Taipei Politicians Trade Puns in Mayoral Race Spat

A verbal sparring match has erupted in Taipei's political arena, centered on wordplay and accusations of evasiveness. The controversy began when Yin Wei, Chairman of the Taipei City Research and Development Committee, criticized Shen Po-yang, a Taipei mayoral candidate, using a pun.

Yin Wei's critique, posted on Facebook, targeted Shen Po-yang with the phrase "Bao Li Da B." He suggested this referred to Shen being "protected by a nanny" (Bao Mu) and "a legislator who answers B to question A" (Wen A Da B), twisting the popular nickname "Bao Li Da B" often used to describe Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an's perceived evasive answers.

Shen Po-yang, when questioned about Yin Wei's wordplay, appeared confused before sighing and offering his own retort. He urged that people should not "Jiang Bu Ting" (講不聽), a homophone for "Chiang doesn't listen," implying that Mayor Chiang's administration is unresponsive. Shen also challenged Yin Wei to directly answer his previous questions regarding toxic oil, suggesting that Yin's evasion was akin to "Yang Tao" (楊桃, star fruit), another pun.

The exchange underscores the often-theatrical nature of political campaigning in Taipei, where opponents frequently employ puns and nicknames to attack each other. The focus remains on who can effectively communicate their message and discredit their rivals in the lead-up to the election.

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We just don't want Chiang to not listen.