant domestic and personal guanxi (关系, connections) can be a potent combination even in the case of someone who went further than anyone before him in openly thumbing his nose (and other body parts) at the Communist regime. Undoubtedly, Ai’s star talent, his family history and global support from the artistic community helped a lot.

An article in the Guardian was dismissive of suggestions that Ai’s release deliberately coincided with Wen’s Europe visit:

“I think the timing is one of coincidence rather than a deliberate signal,” said Roderic Wye, a China analyst from the Chatham House thinktank. “In the post-Tiananmen days, there was the occasional high-profile person released, but usually before a US presidential visit rather than a trip to Europe, with all due respect to our leaders. The whole point for China is: we don’t give in to pressure these days, China is big enough to make its own decisions without taking foreign pressure into account.”

Elsewhere at the Guardian, however, Human Rights Watch’s Nicholas Bequelin placed greater weight on the role of international pressure:

“His detention was political and his release is political. It is the result of a huge domestic and international outcry that forced the government to this resolution … I think Beijing realised how damaging it was to hold China’s most famous artist in detention,” he said.

Amnesty International similarly noted the timing, along with the continuing detention of Ai’s associates and the risk that his release might lead into a long and harsh period of house arrest like that of Chen Guangcheng.

“His release on bail can be seen as a tokenistic move by the government to deflect mounting criticism.” said Catherine Baber, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for the Asia Pacific.

“It is vital that the international outcry over Ai Weiwei be extended to those activists still languishing in secret detention or charged with inciting subversion.”

Amnesty International is calling for the immediate release of Ai Weiwei’s four associates Wen Tao, Hu Mingfen, Liu Zhenggang and Zhang Jinsong, who all disappeared into secret detention after Ai was detained ….

“While Ai Weiwei’s release is an important step, he must now be granted his full liberty, and not be held in illegal house arrest as has been the pattern with so many others recently released from arbitrary detention.” said Catherine Baber.

In keeping with the “one out, one in” pattern of releases and detentions, Beijing human rights lawyer Xu Zhiyong has now been detained, according to Weibo reports. Xu has recently been quoted in connection with China’s independent candidate movement, having successfully run for the People’s Congress in Beijing’s Haidian district in 2003. He has been involved in an extremely wide range of issues, most recently the pursuit of equal education rights for students regardless of their hukou status. From a 2009 LA Times article published following an earlier detention in 2009:

Xu’s law firm was one of the few in China willing to represent the parents of the nearly 300,000 children sickened and the six who died last year as a result of dangerous milk additives.

Since its founding in 2003, the firm, also known as Gongmeng, has not shied away from sensitive topics. It challenged China’s secret detention centers, the so-called black jails, after a 27-year-old graphic designer who was arrested for failing to carry his identification card died in custody. Xu represented an editor of the hard-hitting newspaper Southern Metropolis Daily who was arrested in 2004 on what were widely seen as politically motivated bribery charges.

This summer, Xu’s firm joined the chorus of voices opposing a requirement that all computers sold in China come preinstalled with software that would filter out pornographic or controversial content.

But Xu is by no means a dissident, preferring to work within a system he has hoped to improve, not overthrow.

Xu’s organisation, like Ai Weiwei’s, was accused of tax evasion, but the charges collapsed last August. Read more about Xi Zhiyong via CDT.

© Samuel Wade for China Digital Times (CDT), 2011. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Ai Weiwei, Ai Weiwei detention 2011, detention, Gongmeng, Green Dam, Haidian, milk contamination, Southern Metropolis Daily, Xinhua, Xu Zhiyong
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They came from four directions, and departed in eight directions. We feel regret mingled with self-reproach. They should have had better deaths, with calm and unhurried remembrances, tears permitted to fly like the rain. In such haste, such haste, they departed forever from villages and cities left in sick-heartedness. Now, across mountain slopes where new green rises over the stones, they remain in the schools, on the roads, underground, in the nameless places. They are together with each other, the way wheat grows together. In the summer, in the midst of their final twilight, they went to a place we cannot see. They are the only anguish and the only comfort left to the survivors [NOTE: comfort by virtue of their continued presence in spirit].

In our hearts, we lowered our flags to half-mast for them. On the day of mourning we called them home and wished them peace. We gathered together all the human evidence of them we could. We read their names together [NOTE: This seems to be a reference to Ai Weiwei's piece "Missing," in which volunteers read the names of students who died in the Sichuan earthquake]. We promised that we would bear them constantly in mind, never forgetting, over and over again. We did so much, and yet we did too little. Those of you who were lost and did not return, where are you? Can the light we kindle shine across your path? We cannot do more. We can but present steel zodiacs, and offer up porcelain sunflower seeds [NOTE: This is a presumable reference to Ai Weiwei's exhibit at the Tate Modern, which incorporates sunflowers seeds and the Chinese zodiac], symbolic memorials to your lives once so tangible. What else would you wish us to do? [NOTE: Many would read the above passage as a reference to the collapse of school buildings and the work done by Ai Weiwei (艾未未), Tan Zuoren (谭作人) and others to remember the children who died in the quake and understand the underlying causes.]

We know these deaths have already happened, but to forget is to heartlessly hope they endure a second death. If we do not cherish their memory, oblivion [or forgetting] will only grow in strength. The sacrifices of this day are done to spurn forgetting, to avoid losing them all over again. Our future memorials are proof again and again before them: we will never be far from you, we will always be together, even though we meet with death and fear. This is a promise that we must bear firmly in mind. People are eternal, and they are always with us. As citizens of conscience, this is our duty to these [destroyed] villages and cities.

Update: China Media Project reports that the article is back up:

A daring editorial on commemorating the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, which disappeared yesterday from the website of Guangdong’s Southern Metropolis Daily, has been re-posted at the paper’s site today. The decision to re-post the piece is a puzzling one, given that sources say the editorial has resulted in intense pressure on those responsible.

© Sophie Beach for China Digital Times (CDT), 2011. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: 2008 Sichuan earthquake, Ai Weiwei, Southern Metropolis Daily
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With “empty chair” as a hot term in Chinese cyberspace, the Guangzhou-based Southern Metropolis Daily, one of China’s most popular and outspoken newspapers, chose an ambiguous cover image, which generated an online sensation of interpreting its symbolic meaning.

The front cover of the December 12th Southern Metropolis Daily featured a headline, “2010 Asian Para Games Are Ready to Start Tonight in Guangzhou,” but the background of the photo shows three empty chairs and five cranes.  In Chinese, “he” (crane) is a homonym for “congratulations” and the first character of “peace.”

Many netizens compared the picture of the cranes to the images on Liu Xiaobo’s actual Nobel chair. Here are those images and some of the netizens’ comments from a pro-free speech online forum, translated by CDT:

*三张空椅子——刘晓波

五只”鹤“—–“-鹤”与“和”是同音字，喻意为和平奖、被禁止出国，无法出席和平奖的人士。
个头戴帽子的拦鹤人——表示独裁者禁止民主人士出席诺贝尔和平颁奖礼。

Three empty chairs – Liu Xiao Bo

Five “cranes”. — “Crane” (in Chinese) sounds the same as “Peace”. Meaning Peace Prize, also symbolizing those being forbidden to travel abroad to attend the Peace Prize Ceromony.
The man with a hat stopping cranes — representing a dictator banning democracy activists from attending the Nobel Peace Prize Ceromony.

- 同意楼上的解读。

agree with the interpretation above.

- 真理部这次肯定气得七窍冒烟，哈哈！

The Ministry of Truth will be really pissed off this time, haha!

- 哈哈哈，整得和行为艺术似的

Hahaha, this is like a conceptual art.

- 有意思

Interesting

- 如果真有此寓意的话，我不赞成这样的行为。首先是风险太大（估计比潇湘晨报影射天朝那次更严重），而且也没什么效果（说真的没几个人能看懂）。

If this image really means this, I disagree with this act. First of all this is too risky (more serious than the other time Xiaoxiang Morning Post did their coded title.) and it will not have much effect. (The truth is not many people will understand it.)

- 其实只要知道空凳子事情的人都能看懂

Actually, anyone who knows the event of the empty chair will understand this.

- 顶南都！

Supporting Southern Metropolis Daily!

- 南都报人是真正的新闻从业人！致敬！

The staff of Southern Metropolis Daily are real newsmen. Salute!

- 牛逼的行为艺术

Damn awesome performance art.

南都真有才

- Southern Metropolis people are really talented.

The following comments are from a netizen’s post of this image on Flickr.

phpmUdw4H:Empty chairs appeared on today’s front page image of Southern Metropolis Daily. This really makes people wonder.

Das Lied von der Erde: is this intentional or unintentional?

grahamiao: very smart move.

呆呆兽: Intentional.

Li Hxaohan: absolutely intentional.

51zjjob: This is Southern Metropolis Daily.

cnmgcdr: If only one-tenth of the media under this regime was like Southern Metropolis Daily, the regime would have collapsed.

lanwuyou: Congratulations. Empty Chair. It is so obvious.

Fabregaswong : hahaha

qqxk 缱绻星空: Congratulating the empty chair???  This is fatalistic.  I love Southern Metropolis Daily. Very talented. But I am extremely worried how long [the paper] will last?!!

hvnwnd: [you] should worry about how long the government will last.

And more articles, blogposts and micro-blog posts about this front cover image by Google Search:

In responding to a call from a reporter from the Hong Kong newspaper Ming Pao, a Southern Metropolis Daily staff member named Ms. Zhang explained over the phone that the photo was taken during the rehearsal of the opening ceremony of the Asian Para Games.  ”There is no other meaning [in the photo]. We hope there is no over-interpretation of the photo.“

© Xiao Qiang for China Digital Times (CDT), 2010. | Permalink | 2 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: empty chair, Nobel Peace Prize, Southern Metropolis Daily
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According to the China Media Project, Chang has recently been barred from writing for Southern Weekend and Southern Metropolis Daily. Chang has previously served as editor of the Southern Metropolis Daily and the Bund Magazine. In 2008 he published a controversial article titled “Tibet: nationalist sentiment and the truth” for which he faced an online attack from netizens. In a document from the Southern Metropolis Daily editorial committee, which is being circulated online, Kuang is criticized, fined and demoted for his portrayal of Chang’s dilemma. [Translated by Don Weinland]:

Concerning the decision on Kuang Biao’s punishment

The Southern Metropolis Daily’s Visual Center cartoon editor Kuang Biao created a cartoon based solely on hearsay with an existing orientation bias and put it on his personal blog at Sina.com. The cartoon’s content involved sensitive matters and violated propaganda discipline and related newspaper office regulations and had a negative impact. After the newspaper office discovered [the cartoon], it hurriedly deleted and managed it, and furthermore asked Sina in a timely manner to assist in deleting and blocking the violating posts, making a concerted effort to reduce negative impact.

This publication’s editorial committee has stressed time and again that publication employees strictly abide by news propagation discipline and establish a high level of overall awareness. They are responsible for that awareness and political sensitivity. The cartoon that Kuang Biao took upon himself to create and propagate passed along fault and disfavor to the group and to the publication’s related employees, having a negative impact.

After research by the publication’s editorial committee, it has decided to give Kuang Biao a publication-wide censure, a 1,500 yuan fine and a demotion from mid-level editor to normal editor.

This publication’s editorial committee restates that all employees should take a serious lesson [from this] and strictly adhere to the discipline concerning news propagation and the newspapers’ regulations, prudently using their personal online tools and maintaining the reputation of the publication.

Read more by and about Chang Ping via CDT.

© Don Weinland for China Digital Times (CDT), 2010. | Permalink | 3 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Chang Ping, Internet censorship, Southern Metropolis Daily
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A rather pure hearted colleague of mine, who has a great deal of respect for our profession, asked me how I viewed our work in light of these recent blow-ups. It was my view that even as we angrily defend ourselves against these attacks, we must seize this opportunity to ask ourselves tough questions.

Why can’t we garner even the most basic level of respect? Aside from the aggressiveness of those in positions of influence, are there reasons for how we are treated that lie with our own conduct? Aside from those honest, brave and professional top journalists who command respect, what is the situation for our media at large?

In modern societies, the press has a pivotal role, and has been called the “fourth estate” after the legislative, judicial and executive branches of government. The press serves three principal roles. First, to provide information for the convenience of citizens in their daily lives, seeking out the facts and helping them distinguish between truth and falsehood. Second, to monitor power, preventing its abuse by fulfilling the public’s right to know. Third, to serve as a platform for free opinion, so that differing views can be expressed.

The second of these tasks can easily turn journalists into heroes opposing power. And journalists who actually serve this role might be accorded great respect.

© Paulina Hartono for China Digital Times (CDT), 2010. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Chang Ping, journalists in china, Southern Metropolis Daily
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When Time Magazine nominated him as a candidate for their 100 list, he responded with a passionate post which points his pen directly at the heart of the regime. The post garnered 20,000 comments, overwhelmingly supportive. And so Han Han is providing a new test for the authorities. In the past two decades, authorities have never allowed dissident figures a public space to express themselves or given them any recognition, even through public criticism. But Han Han’s following is too massive for them to simply ban or ignore, and so the battle will have to be fought in a more subtle way. In recent days, the authorities have used their propaganda machine – including People’s Daily and Xinhua – to send a message that Han Han and his fans do not represent China. People’s Daily, for example, ran a voter poll in which one question asked: “Do you think Han Han can represent China?” And the answer choices included:

-Absolutely can’t represent
-Can only partially represent
-Unclear

Obviously, such a choice would force even his most ardent supporters to answer that Han Han “only partially” represents China. At the same time, all commercial Internet portals have been given instructions from propaganda officials not to set up Han Han as a topic page or poll. The Great Firewall has also established “Han Han” + “Time” as blocked keywords.

But Han Han’s millions of fans are not his only allies in this battle. In a testament to the true influence of Han Han, some reform-minded media have taken the unusual step of publicly taking sides. On April 11, Southern Metropolitan Daily published an editorial calling on its readers to vote for Han Han in the Time poll. Excerpts translated by CDT:

Because the darkness is too thick and heavy, the ray of light that is Han Han is being treated as total light. Actually, Han Han is only trying to be himself. He does not have privilege. Publication of his magazine is being constantly set back and his blog posts are often deleted. We never know if someday his name will become another sensitive word. His discontentment is many people’s discontentment. His ideals are being buried in the earth. He is surrounded by 300 million clicks, but as Chen Danqing said, he is alone and lonely. When everyone puts their own hope on Han Han’s shoulders, that is the time he is most lonely without support.

[...] Han Han produced a one-man racket, in contrast to the silence of so many. This is not the way it should be. The key to change is not in Han Han’s hands, it’s in everybody’s hands. The sound of hope is in the footsteps of everyone moving forward. Han Han’s value is to provide a reference to remind everyone one has to save himself and to find their lost courage and tenacity facing a gloomy life. How can one expect a writer and race car driver to save you? Han Han is lonely, fighting this battle by himself. Han Han does not lack people to worship him, he just needs co-travelers.

[...] Let us all give our vote to Han Han. This vote is not for the public intellectual Han Han, nor is it for opinion leader Han Han. Rather, it is a vote for an explorer who clearly defines his distance from the system. Vote for a sensitive young man who inspired people to look for their true self. At this moment, the identity of Han Han has no importance here. Voting for him is not voting for someone else, but voting for yourself. It’s voting for everyone who can be called human. Whether his name is Han Han or another name makes no difference.

© Xiao Qiang for China Digital Times (CDT), 2010. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Han Han, Southern Metropolis Daily
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If the lawyers learned the truth from Deng Yujiao and obtained the evidence quietly instead of running crying to the media; if the netizens actually spent the effort trying to supervise the authorities instead of making loud noises only; if the media actually went back to the facts of the story instead of taking on the role of saviors themselves; if the government chose to be frank, fair and transparent instead of blocking and intercepting information … then this very simple criminal case would not have rubbed the nerves of all of China.

It is cruel to drag Deng Yujiao out again. This is a family dormitory building that is at least 10 years old. Even the neighbors don’t know who she is. The stairwell is pasted with small advertising posters. The people here live small and trivial lives. Two nights before Christmas Eve at around 7pm, she opened the door. The light-sensitive lamp illuminated the stairwell.

“I am not Deng Yujiao.” She turned her face towards the wall and used her hair and hand to shield herself like a frightened small animal who is afraid of her own name.

From early summer through the rest of the year, this name represented the completely opposite images of frailty and strength. On the Chinese Internet, it created reverberations.

Finally, she made a silent admission. We walked down two streets as she chatted about her new job where everybody is treating her well. She is living in a television-less room. She has a job. She lives in a new environment. Her life has turned over to a new page. Even her name has been changed. Deng Yujiao said that she was going to pick up her new identity card on this evening.

© Paulina Hartono for China Digital Times (CDT), 2010. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Deng Yujiao, Southern Metropolis Daily
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Just by typing two Chinese characters “Fan Qiang” (翻墙）［meaning “Climbing over the Wall”] into search engine Baidu or Google, one can find infinite items. Opening those search results, one can see posters including amateur politicians, professional technologists, or people like myself who are computer illiterate but full of curiosity. As far as the content of those items is concerned, it includes complaining, cursing, asking for help, making suggestions, voluntarily providing software download information… All in all it is quite hot. “The Wall” and “Climbing over the Wall” have become quite a scene on the contemporary Chinese Internet.

“The Wall” is one kind of software. “Climbing over the Wall” is another kind of software. The relations between the two are Mao and Dun ["mao" means sword and "dun" shield; together, "maodun" means conflict]. The purpose of the Wall software is to stop netizens from crossing, and the purpose of the “Climbing the Wall” software is to providing netizens with ladders. The longer the ladders are, the higher the Wall becomes. The higher the Walls, the longer the ladders become. It seems like there is no end to this game. The Wall will only get higher and higher, and the ladders are only getting longer and longer.

For so many years, the busiest people on the Chinese internet are those who make the Wall software and the “Climbing the Wall” software. It has been said that those people all have something in common: 1. They are all Chinese, 2. They all made a fortune, 3. They all have studied in the US. The only difference is that those who write the Wall software have come back from the US and those who write the Climbing the Wall software are still in the US. This is we Chinese: We will help whoever pays the salary. As long as it makes money, we can do anything. It only hurts ordinary people: So much money spent on “the Wall” and “Climbing the Wall”!

在谷歌或者百度中输入“翻墙”这两个汉字，可以看见不计其数的条目，打开这些条目一看，可知发帖的人中，有业余政治家，有专业技术高手，也有类似 66我老人家这样爱看稀奇的电脑菜鸟；至于发帖的内容，有抱怨的，有骂娘的，有求助的，有出主意的，有义务提供软件下载地址的……，总之是十分的热闹， “墙”和“翻墙”成为中国当代网络上的一道风景线。

“墙”是一类软件，“翻墙”是另一类软件，二者是“盾”和“矛”的关系，“墙” 软件是要让你网民过不去，“翻墙”软件则是给你网民送梯子。梯子长了，墙就修得更高，墙更高了，梯子就建得更长。双方的较量看来将永无止境：墙没有最高，只有更高；梯没有最长，只有更长。

这许多年来，中国的网络上最忙碌的就是那些制作“墙”软件和“翻墙”软件的人，据说这些人的共同之处是：一，都是咱中国人；二，都发了大财；三，都在美国学习过，唯一的不同之处是写“墙”软件的人从美国回来了；写“翻墙”软件的人还留在美国。咱中国人就这德性：谁出钱帮谁；只要能赚钱，什么活也能干。心疼的是咱老百姓，这修“墙”和“翻墙”，该花了多少民脂民膏啊！

□ 涂子方(网 址 ：http：//blog.ifeng.com/article/3216077.html)

Here are some images about the Great Firewall created or circulated by netizens:

And another music video of “Grass-Mud Horse” is here.

© Xiao Qiang for China Digital Times (CDT), 2009. | Permalink | One comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: anti-censorship tools, Fag Binxing, GFW, grass-mud horse, Southern Metropolis Daily, Tu Zifang
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When school begins a group of 6-yr old primary school students in Guangzhou were asked in a Southern Metropolitan News interview what they wanted to do when they grew up.

Some said firefighters and some said teachers, but one said corrupt official, because corrupt official can get a lot of gifts.

Seems like the decadence of the society has already reached the point where pretension and hypocrisy are not even needed .

Below is the youtube link to the interview, that little corrupt official aspirant shows up at around 1:58

© Xiao Qiang for China Digital Times (CDT), 2009. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: children, Guangzhou, Southern Metropolis Daily
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From Southern Daily, selectively translated by CDT:

Today, at approximately 9:30 AM, a bus with the license plate number 粤BC4107 on the 320 route to Sungang Road and South Bao’An Road began emitting smoke at a traffic light intersection. The driver and ticket seller frantically opened the door, safely dispersing the 20 or so passengers on board. None were injured, although the bus had already been burnt to a “skeleton” by the time two fire engines arrived on scene to extinguish the blaze. This reporter saw that the bus’s windows were almost completely burned out, leaving just a small remainder of the window’s glass in the rear. The engine, however, was intact and unharmed.

As the bus began to smoke, many cars stopped, and drivers carried fire hoses to help put out the fire. The driver, Mr. Zhu, explained that he first smelled a strange odor, and after driving a bit longer, began to see fumes. He quickly opened the door, and went out to the back of the engine to shut off its power source, estimating that the cause of the fire was a circuit [problem]. Traffic police investigators arrived on scene, and pedestrians began using cell phones and digital cameras to take pictures. The bus fire incident caused a 2 hour traffic jam on the Sungang and South Bao’An Road area. It is reported that the west transportation [authorities] have called a meeting to address the problem; combustion occurred in new vehicles.

Yesterday, west transportation’s number 310 and 315 line buses in Phuket also spontaneously combusted. None were hurt.

Today’s weather in Shenzhen was extremely hot. The ticket seller, Ms. Xie, said that the bus had 6 emergency hammers. However, this reporter did not spot any hammers upon inspection of the charred bus, though it is possible that they were reduced to burnt remains. Today is Saturday, and many residents said that had this happened during a workday, there would have been many passengers. Fortunately, Saturday morning passengers were few, otherwise the aftermath may have had a different outcome.

Currently, there are over 30,000 comments on QQ. Fauna of chinaSMACK has translated comments from Netease:

sss8688:

Several in a row, are these planned terrorist attacks, ZD ["Zang Du" 藏独, Tibetan independence] groups??

wangxin81800:

Is this real or fake??? How come the news has not reported it? It is also possible that China’s media are all afraid to say anything!!

娲额头:

No matter how many more people are burned to death, there still will not be anyone paying attention to it!!! When something happens, a big deal is made for a while, but after a while, there is not even a fart!! If you don’t believe me, just wait and see!!!

© Paulina Hartono for China Digital Times (CDT), 2009. | Permalink | One comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: netizens, Shenzhen, Southern Metropolis Daily
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On April 13th, the State Department News Office published the “National Human Rights Action Plan (2009-2010)”, promising to ensure citizens’ rights and political rights, including personal rights, prisoners’ rights, the right to a fair trial, freedom of religion and belief, the right to participate and to voice an opinion. At the same time, it guarantees the media’s rights to collect information, criticize, discuss, and publish.  It also guarantees the rights of the citizens of Wenchuan in the Sichuan disaster area to create and publish a list of the victims of the earthquake, those that have been killed and those that have gone missing.

Based on the standards of the country’s human rights plan, it doesn’t allow anyone to hide the names of those that are dead or missing.  It encourages local governments to share information, to avoid duplicating efforts.  The names must be thoroughly investigated; access to this list and the right to circulate it is part of everyone’s human rights.

The list is not yet complete, but it is a part of everyone’s national heritage.  The government office stressed that detailed information should be gathered, including name, hometown, and place of death.  It is a very detailed procedure and must be completed and published in stages.  It is an enormous project, and will include lessons learned from this disaster, especially on the first anniversary of the earthquake.  Regarding the names of the students that were killed, these should be published as quickly as possible, because this is a way of reconstructing both the disaster area as well as help our society heal.

Volunteers have been compiling these names using the internet and published news reports and by phoning and visiting government offices and the families of the victims.  The government must respect and accept these  social organizations and volunteer groups that involve themselves in this project and not reject them.

The creation of this public list of the victims, including their sex, age, native place, identity status, etc., really isn’t in order to fight for a right; it is simply refusing to ignore and forget this disaster’s anniversary. A person’s name reflects his or her human rights; a name is a person’s joys and sorrows, and a fragment of his or her history. From this, it reveals the lives that were destroyed on May 5th, and comforts the survivors, those whose wounds will never heal.   Through assisting in this project, the earthquake cannot rob the victims, because the names remain a witness to the victims’ lives.

以国家人权计划为衡量标准，任何将遇难者和失踪者名单作为秘密的举动都是不可理喻的，更违背这一人权行动计划所象征的民众要求。人权计划出台后，为了减少重复劳动，震区的地方政府，应公开已经掌握的名单，并彻查遗漏的姓名。而这些人权名单属于所有民众，可以被自由查阅、获取和传播，也同样可以被自由地查漏补缺。

尽管目前仍然残缺不全，但震亡者与失踪者名录是四川地震留给全体国民的遗产。政府部门曾经强调要对遇难人员进行详细核实核查，收集姓名、籍贯、遇难地点等基本信息，因此会是一个非常复杂的程序，必须分期分批公布，核实一批公布一批。应该承认，核实遇难者名单是一项庞大的工程，甚至会涉及遇难经验教训总结问题，因此在四川地震一周年祭将至之时，公众对于尽快公布遇难者包括遇难学生名单怀有热切的期待，因为这也是灾区重建工程的一部分，是我们公民社会自我治愈的一个程序。

事实上，最近一段时间以来，已有一些志愿者在四川自发地整理地震中遇难的学生名单，他们通过网络搜索引擎谷歌、百度提供的无数链接以及公开新闻报道，以电话或亲自拜会当地相关政府部门、遇难者亲属等咨询方式，搜集和整理相关的信息。这既是对政府部门主动行使职守去厘清谜团的压力，更是为落实人权行动计划相关承诺提供巨大动力。尊重接纳社会组织或志愿者团体介入名单的搜集、整理和发布等，而不是以狐疑或排斥的态度看待这些公民以及团队的自发努力，将是落实公民权利法案的最好见证。

强调建立并公开震亡者名单，详实登记他们的性别、年龄、籍贯、身份等，并非为了争取什么权利，只是为了抵制无时不在的遗忘，实现更庄重的纪念。名字体现人权，名字就是悲欢离合，展现往昔的生活片断。由此，呈现他们生前的笑脸，察见那些已然破碎在五月的梦想，抚慰那些永远不能愈合的伤痛。在名单的帮助下，地震就不可能真的夺走那些同胞，因为他们留下了一世为人的凭据。

See also past CDT posts on Ai Weiwei and the 2008 Sichuan Earthquake.

Also see this post on the barriers that Ai Weiwei faces in his own efforts to publish the names of quake victims.

Update: China Media Project translates an article by Ai Xiaoming about her friendship with Tan Zuoren, who has been arrested for his work documenting the collapsed schools which killed so many children in the earthquake:

Earlier this week, Guangzhou scholar and 2009 CMP fellow Ai Xiaoming wrote movingly on her Weblog about her friendship with Tan Zuoren, whom she met on a trip to the earthquake zone last year.

In her article, which has been removed from a number of sites and forums, Ai appealed to police at the detention center where Tan is being held to treat him humanely. She also offered excerpts of a construction quality report on Beichuan High School conducted more than two years before the quake, which points to problems with both materials and personnel.

Responding to the charges of “subversion of state power” raised against Tan, Ai Xiaoming paints a portrait of him as a national hero, a kind of Lei Feng of China’s emerging civil society: “You take this kind of person and lock them away? And you say he ‘incited subversion of state power’?” she writes. “Who would believe that? Zuoren has done so much good for this country and its state power, even to the point of being a Lei Feng (雷锋). His only point of difference with Lei Feng is the fact that Zuoren is a man of independent thoughts and beliefs, and it is on these that he acts.”

© cschultz for China Digital Times (CDT), 2009. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: 2008 Sichuan earthquake, Ai Weiwei, School Collapse, Southern Metropolis Daily, Tan Zuoren
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