China: Comedian Guo Degang Faces Investigation

Guo Degang, China's most famous comedian at 53, is facing an investigation for allegedly violating "public morals." His performances have been canceled, and he is now subject to official scrutiny after altering a beloved patriotic song associated with the Communist Party. The incident, reported by CNN, began in late July during a performance in Wuhan.

Guo modified the lyrics of "I Play My Beloved Pipa," a song dedicated to Communist guerilla forces from the Chinese-Japanese War and selected as one of the 100 songs celebrating the 70th anniversary of the People's Republic of China in 2019. Instead of the original line "The sun sets in the west; all is quiet on Weishan Lake," Guo sang, "The sun sets in the west; all is quiet in the Forbidden City." The Forbidden City, a historic imperial palace complex in Beijing, is seen as a politically sensitive symbol tied to ruling powers.

According to CNN, a complainant reported Guo to the Wuhan Culture and Tourism Bureau, accusing him of distorting and vulgarizing a classic revolutionary work and violating public morals and accepted norms of conduct. The bureau confirmed an investigation is underway. A report from 'thePaper,' a publication close to the Chinese government, indicated that the adapted lyrics were not part of the pre-approved submission and may violate regulations for commercial performances.