For the latest instalment in his CDT series, cartoonist Crazy Crab of Hexie Farm depicts a naked king performing the “Song of Harmony,” yet at end of the big note is the scythe of the grim reaper. The image of the king alludes to The Emperor’s New Clothes (while also bringing to mind “naked officials,” or corrupt officials whose family and wealth reside overseas). “Harmony,” or “harmonious,” is a key propaganda term employed by the current administration of Hu Jintao and Wen Jiabao to describe their governing philosophy. However, for many in China, the term has come to mean “censored” or “suppressed.”
Read more about Hexie Farm’s CDT series, including a Q&A with the anonymous cartoonist, and see all cartoons so far in the series.
[CDT owns the copyright for all cartoons in the Hexie Farm CDT series. Please do not reproduce without receiving prior permission from CDT.]
