DistantNews
Support us
🇹🇼 Taiwan /Culture & Society

Chinese netizens fear biology classes may disappear over wordplay targeting Xi Jinping

From Liberty Times · () Chinese

Translated from Chinese and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Context piece
  • Chinese netizens are using homophones and wordplay in online posts to express dissent against President Xi Jinping, fearing repercussions from the government's strict censorship.
  • A recent example involved a biology cell diagram, where 'cytoplasm' and 'cell wall' were used to allude to phrases critical of Xi.
  • This tactic highlights the increasing creativity and pervasiveness of coded language used by Chinese citizens to navigate the country's pervasive 'literary inquisition.'

Chinese internet users are employing increasingly creative linguistic tactics to express veiled criticism of President Xi Jinping, sparking concerns that such wordplay could lead to the removal of basic biology lessons from the curriculum. The phenomenon is driven by China's pervasive 'literary inquisition,' a system of strict censorship that targets perceived dissent.

A recent incident involved a Chinese netizen posting a familiar diagram of a biological cell. The accompanying text, "I hate cytoplasm, I hope for cell walls," was not a genuine complaint about biology studies. Instead, it used homophones to circumvent censorship, conveying the sentiment, "I hate Xi Baozi [a derogatory nickname for Xi Jinping], I hope Xi dies."

You're going to make us unable to learn biology.

— NetizenA netizen's comment on the potential impact of censorship on education due to coded language.

This instance underscores the growing sophistication of coded language used by citizens to express dissatisfaction. Past examples of the 'literary inquisition' have included individuals facing repercussions for seemingly innocuous phrases. These have ranged from wishing a character in a mobile game "eternal peace" (which sounds similar to Xi Jinping's brother's name, Xi Yuanping) to recording a library visit as "learning Xi" (which uses Xi Jinping's surname).

Creativity comes from pressure.

— NetizenA netizen's observation on how restrictive environments foster inventive expression.

Netizens have reacted to these linguistic gymnastics with a mix of amusement and apprehension. Some humorously commented on the potential for such wordplay to impact education, with one user quipping, "You're going to make us unable to learn biology." Others acknowledged the pressure driving this creativity, noting that "creativity comes from pressure" and that "Chinese people, in the literary inquisition, can always play with words to a new height."

The situation highlights the tension between the Chinese government's desire for absolute control over information and the innate human drive for expression. The use of homophones and subtle allusions has become a vital tool for citizens to communicate dissent, turning everyday language into a potential minefield and pushing the boundaries of linguistic expression under duress.

Chinese people, in the literary inquisition, can always play with words to a new height.

— NetizenA netizen's remark on the advanced linguistic strategies employed by Chinese citizens to evade censorship.
About this summary

Originally published by Liberty Times in Chinese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

More Stories

From Our Blog