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.
Xī Cháoxiǎn 西朝鲜
“The people of China and North Korea have great power.”
Pejorative term for China, literally “North Korea of the West.” Some netizens have complained about similarities between China and longtime (if increasingly uneasy) ally North Korea, such as repressive leaders, a lack of democracy, official corruption, and a fear of the West.
The following question—which has long since been deleted—on China’s Quora-like Q&A service Zhihu provides an example:
May I ask, how can a country that claims to be a democracy have hereditary rule? For example, could you discuss North Korea and West Korea? (undated)
请问如何在一个号称民主的国家，把世袭制玩的这么溜？请参考朝鲜和西朝鲜分析一下? [Chinese]
See also Kim Fatty III.
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