Cryptographic expressions and references to “watermelon” or “PS”: the status of tennis woman Peng Shuai has been silently passed over in China, but netizens are showing ingenuity to circumvent the censorship of social networks.
In a message posted online in early November, the hero spoke at length about her complicated relationship with former Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli, and mentioned a sexual relationship with him that she felt “forced” to accept.
Montrealer Dick Pound, a senior member of the International Olympic Committee, commented on Peng Shuai’s profile this afternoon on TVA Nouvelles: He will appear in the main video.
The text was only a few minutes left on the 35-year-old’s official account on the Chinese social network Weibo, before it was deleted by the censors.
Since then, the issue has been completely ignored in the Chinese media. Monitors are redoubling their efforts to erase any reference to the scandal on social media.
Thus, the majority of Chinese are not aware of the issue, especially since most foreign media websites are blocked in China.
But the information is still spread through private messages and word of mouth.
To circumvent the censorship, Internet users first began using the initials (“PS”) of the former world number one in doubles. And soon the trick was spotted and censored.
Hence the ingenious “coded” hashtag: “#Peng Yuyan is so handsome,” referring to Peng Yuyan, a Taiwanese actor famous in China.
The word “Bo” says “Shuai” in Mandarin, so the hashtag bears the first and last Chinese character “Peng” and “Shuai” – the name of the hero.
Other Weibo users took to the tennis page to talk about a “big watermelon” that made headlines.
In Chinese, the phrase “eat watermelon” means to be interested in catchy or catchy news.
“Even when I sleep, I wake up to eat watermelon,” one Weibo user wrote in a since-deleted post. Zhang did not mention Gaoli by name, but referred to him as a “politically sensitive person.”
On the Weibo account of the WTA, the international body that runs the women’s tennis circuit, some showed their “support” for the organization that decided to cancel its tournaments in China, without explicitly referring to Peng Shuai.
Internet users sometimes turn to the most unexpected corners of the web.
Some have commented on the issue on the movie review site Douban, on the page devoted to a South Korean series with an evocative name: “Me and the Prime Minister” …
These various tips did not last long in the face of vigilant censors.
Emily Thompson is a contributor at Vaughantoday.ca, covering a wide range of topics including local news, politics, business, technology, sports, entertainment, and lifestyle. She focuses on clear, accurate reporting that helps readers stay informed about current events and developments that matter to their community. Her work emphasizes useful information, balanced coverage, and stories that reflect the interests, concerns, and everyday experiences of readers across Canada.