Vacation-style therapy

休假式治疗 (xiū jià shì zhì liáo): vacation-style therapy

In early 2012, Wang Lijun, the Chongqing police chief became aware that the wife of Bo Xilai, the Chongqing communist party secretary, was involved in the murder of British expatriate, Neil Heywood. Fearing that his knowledge of the murder would put himself in danger, Wang Lijun fled to the U.S. consulate in Chengdu. Seventy carloads of armed police reportedly pursued Wang from Chongqing to Chengdu, and proceeded to surround the consulate while Wang was in the consulate. After meeting with U.S. consular officials, he was seized by security agents and taken to Beijing.

Shortly after Wang's departure, Chongqing government information offices stated that Wang was “seriously indisposed due to long term overwork and intense mental stress" and that he was undergoing “vacation-style therapy.”

After this incident, the phrase, "vacation-style therapy" quickly became an internet meme.

Read netizen reactions to the incident here.

The sign in the upper left-hand corner reads “vacation style therapy.” The characters on the sleeve of the person being smothered are “the truth.” The clipboard reads “Wang Lijun Incident.”

Uncle Sam sitting in front of the Chengdu U.S. consulate. Services advertised include “political asylum” and “vacation-style therapy.”

In this Apple Daily cartoon, Wang Lijun makes a run for the Chengdu consulate with Bo Xilai hot on his heels.

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