The Norwegian government is only marginally responsible for the Nobel Peace Prize — its parliament appoints the five-person selection committee — but you wouldn’t know it judging by China’s durian-sized grudge, with spikes of everlasting disdain. Quick recap: in 2010, while serving his fourth prison term, Liu Xiaobo was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize despite... Read more »Read more »
Government-run Gannan Daily reported Monday that China’s supreme court, top prosecution body, and police jointly issued the legal opinion that those who incite or abet self-immolations should be charged with “intentional murder.” In an article that reeks of Chinese media, it states (translation made available yesterday by San Francisco-based Duihua Foundation): So that the recent... Read more »Read more »
A Modern Parable
They told the Old Man the mountain, with its head as white as his, would not move, but he feigned deafness. They mocked him, shaking their fans and leaning forward so he could better see their sneers, but the Old Man wagged his head and flashed a toothy grin. The townsfolk gossiped behind his back and marveled at the futility of the endeavor, but the Old Man, rocking away his days on a hand-woven bamboo chair, knew that one day the steadfastness of his pursuit would coalesce with a dream so that in their sameness he'd wake to see the mountain gone, carried off to the shores of the Bohai Sea. Read more »
Chinese students in Stockholm participated in a "Red Sorghum" flashmob at Galleria Department Store yesterday to "express joy and pride at Mo Yan winning the Nobel prize." One-hundred-eight people took part.
Mo is scheduled to give his speech at 5:30 pm Central European Time (12:30 am in China). You can watch it live on the Nobel Prize website. Read more »
Photo from last week: a day like any other, only the sun is melting and we’re all going to die. Or the sun admires itself in the water and bends down for a closer look. Or… Read more »
Liu Xia has been under house arrest ever since her husband, Liu Xiaobo, won the Nobel Peace Prize two years ago. Her location isn’t exactly a secret though, so AP reporters staked out outside her house, then walked in while the guards were out to lunch. In her first public interview in 26 months, Liu said, “We... Read more »Read more »
If you’re in Beijing and like pub quizzes, the place to be this Sunday is the Hilton for the Beijinger’s 4th annual Super Quiz. (Disclosure: I run a quiz in Beijing, and will be presenting questions on Sunday for the third straight year.) Event organizers are asking interested parties to email or call ahead of time to reserve... Read more »Read more »
Qi Fang, police chief of Wusu, Xinjiang province, is the latest official to find himself embroiled in a sex scandal. He is accused of having an affair with two sisters from a cultural troupe, and using public funds to rent a luxury flat to meet them. The elder of the sisters was promoted to vice-captain... Read more »Read more »
On Tuesday, 134 Nobel laureates wrote to Xi Jinping asking him to release 2010 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Liu Xiaobo, currently serving an 11-year sentence for subversion (etc.) after he coauthored “Charter 08,” a manifesto calling for greater freedoms in China. His wife is also currently under house arrest. The decision is probably not Xi Jinping’s... Read more »Read more »
