The Word of the Week comes from the Grass-Mud Horse Lexicon, a glossary of terms created by Chinese netizens and 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.
dǎngxìng dàfā 党性大发
To act in the interest of the Chinese Communist Party, implying unethical, selfish behavior. Play on the idiom “give free rein to one’s animal nature” (shòuxìng dàfā 兽性大发).
The Party nature of a government official is said to be expressed through forced demolition and other public cruelties. Anyone can express their Party nature by writing paeans to the CCP or breaking into revolutionary song:
GaojiapingRenpoqie (@高家坪仁波切): While I was walking down the street I gave free rein to my Party nature and wrote this song, and now I can’t stop singing it. How do I stop?
逛街的时候党性大发写了一首歌,到现在还在唱停不下来,怎么破?
Oh, great CCP
How I like thee
You’ll stay in my heart
No matter what they say
All the rights I enjoy
Are because you serve the people
I worship thee
Marx, Lenin, Mao, Deng, Jiang, Hu, and Xi
No one else will do
You’re in my body
You’re in my brain
I’ll never be selfish again
no way (September 20, 2015) [Chinese]
Xilanxiaojing (@夕蓝小铮): Who knows if that Party-natured Ph.D. boy upstairs is going to sing “The East is Red” and “Nanniwan” tonight… The thing is, he sings out of tune
大晚上的楼上不知道哪个党性大发的男博士在大唱东方红和南泥湾……关键是还跑调 (January 18, 2014) [Chinese]
Can’t get enough of subversive Chinese netspeak? Check out our latest ebook, “Decoding the Chinese Internet: A Glossary of Political Slang.” Includes dozens of new terms and classic catchphrases, presented in a new, image-rich format. Available for pay-what-you-want (including nothing). All proceeds support CDT.