By Jianli Yang – September 23, 2021
Echoes of the Cultural Revolution are reverberating throughout China today, with the Chinese government harking back to the past and placing curbs on many aspects of ideology and culture.
As pointed out in a recent story published by Japan-based newsmagazine Nikkei Asia, “the use of cultural avenues to tighten the [CCP’s] grip on society is reminiscent of the Cultural Revolution, when young people, egged on by Mao, attacked intellectuals and leaders of the old guard.” Recently, Chinese fans of K-pop sensation Park Ji-min (known as Jimin) to mark his upcoming birthday were harshly rebuked by the CCP. Even otherwise, the Chinese entertainment industry has been put on notice that it must either self-regulate—or risk facing disciplinary action if found to violate recent norms introduced by the CCP.
According to an article posted to New York Times-affiliated newspaper Korea JoongAng Daily, a Chinese fan club had raised funds in August to have an airplane plastered with photos of Korean popstar Jimin and a birthday banner for his 26th birthday set for October 13 of this year. Subsequently, the Chinese microblogging service Sina Weibo, on which photos of the customized plane had been widely circulated, suspended the fan club’s account for 60 days. According to Weibo, the offense cited was “irrational star-worshipping behavior,” which issued a statement pledging to “handle such behavior in a serious manner.” Weibo’s swift response is seen as part of a larger clampdown on “fandom culture” by the CCP, fearing that such fandom could… [Continue Reading]
Source: https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2021/sep/23/is-chinas-cultural-revolution-20-upon-us