New Ban on Homosexuality: Will it Extend to Published Chinese Fiction?

By Bruce Humes, published

"Depictions of homosexuality, extramarital affairs, underage love and the supernatural are no longer allowed in television dramas under new regulations in mainland China," according to a report at Hong Kong Free Press (New Rules).

These rules are apparently already coming into affect. According to WSJ's China RealTime, " 'Heroin' (also known as “Addiction” in Chinese), a 15-episode Web drama about romance among teenage boys, was earlier this week taken down from major Chinese video streaming sites." This suggests that the ban applies not just to TV.

Will this ban on the portrayal of homosexuality, and "other abnormal sexual relationships and behavior," be extended to published writing as our man on the ground in Nanhai, XJP, exerts his Victorian values? Hard to say. For now, it would be neat to have a list of Chinese fiction --- particularly translated fiction or Chinese fiction you'd like to see translated --- touching on LGBT romance, lifestyles and issues. Please add to the list via the comments section.

Comments

# 1.   

this is good news... less viewers of TV, more readers of books?

susan, March 5, 2016, 4:52p.m.

# 2.   

Notes of a Crocodile by Qiu Miaojin, translated by Bonnie Huie

《鱷魚手記》邱妙津著

Bruce Humes, March 6, 2016, 9:40a.m.

# 3.   

Chinese understand well, all speech and silence bear consequences; all action and non-action bear cycles of redemption. There is no 'free' speech but sign/noise level in US is stronger than in China ? That's hard to say...

susan, March 6, 2016, 2:22p.m.

# 4.   

came across Samuel Johnson's view on liberty. " He talked in his usual style with a rough contempt of popular liberty. 'They make a rout about universal liberty, without considering that all that is to be valued, or indeed can be enjoyed by individuals, is private liberty. Political liberty is good only so far as it produces private liberty. Now, Sir, there is the liberty of the press, which you know is a constant topick. Suppose you and I and two hundred more were restrained from printing our thoughts: what then? What proportion would that restraint upon us bear to the private happiness of the nation?'

susan, March 9, 2016, 8:02a.m.

# 5.   

transgender news

susan, March 9, 2016, 4:50p.m.

# 6.   

Beijing Comrades

Bruce Humes, March 18, 2016, 12:14a.m.

# 7.   

discovered Audre Laude (1934 - 1992) and her works from poetryfoundation.com podcast. The uses of anger

Susan, May 23, 2016, 5:44p.m.

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