On August 9, Jianjiao Buluo or “Pepper Tribe,” an online platform dedicated to female workers, announced that it will cease updating content and will permanently close all properties linked to its official account. The official organization, Shenzhen City Dala Culture Communication Corporation, has already completed all account closure procedures.
Closure Announcement
Hello, everyone. In recent days, we have finalized the paperwork to deregister and permanently close Pepper Tribe’s public WeChat account (under the official organization name Shenzhen City Dala Culture Communication Corporation). Effective immediately, all of our official online accounts will cease posting or updating content, and will be permanently closed.
Regarding questions about other platform services, we will appoint a contact person to follow up and make the necessary arrangements.
Thank you to everyone for your long-standing concern and companionship, and may you remain safe and sound.
Pepper Tribe
August 9, 2021[Logo] Pepper Tribe
Amplifying Women’s Voices [Chinese]
Thank You All for Supporting Pepper Tribe
Although sudden goodbyes are something we have rehearsed many times in the past, this time it truly is farewell.
We at Pepper Tribe would like to express our sincerest thanks to every friend who has supported and inspired us, to every ally who has offered encouragement to fellow workers, and most especially to the passionate and enthusiastic sisterhood of working women we have met here. By harnessing your creativity to express your struggles, explorations, thoughts, and feelings about your individual lives and paths, you have rewarded us with inspiration, introspection, connection and validation during this shared journey.
In the long course of time, seven years is too short, but it has been sufficient time for us to bear witness to our respective individual values and personal development. Though the world may disappoint, we will continue on our path, and continue to make history. We do not regret having to exit the stage, for we have come to the sober realization that, at this particular point in time, we have done all that we could. Although Pepper Tribe is no more, we believe that everyone will continue to nourish their creativity and live with dignity and courage, transforming many small, clear voices into a chorus of mutual support.
Effective today, Jianjiao Buluo [Pepper Tribe], an informational platform dedicated to female workers, will cease updating content and permanently close all properties linked to its official account. Payment for manuscripts already published on the platform will be made as usual, and we will soon follow up with authors who have submitted unpublished manuscripts. Thank you for your understanding.
Farewell friends, lest we not meet again. May everyone stay safe and sound.
Pepper Tribe
August 9, 2021 [Chinese]
Pepper Tribe was established in Shenzhen in 2014. It described itself as a social service organization providing “the only online platform dedicated to the lives, rights and interests of [Chinese] female workers.” In July 2018, Pepper Tribe’s official Weibo account @麻辣少年先锋队, or “Spicy Youth Vanguard,” was shut down, later to be resurrected as @麻辣少年鲜疯队, or “Spicy Youth Mad Fresh Crew.”
In April 2020, Zheng Churan, a member of the managing team at Pepper Tribe, published an essay on the website Matters in which she detailed how “leaked internal documents” related to a labor dispute at the organization led the police to put pressure on the organization:
On February 16, 2020, Pepper Tribe’s former website editor, Wang Xiaohai, alleged that he had been illegally dismissed from his position, and that the labor contract he had signed with the organization was illegal. This garnered huge attention on social networking platforms such as Zhihu and WeChat. (from Chinese Wikipedia)
Zheng Churan: Some time ago, an employee who goes by the online name Wang Xiaohai was fired by Pepper Tribe because his work abilities and attitude failed to meet the requirements of our organization. Subsequently, Wang Xiaohai published a string of articles alleging that his firing from Pepper Tribe was illegal and without due cause. In the process, Wang Xiaohai and his supporters repeatedly released so-called “inside information” about Pepper Tribe, which led directly to police attempts to suppress our organization. On April 15, 2020, the police raided the Pepper Tribe office. [Chinese]
Over the years, Pepper Tribe’s public WeChat account has published numerous articles focused on labor rights, the social underclass, feminism and China’s #MeToo movement, among other topics. A number of these have been republished on CDT Chinese:
尖椒部落 | 今天，我想和你谈谈不做母亲的自由
Pepper Tribe | Today, I Want to Talk About the Freedom to Not Be a Mother
尖椒部落 | 为什么女性在零工市场里更受“青睐”？
Pepper Tribe | Why Are Women More Favored in the Temporary Labor Market?
尖椒部落 | 货车司机自杀的背后是科技神话的破灭
Pepper Tribe | Backdrop to Delivery Driver Suicide Shatters Hi-Tech Myths
尖椒部落 | 外卖骑手盟主不见了，我们还能做什么？
Pepper Tribe | After Leader of Delivery Driver Alliance Disappears, Where Do We Go From Here?
尖椒部落 | 庆祝妇女节除了买买买，还可以是不买
Pepper Tribe | Instead of Celebrating International Women’s Day by Shopping, Let’s Not Go Shopping
