New year of the rabbit
January 30, 2011 5:45 AM Subscribe
On China realtime report (WSJ blogs): while China celebrates the upcoming year of the rabbit, an intensely violent satirical animation has gone viral.
The video was aired over last week-end, just before being "harmonized" on Monday. It covers the 2008 milk scandal, unrest related to housing speculation, and the recent "Li Gang scandal" (see here and here). The authors claim they were "just venting".
The video was aired over last week-end, just before being "harmonized" on Monday. It covers the 2008 milk scandal, unrest related to housing speculation, and the recent "Li Gang scandal" (see here and here). The authors claim they were "just venting".
"We'll not risk another frontal assault. That rabbit's dynamite!"
posted by ZenMasterThis at 6:07 AM on January 30, 2011
posted by ZenMasterThis at 6:07 AM on January 30, 2011
The internet resists censorship--it treats it as damage.
posted by bukvich at 6:16 AM on January 30, 2011
posted by bukvich at 6:16 AM on January 30, 2011
This being mefi, this post will just never feel complete without the swarm of Chinese-nationalist trolls.
posted by tempythethird at 6:18 AM on January 30, 2011
posted by tempythethird at 6:18 AM on January 30, 2011
Mm. It was OK, but it was no Old Boy.
posted by PeterMcDermott at 7:07 AM on January 30, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by PeterMcDermott at 7:07 AM on January 30, 2011 [1 favorite]
Cool. It's like distilling a year's worth of ESWN and Chinasmack down to a single animated Youtube video--but with rabbits. I like it!
posted by reformedjerk at 7:27 AM on January 30, 2011
posted by reformedjerk at 7:27 AM on January 30, 2011
This being mefi, this post will just never feel complete without the swarm of Chinese-nationalist trolls.
How is this possible? Wumao only get 50 cents to post pro-Chinese government things, but it costs five whole dollars to get on here! Unless there's been inflation, and they're now called the Wuquai Gang.
posted by reformedjerk at 7:30 AM on January 30, 2011 [1 favorite]
How is this possible? Wumao only get 50 cents to post pro-Chinese government things, but it costs five whole dollars to get on here! Unless there's been inflation, and they're now called the Wuquai Gang.
posted by reformedjerk at 7:30 AM on January 30, 2011 [1 favorite]
Never have I wished so hard to be able to read Chinese
posted by Redhush at 8:05 AM on January 30, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by Redhush at 8:05 AM on January 30, 2011 [1 favorite]
The fact that Happy Tree Friends style animation is being used to speak political truth tells me the world continues to be weirder than I could have imagined.
A friend came back from China last year and brought this quote that he felt summarized the average person's attitude about the government there: "They're all pig fuckers, and the pigs are their mothers"
So, this animation is only a surprise in style, not in message.
posted by yeloson at 8:06 AM on January 30, 2011 [1 favorite]
A friend came back from China last year and brought this quote that he felt summarized the average person's attitude about the government there: "They're all pig fuckers, and the pigs are their mothers"
So, this animation is only a surprise in style, not in message.
posted by yeloson at 8:06 AM on January 30, 2011 [1 favorite]
The Li Gang thing, as I understand it, is only one of many instances of hit and runs by powerful people in China.
posted by outlandishmarxist at 9:39 AM on January 30, 2011
posted by outlandishmarxist at 9:39 AM on January 30, 2011
2011 seems to be the year of populist anger. Let's hope these trends continue.
posted by dephlogisticated at 10:49 AM on January 30, 2011 [3 favorites]
posted by dephlogisticated at 10:49 AM on January 30, 2011 [3 favorites]
Economic downturns generally cause instability. But I heard things were going pretty good in China, but I suppose that depends on how well the wealth is distributed as well. If it's all going into the pockets of the rich, that'll be a problem.
posted by delmoi at 1:26 PM on January 30, 2011
posted by delmoi at 1:26 PM on January 30, 2011
Definitely hope this trend of protest continues.
That rabbit song (nursery rhyme, perhaps) was one of my childhood--the way it's been modified is quite cool.
posted by movicont at 1:28 PM on January 30, 2011
That rabbit song (nursery rhyme, perhaps) was one of my childhood--the way it's been modified is quite cool.
posted by movicont at 1:28 PM on January 30, 2011
They've actually got a lot of videos with similar themes (they're all very violent and focus somewhat on protesting the social order, albeit not nearly as obviously anti-government as this particular one):
理想在哪里 - Where're Our Dreams?
炸学校 - Bombing School
The series, called 哐哐日记 (Kuang Kuang's Diary), mostly focuses on school life from the '80s.
posted by movicont at 4:50 PM on January 30, 2011
理想在哪里 - Where're Our Dreams?
炸学校 - Bombing School
The series, called 哐哐日记 (Kuang Kuang's Diary), mostly focuses on school life from the '80s.
posted by movicont at 4:50 PM on January 30, 2011
Isn't there considerable suspicion that the Li "my dad is Li Gang" Qiming going to prison isn't the real one?
By comparison, no charges were ever brought against Alice Walton after she killed a 50-year-old mother of two with her Porsche. In fact, the incident has largely been scrubbed form the internet, except for very brief statements.
We'll see how it turns out when China's many Li Qimings eventually run the country, probably some Bush v2s will arise.
posted by jeffburdges at 12:39 AM on January 31, 2011
By comparison, no charges were ever brought against Alice Walton after she killed a 50-year-old mother of two with her Porsche. In fact, the incident has largely been scrubbed form the internet, except for very brief statements.
We'll see how it turns out when China's many Li Qimings eventually run the country, probably some Bush v2s will arise.
posted by jeffburdges at 12:39 AM on January 31, 2011
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posted by sourbrew at 5:55 AM on January 30, 2011