Author Archives: Julian

Nobel news blackout lifted: The Party Strikes Back

Posted on 2010-10-15 by Julian

Rebel scum (Wikipedia) On October 14th, the Chinese Communist Party’s Propaganda Department relaxed their total news blackout around Nobel Peace Prize winner Liu Xiaobo. Major online news portals, including Netease and Sina, seem to have been instructed to prominently position … Continue reading →

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Han Han on Liu Xiaobo and the Nobel Peace Prize

Posted on 2010-10-09 by Julian

Toeing the line (Han Han’s blog) Han Han, China’s bad boy novelist, editor, blogger and race car driver recently posted his thoughts on Liu Xiaobo and the Nobel Peace Prize. With utmost care, Han Han crafted his post so as … Continue reading →

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Han Han on the Diaoyu Islands incident

Posted on 2010-09-13 by Julian

China’s balls? (Wikipedia) Han Han, China’s bad boy novelist, editor, blogger and race car driver recently posted his thoughts on the unfolding Diaoyu Islands spat between China and Japan. Protect illegal characters by Han Han/ translated by Julian Smisek A … Continue reading →

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Wang Xiaofeng: Fang Zhouzi and China as a modern medieval state

Posted on 2010-09-04 by Julian

Bruno didn’t behave either (Wikipedia) In late July, “science cop” Fang Zhouzi, known for exposing academic and scientific fraud, was attacked by thugs wielding an iron hammer and anesthetic spray. The case has been widely reported in Chinese and western … Continue reading →

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Wang Li on mealtime hospitality

Posted on 2010-08-28 by Julian

Many consider Wang Li (1900-1986) to be the founder of modern Chinese linguistics. Along with other linguists, Wang Li developed a new Chinese framework of linguistic analysis, and after 1949, he worked extensively on reforming the Chinese writing system. In addition to his linguistic contributions, Wang Li also wrote several essays. Below is “Mealtime hospitality,” originally published in 1943.

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Hu Shi on “Tolerance and freedom”

Posted on 2010-08-10 by Julian

Never burned at the stake (Wikipedia) Hu Shi published “Tolerance and freedom” in 1959, the year in which the KMT began persecuting ideological dissidents and suppressing criticism of the government. According to Professor Chou Chih-p’ing of Princeton University, the essay … Continue reading →

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Hu Shi thanks the imperialists

Posted on 2010-07-19 by Julian

Do Chinese parents say “I love you”? (Wikipedia) Chinese tradition is fairly enthusiastic about filial piety, having much to say on how to be a good child. Rather less is said about being a good parent. In this short essay, … Continue reading →

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Hu Shi, missionaries, and women’s rights

Posted on 2010-07-15 by Julian

Julian Smisek translates an article by Hu Shi, who notes that missionaries, often considered the vanguard of the West’s cultural invasion, did actually bring some positive change to China.

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Group sex and the Cultural Revolution – a translation

Posted on 2010-05-23 by Julian

Li Yinhe leading the charge (Wikipedia) In her latest blog post, sexologist and activist Li Yinhe writes that the crime of “group licentiousness” is the last draconian law left over from the Cultural Revolution. The posting protests the recent decision … Continue reading →

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Southern Weekly on Thailand and democracy

Posted on 2010-05-20 by Julian

The Chinese media have covered the protests rather heavily, with the implicit message frequently being that chaos is the expected outcome when developing countries embrace democracy.

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