胡占凡体 (Hú Zhànfán tǐ): Hu Zhanfan style
Parody of infamous statement by Hu Zhanfan. In 2011, newly assigned China Central Television president Hu warned, “A number of news workers have not defined their roles as providers of propaganda work for the Party, but rather have defined themselves as journalism professionals. This approach is fundamentally incorrect” (一些新闻工作者没有把自己定位在党的宣传工作者上，而是定位在新闻职业者上，这是定位上的根本错误。).
Netizens were quick to parody Hu, copying and undermining his rhetorical style:
A number of people have not defined their roles as slaves, but rather have strived to live lives of dignity. This approach is fundamentally incorrect.
有一些人,没有把自己定在奴隶的地位上,而是想做一个人,这是定位上的根本错误。
A number of representatives have not defined their roles as simply applauding their superiors, but rather have defined their roles as overseeing the government. This approach is fundamentally incorrect.
有一些代表,没有把自己定位在鼓掌效忠上,而是想监督政府,这是定位上的根本错误。
China Media Project examines the public’s reaction to Hu.
The Word of the Week comes from China Digital Space’s Grass-Mud Horse Lexicon, a glossary of terms created by Chinese netizens and frequently encountered in online political discussions. These are the words of China’s online “resistance discourse,” used to mock and subvert the official language around censorship and political correctness.
