Latest posts by Abby Liu
China Strengthens Censorship on Foreign TV Online
Companies will now have to employ government-approved censors to green light videos before they can be broadcast online.
The Appeal of WeChat and Self-Media in China
Tencent’s WeChat, semi-private messaging service has replaced Twitter-like Sina Weibo as a leading channel of alternative information. Tea Leaf Nation has explained the appeal of WeChat and “self-media” in general to young Chinese generation, and the implication of the sudden crackdown.
The Hidden Rules of Chinese TV Series Censorship
Chinese film and TV directors often blame strict censorship for losing domestic viewers. But what limits do censorship place on the content of Chinese TV series?
China's Crackdown on WeChat
Some popular public WeChat accounts were shut down on the night of March 13, 2014 without forewarning. Most of these accounts became a popular venue for discussing politics during the past few months since the big crackdown on Weibo last year. These deleted accounts include highest profile WeChat account by...
Chinese President Xi Jinping Cartoons
Under a special section dedicated to China’s on-going National People’s Congress, iFeng.com, a pro-Beijing TV broadcaster based in Hong Kong, featured series of Chinese president Xi Jinping cartoons. The cartoons are about Xi meeting with ordinary people. Some stories in the cartoon are based on real events. Offbeat China has translated the...
Video: China's Social Media Reacts to the Kunming Attacks
The attack at a railway station in China’s Southwestern Kunming city has led to heated discussions on Chinese social media. Many netizens think western media were trying to downplay the incident by calling it “a senseless act of violence.” Watch the video below to find out more comments and discussions...
Censorship Instructions During China's “Two Sessions”
Chinese government has issued censorship instructions during the “Two Sessions” to Chinese media. The instructions, which have been leaked and distributed online, include: Do not report hearsay concerning high-level cadres, such as the news on March 2 about Zhou Yongkang; Keep a reliable handle on the developments in Ukraine. CHINA DIGITAL TIMES has translated the instructions into...
Lean In Beijing Encourages Women to Pursue Their Goals
In 2010, urban Chinese women earned 67 percent of what their male peers earned, and rural women earned 56 percent.
A Map of China, By Stereotype
TeaLeafNation uses China's dominant search engine Baidu's search history to finish half-written questions about different provinces in China. A map of China, by stereotype: http://t.co/isRo4hkPTB pic.twitter.com/vhuADJsWGm — FP's Tea Leaf Nation (@TeaLeafNation) March 4, 2014 They plot the stereotypes onto an interesting map about China. For example, Beijing was associated with “smog”...
Xinjiang People Fight Stereotypes Online
After China's Railway Station attack last Saturday, the tension between Uighurs and majority Han people has escalated. However, a group of ordinary Uighur people started an online campaign “#I’m from Xinjiang#” to fight stereotypes of Xinjiang people. In China, “Uighurs” are often labeled as “thieves,” “unappreciative separatists” and “knife-wielding terrorists.” Read more details from Offbeat...
Chinese Journalists Launch Documentary Series: Chinese Word
A group of Chinese journalists launched a new media production platform for history related content — the New History Cooperative (新历史合作社). Their products — including books, magazines, events and videos — are shared through the internet and through WeChat and Weibo. One of the latest projects is documentary series about 100 “Chinese...
China Blames “Xinjiang Terrorists” for Deadly Attack in Kunming
China’s officials have blamed militants from the western region of Xinjiang for the killings at a railway station in China’s Southwestern Kunming city.
Chinese Netizens React to Ukraine Revolution
While the current Ukraine revolution has many Chinese asking: “When are we going to take to the streets?”, netizens also learned from Ukraine that democracy isn’t the answer to all problems. Law professor Dong Zhiwei, a long-standing advocate of constitutionalism in China, called the anti-government protests in Ukraine a “coup” that is more...
Top Chinese Journalist Criticized for Giving Birth in the US
"...she only wants the child to have a more normal lifestyle, which has nothing to do with patriotism. Perhaps, this is the problem the government should reflect on."
PHOTOS: A Dizzying View From the Top of Shanghai Tower
Take a look at photos taken by Russian climbing team Vadim Makhorov and Vitaly Raskalov from the top of what will soon be the second tallest building in the world.
5 Music Blogs about China's Underground Music Scene
There’s an emerging group of Chinese musicians working outside government-controlled media channels, striving to form an independent voice through musical expression in China.
China Central TV Blames Beijing Government for Air Pollution
Beijing has reached Red Alert Levels of Smog during the past few days. China's state media CCTV wrote some comments on Sina Weibo on Feb 15, 2014, blaming Beijing government's impotency: 连续几天的沉默，说明了一个问题，严重雾霾天气多了，民众自然就会麻木，社会也会熟视无睹，但央视财经提醒的是，政府不能当瞎子，它必须要肩负起自己的责任，守土要有责，莫无知！无畏！无为！所以，央视财经大声的问一句，这里，还有人管雾霾吗？ Several days of silence indicates one problem: with constant smog, people will become numb, the society will turn a blind...
Why It's Hard to Say “I Love You” in Chinese
Roseann Lake from ChinaFile explores why it's hard for Chinese to say “I Love You” in their own language from historical and sociological perspectives. The piece has also introduced an experiment about Chinese brain and its relation to love and romance.
China Central TV Accused of Targeting Vulnerable Women With Prostitution Exposé
After the report, a 6,000-strong force reportedly raided 12 hotels and entertainment venues, leading to 67 arrests.
Chinese Dating Website’s TV Advertisement Backfires
Apparently smart and touching TV commercial by China’s dating website Baihe.com backfires, leading to an online protest.
Chinese Cuisine Documentary ‘Bite of China’ a Visual Feast
Archaeologist K.C. Chang observed that “Chinese people are especially preoccupied with food” and that “food is at the center of, or at least it accompanies or symbolizes, many social interactions.”
