The Other China
Chinese cyber authorities have announced an internet censorship crackdown to ensure there are no “gloomy sentiments” caused by pandemic “rumours” during the lunar new year festival. …
The month-long “Spring Festival online improvement” program will target those spreading what authorities deem to be “rumours” about the spread of Covid and patient experiences.
The national cyber administration specified “in-depth rectification of false information and other issues to prevent gloomy sentiments”.
— The Guardian, 19 January 2023
In ‘first Chinese characters written to welcome in the lunar new year’ 新春試筆 xīnchūn shì bǐ, the calligrapher Liu Chan 劉蟾 embraced a hallowed tradition of writing the character 福 fú, ‘good fortune, luck, blessing, propitiousness’ to express a hope for the rest of the year. In light of the official ban on ‘gloomy sentiments’ online, Liu followed this with three more characters that could well constitute a protective mantra for the Year of the Rabbit.
— Geremie R. Barmé
Editor, China Heritage
22 January 2023
First Day of the First Month of the
Guimao Year of the Rabbit
癸卯兔年正月初一
On this first day of the Lunar New Year we
welcome Good Fortune and spread Felicitations
May everyone enjoy the bounties of blessings
In everything you do may your watchword be ‘Good, excellent, not a problem’,
In all of your utterances may your nostrum be ‘Yes, certainly, quite so’,
And, regardless of what is asked of you, may you accomplish all with alacrity.
大年初一，迎福送好。
祝大家福氣多多，做啥都好好好，說啥都對對對，幹啥都行行行 [抱拳 抱拳]
— Liu Chan Dasheng
劉蟾大生
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