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Li Haoshi controversy

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On 13 May 2023, while performing in Beijing, Chinese stand-up comedian Li Haoshi (Chinese: 李昊石; pinyin: Lǐ Hàoshí) used a Chinese military slogan ("capable of winning battles, and have good style") to praise his pet dogs. For these remarks, he was accused of insulting the People's Liberation Army (PLA). Li and the comedy firm he worked with faced severe consequences: the firm was heavily fined and banned from future performances and Li's contract was terminated. On 17 May 2023, the Chaoyang branch of the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau issued a statement claiming that they had opened a case to investigate the event, leading to the possibility of the matter escalating into a criminal case.

Background

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On 11 March 2013, Xi Jinping, the then General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the Chairman of the Central Military Commission of the CCP, the paramount leader of China, put forward his "Party's objective of strengthening the Army" at the plenary meeting of the PLA delegation of the 1st Session of the 12th National People's Congress as follows:[1][2]

To build a People’s Army that follows the Party’s command, is capable of winning battles, and has good style is the Party’s objective of strengthening the Army under the latest circumstances.
(Chinese: 建设一支听党指挥、能打胜仗、作风优良的人民军队，是党在新形势下的强军目标。)

— Xi Jinping

Since then, the three phrases—"follow the Party's command" (Chinese: 听党指挥; pinyin: tīng Dǎng zhǐhuī), "be capable of winning battles" (Chinese: 能打胜仗; pinyin: néng dǎ shèngzhàng), and "have good style" (Chinese: 作风优良; pinyin: zuòfēng yōuliáng), have become the core slogans of the PLA and have been widely used on a variety of occasions.[3][4][5][6][7][8]

Li Haoshi, a 31-year-old stand-up comedian,[9] was working with Shanghai Xiaoguo Culture Media Co., Ltd. (Chinese: 上海笑果文化传媒有限公司; pinyin: Shànghǎi Xiàoguǒ Wénhuà Chuánméi Yǒuxiàn Gōngsī), an artist management company and stand-up comedy club established in May 2014 and headquartered in Shanghai.[10]

Incident

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During two offline performances that took place on 13 May 2023 in Beijing, Li Haoshi shared an anecdote about his two adopted dogs. He said that after he moved to Shanghai, he adopted two feral dogs from the hills near his residence because he felt motivated to align his endeavours with international expectations. He then recalled his first encounter with the dogs, where they were chasing after a squirrel fiercely, "like two fired shells". Li then said that those two dogs were different from others, because while other dogs would make the impression of being adorable and cute, those two had left him none other than "eight big characters flickering in his mind"—"having good style and are capable of winning battles". He finished his story by praising his two dogs for being "excellent" and giving him "majestic feelings" while walking them on the streets.[citation needed]

His remarks were later shared on Sina Weibo, a Chinese social media platform similar to Twitter, by a state journalist[11] who claimed Li's words made them uncomfortable since they felt Li was insulting the PLA by citing the military slogans to praise his dogs.[12] Some people thought he was insinuating that PLA soldiers were dogs. Some believed he was making an allusion the 1956 Chinese propaganda war film Shangganling, where Chinese soldiers were portrayed chasing squirrels for fun.[13]

Aftermath

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Repercussions for Li and Shanghai Xiaoguo Culture Media

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As public opinion intensified, the company Li worked with, Shanghai Xiaoguo Culture Media, released a statement on 15 May 2023, claiming that they had seriously criticised Li and indefinitely terminated his future performance.[14] Li's name was also removed from the company's list. Li released an apologetic message on Sina Weibo, stating that he would "take all the responsibility" and "reflect profoundly". Later, his account on Sina Weibo was suspended. As of 18 May 2023, Li's account on Sina Weibo had been revoked, citing the account was reported to have violated laws, regulations, and Sina Weibo's community rules. The Beijing Cultural Law Enforcement Team claimed they had opened a case to investigate this event, with the headquarters of Shanghai Xiaoguo Culture Media being investigated by the Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism, both on 15 May 2023.[15]

On 17 May 2023, Shanghai Xiaoguo Culture Media was fined over 13 million yuan by the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism, with 1.3 million yuan of revenue deemed as "illegally obtained property" being confiscated. The company was also barred from staging any future performances indefinitely in both Beijing and Shanghai.[16] The fines totalled more than US$2 million.[17]

The company then terminated its contract with Li. The China Association of Performing Arts reprimanded Li's remarks and called for its member bodies to boycott him.[18] On the same day, the Chaoyang branch of the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau issued a statement, accusing Li of seriously insulting the People's Army and "[causing] an execrable effect on society". The branch also said that they opened a case for a criminal probe, further escalating the situation.[9] Li was arrested,[19] and could spend up to three years in prison.[11] However, in a 2024 interview with The New Yorker, a friend stated that Li is looking opportunities in a different industry.[20]

Repercussions for others

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According to a statement by the Ganjingzi branch of the Dalian Public Security Bureau released on 17 May 2023, a 34-year-old woman with the surname Shi (Chinese: 史; pinyin: Shǐ) was caught the day before and put in administrative detention for a remark on Sina Weibo supporting Li.[21][22] Other comedy companies cancelled scheduled performances, raising concerns about the prospects of mainland China's entire stand-up comedy industry.[23][19][11] According to an analyst quoted by Reuters, space for humour and expression in mainland China is likely to shrink further after this incident.[23]

China's Stand-up Comedy and Censorship

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Stand-up comedy, although a relatively new import from the West, has gained popularity among young Chinese in recent years. Open mic events have proliferated across cities in China, attracting aspiring comedians and audiences. In 2021 alone, there were approximately 18,500 live performances, generating nearly 400 million yuan in revenue, according to the China Association of Performing Arts. The industry continued to grow in 2022, even during the harsh lockdowns implemented in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.[24]

Multibillion-dollar companies are inviting standup comedians to their annual meetings or hiring them to boost their products’ images. In early July 2021, China's state media Xinhua News Agency employed standup comedy in a video to refute the COVID-19 lab leak theory.[25]

Stand-up comedy as a form of entertainment allows young people to approach their joys and frustrations in a lighthearted way. It provided a source of consolation and connection for individuals during the grueling lockdowns in Shanghai. However, even before Li's case, the industry faced various layers of censorship. A writer involved in scripting comedy shows shared a now-removed Weibo post revealing a long list of taboo topics, including senior Party leaders, homosexuality, poverty, and the pandemic. Scripts had to go through multiple rounds of scrutiny, with the potential impact of jokes and their sensitivity being discussed.[24]

The fear of reprisal makes Chinese comedians cautious, but that caution, some say, also takes the edge off their humour.

Similar cases

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Similar cases have been reported in mainland China in recent years. In 2018, the Law of the People's Republic of China on the Protection of Heroes and Martyrs was passed by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the legislature of mainland China, while the National People's Congress is not sitting, and was signed into law by Xi Jinping, the president.[26] While it was aimed to protect the reputation of deceased people that were deemed as "heroes and martyrs" by the Chinese authorities, it has also been used extendedly on living "heroes" whose reputations were deemed "infringed". At the end of 2020, the 11th Amendment to the Criminal Law of mainland China was passed and enacted, adding Article 299-I, formally encoded the crime of "infringing the honour and reputation of heroes and martyrs" into the Criminal Law.[27]

In 2021, former journalist Qiu Ziming (Chinese: 仇子明; pinyin: Qiú Zǐmíng) was sentenced to eight months of imprisonment for the crime of "infringing the honour and reputation of heroes and martyrs" for his remarks on Sina Weibo questioning the number of casualties of Chinese soldiers during the 2020–2021 China–India skirmishes.[28] In 2022, Luo Changping (Chinese: 罗昌平; pinyin: Luó Chāngpíng), a former journalist of China Business Herald and the former editor-in-chief of The Beijing News, was sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of seven months for the crime of "infringing the honour and reputation of heroes and martyrs" for a 6 October 2021 post on Sina Weibo questioning the legitimacy of the participation of Chinese troops in the Korean War.[29]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Xinhua (11 March 2013). "Xi urges armed forces loyalty, discipline". China Daily. Beijing. Archived from the original on 18 May 2023. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  2. ^ Lin, Peixiong and Yan, Xiaofeng (17 March 2013). "Láoláo Bǎwò Dǎng zài Xīnxíngshì xià de Qiángjūn Mùbiāo" 牢牢把握党在新形势下的强军目标 [Hold Firmly to the Party’s Objective of Strengthening the Army under the Latest Circumstances]. Chinese Communist Party News Network (in Chinese (China)). Beijing. Archived from the original on 18 May 2023. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  3. ^ Fan, Wenxin (22 May 2023). "China Makes Clear Its Military Isn't Funny Anymore". The Wall Street Journal. Hong Kong. Archived from the original on 23 May 2023. Retrieved 23 May 2023. (Paragraph 4) The slogan, ubiquitous in military propaganda, was coined by Chinese leader Xi Jinping a decade ago as he embarked on a campaign to remake the PLA into a top-flight fighting force.
  4. ^ Xinhua News Agency (11 March 2013). "Xí Jìnpíng: Jūnduì Yào Juéduì Tīng Dǎng Zhǐhuī" 习近平：军队要绝对听党指挥 [Xi Jinping: The Army Must Absolutely Follow the Party’s Command]. BBC News Chinese (in Chinese (China)). London. Archived from the original on 22 May 2023. Retrieved 22 May 2023. (Paragraph 3) 习近平说，听党指挥是灵魂，决定军队建设的政治方向；能打胜仗是核心，反映军队的根本职能和军队建设的根本指向；作风优良是保证，关系军队的性质、宗旨、本色。 [Xi Jinping emphasised that ‘“follow the Party’s command” is the soul, determining the political orientation of military construction; “be capable of winning battles” is the core, reflecting the fundamental function of the military and the fundamental direction of military construction; “have good style” is the guarantee, relating to the nature, purpose, and essence of the military.’]
  5. ^ Li, Jieqiong, ed. (10 May 2016). "Jiànshè Yīzhī Tīng Dǎng Zhǐhuī Néng Dǎ Shèngzhàng Zuòfēng Yōuliáng de Rénmín Jūnduì" 建设一支听党指挥能打胜仗作风优良的人民军队 [Build a People’s Army that Follows the Party’s Command, is Capable of Winning Battles, and Has Good Style]. People's Daily (in Chinese (China)). Beijing. Archived from the original on 22 May 2023. Retrieved 22 May 2023 – via Xinhua Net.
  6. ^ Centre for Socialism with Chinese Characteristics Theoretical System Studies of the National Defence University (15 April 2018). "Láoláo Bǎwò Dǎng zài Xīn Shídài de Qiángjūn Mùbiāo" 牢牢把握党在新时代的强军目标 [Hold Firmly to the Party’s Objective of Strengthening the Army in the New Era]. Qiushi (in Chinese (China)). Beijing. Archived from the original on 22 May 2023. Retrieved 22 May 2023.
  7. ^ Zhang, Xiao (29 July 2022). "Jiànshè Shìjiè Yīliú Jūnduì, Wéihù Shìjiè Hépíng Wěndìng" 建设世界一流军队，维护世界和平稳定 [Build a World-Class Military and Safeguard Global Peace and Stability]. Official Website of the Chinese Embassy in Kazakhstan (in Chinese (China)). Astana. Archived from the original on 22 May 2023. Retrieved 22 May 2023. (Paragraph 2) 党的十八大以来，在习近平主席亲自指挥下 …… 正在建设成一支听党指挥、能打胜仗、作风优良的人民军队。 [Since the 18th Party Congress, under the personal direction of Chairman Xi Jinping … is building a People’s Army that follows the Party’s command, is capable of winning battles, and has good style.]
  8. ^ Kang, Zizhan; Liu, Hanbao; and Wang, Xuefeng (23 February 2023). "Jiànxíng Qiángjūn Mùbiāo · Wǒmén Zhè Shínián | Kōngjūn Mǒubù: Qiángjūn Mèngxiǎng Yǐnlǐng Shèngzhàn Hángchéng" 践行强军目标·我们这十年丨空军某部：强军梦想引领胜战航程 [Practising the Goal of a Strong Military: Our Progress over the Past Decade | An Air Force Department: The Dream of a Strong Military Guides Us the Journey to Victorious Battles]. China National Radio (in Chinese (China)). Beijing. Archived from the original on 22 May 2023. Retrieved 22 May 2023. (Paragraph 2) 党的十九大明确，党在新时代的强军目标是建设一支听党指挥、能打胜仗、作风优良的人民军队，把人民军队建设成为世界一流军队。 [The 19th Party Congress cleared that the Party’s Army strengthening objective in the new era is to build a People’s Army that follows the Party’s command, is capable of winning battles, and has good style; and to make the People’s Army into a world-class military force.]
  9. ^ a b Official Weibo Account of the Chaoyang Branch of Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau (平安北京朝阳) (17 May 2023). "Qíngkuàng Tōngbào" 情况通报 [Briefing]. Sina Weibo (in Chinese (China)). Beijing. Archived from the original on 18 May 2023. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  10. ^ 36Kr VC Platform (36 氪创投平台). "Xiàoguǒ Wénhuà | Xiàngmù Xìnxī" 笑果文化 | 项目信息 [Xiaoguo Culture | Project Info]. 36Kr (in Chinese (China)). Beijing. Archived from the original on 2023-05-18. Retrieved 2023-05-18.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  11. ^ a b c Tang, Didi (19 May 2023). "President Xi has last laugh as stand-up comedian Li Haoshi is arrested". The Times. Beijing. Archived from the original on 23 May 2023. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  12. ^ BBC News Chinese (16 May 2023). "Xiàoguǒ Wénhuà: Zhōngguó Tuōkǒuxiù Yǎnyuán Wéihé Bèi Zhǐ Wǔrǔ Jiěfàngjūn Bìng Zāo Lì'àn Diàochá" 笑果文化：中国脱口秀演员为何被指侮辱解放军并遭立案调查 [Xiaoguo Culture: Why was a Chinese Stand-up Comedian Alleged to have Insulted the PLA and Triggered a Criminal Investigation]. BBC News Chinese (in Chinese (China)). London. Archived from the original on 18 May 2023. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  13. ^ Liu, Menglong (17 May 2023). "Xiàoguǒ Shìjiàn, Zhēnde Bùshì 'Kāi Bù Qǐ Wánxiào'" 笑果事件，真的不是「开不起玩笑」 [Xiaoguo Incident is Really not About Whether We Can Take a Joke or not]. Sina (in Chinese (China)). Beijing. Archived from the original on 18 May 2023. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  14. ^ Official Account of Xiaoguo Culture on Sina Weibo (笑果官方 bot) (15 May 2023). "Shēngmíng" 声明 [Statement]. Sina Weibo (in Chinese (China)). Beijing. Archived from the original on 18 May 2023. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  15. ^ Sina Finance (新浪财经) (17 May 2023). "Bèi Fákuǎn Bìng Jīnyǎn Hòu, Xiàoguǒ Fā 7 Diǎn Shēngmíng!" 被罚款并禁演后，笑果发 7 点声明！ [Xiaoguo Culture Released a Seven-Point Statement After being Fined and Banned from Future Performances]. Sina (in Chinese (China)). Beijing. Archived from the original on 18 May 2023. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  16. ^ Xinhua News Agency (新华社) (17 May 2023). "Běijīngshì Wénhuà hé Lǚyóu Jú Fābù duì 'Xiàoguǒ Tuōkǒuxiù' Shè'àn Gōngsī jí Gèrén Cháchǔ Jiéguǒ" 北京市文化和旅游局发布对「笑果脱口秀」涉案公司及个人查处结果 [Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism Released the Results of Investigation and Punishments of Companies and Individuals Involved in the ‘Xiaoguo Stand-up Comedy Incident’]. Xinhua News Agency (in Chinese (China)). Beijing. Archived from the original on 18 May 2023. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  17. ^ Lau, Chris (17 May 2023). "The joke that cost $2 million: China imposes huge fine for comedian's army-themed quip". CNN. Hong Kong. Archived from the original on 18 May 2023. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  18. ^ Sina Finance (新浪财经) (17 May 2023). "Zhōngguó Yǎnchū Hángyè Xiéhuì: Duì Lǐ Hàoshí de Wéiguī Xíngwéi Jìnxíng Yánlì Shēnchì, Yàoqiú Huìyuán Dānwèi Duì Qí Jìnxíng Cóngyè Dǐzhì" 中国演出行业协会：对李昊石的违规行为进行严厉申斥，要求会员单位对其进行从业抵制 [China Association of Performing Arts: Sternly Reprimands Li Haoshi’s Irregularities and Requests Member Bodies Boycott His Future Practice]. Sina (in Chinese (China)). Beijing. Archived from the original on 18 May 2023. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  19. ^ a b "Chinese comedian arrested after joke about army". BBC News. London. 18 May 2023. Archived from the original on 19 May 2023. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  20. ^ Chang, Che (2024-03-26). "The Aftermath of China's Comedy Crackdown". The New Yorker. Retrieved 2024-06-07.
  21. ^ Davidson, Helen (2023-05-19). "Chinese police detain woman for supporting comedian who joked about military". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2023-05-21.
  22. ^ Official Weibo Account of the Ganjingzi Branch of Dalian Public Security Bureau (甘井子公安) (17 May 2023). "Jǐngqíng Tōngbào" 警情通报 [Police Briefing]. Sina Weibo (in Chinese (China)). Beijing. Archived from the original on 18 May 2023. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  23. ^ a b Tian, Yew Lun and Hall, Casey (21 May 2023). "No joke: China's backlash against stand-up stirs fear of comedy clampdown". Reuters. Beijing/Shanghai. Archived from the original on 23 May 2023. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  24. ^ a b Wang, Wei (2023-06-04). "China's growing comedy scene feels censorship chill". BBC. Retrieved 2023-12-11.
  25. ^ Gu, Bo (2021-07-10). "As Standup Comedy Makes Inroads in China, a Red Line May Limit Laughs". Voice of America. Retrieved 2023-12-11.
  26. ^ Xi, Jinping (27 April 2018). "Zhōnghuá Rénmín Gònghéguó Zhǔxílíng Dì Wǔ Hào" 中华人民共和国主席令 第五号 [Presidential Decree No 5 of the People’s Republic of China]. Official Website of the National People’s Congress (in Chinese (China)). Beijing. Archived from the original on 14 June 2019.
  27. ^ Cao, Kun, ed. (27 December 2020). "Zhōnghuá Rénmín Gònghéguó Xíngfǎ Xiūzhèng'àn (Shíyī)" 中华人民共和国刑法修正案（十一） [The 11th Amendment to the Criminal Law of the People’s Republic of China]. People’s Daily Online (in Chinese (China)). Beijing. Archived from the original on 18 May 2023. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  28. ^ Zhang, Rachel (1 June 2021). "China jails popular blogger over India border clash death toll query". South China Morning Post. Shanghai. Archived from the original on 18 May 2023. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  29. ^ Myers, Steven Lee and Chien, Amy Chang (8 October 2021). "Chinese Journalist Detained After Criticizing Government-Sponsored Blockbuster". The New York Times. New York City. Archived from the original on 12 July 2023. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
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