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Baidu 10 Mythical Creatures (Internet meme)
Encyclopedia
The Baidu 10 Mythical Creatures , alternatively Ten Baidu Deities, was initially a humorous hoax
from the interactive encyclopedia Baidu Baike
which became a popular and widespread Internet meme
in the People's Republic of China
in early 2009.
These hoaxes, ten in number, originated in response to increasingly pervasive and draconian online censorship in China
, and have become an icon of citizens' resistance to censorship.
, through the creation of humorous articles describing a series of fictional creatures, with each animal with names vaguely referring to Chinese profanities (utilizing homophones and characters using different tones). Eventually, images, videos (such as faux-documentaries) and even a song regarding aspects of the meme were released. It was thought that the Baidu hoaxes were written in response to recent strict enforcements of keyword filters in China, introduced in 2009, which attempted to eliminate all forms of profanity . The Baidu Baike "articles" initially began with "Four Mythical Creatures" (The "Grass Mud Horse", "French-Croatian Squid", "Small Elegant Butterfly" and "Chrysanthemum Silkworms"), and were later extended to ten.
The memes became widely discussed on Chinese Internet forum
s, and most netizen
s concluded that the initial aim of the hoaxes were to satirise and ridicule the pointlessness of the new keyword filters. The meme is interpreted by most Chinese online as a form of direct protest rather than motiveless intentional disruption to Baidu services. After the hoaxes were posted, news of the articles spread quickly online on joke websites, popular web portals and forums such as Baidu Tieba
, while a large number of posts were sent on the Tencent QQ
Groups chat service. There have also been various parodies of the meme created (such as the "Baidu 10 Legendary Weapons" and "Baidu 10 Secret Delicacies" ). Meme references can be found throughout Chinese websites .
; censorship itself is symbolized by the river crab
, a homophone of "harmony" (a euphemism for censorship in reference to the Harmonious Society
).
Cao Ni Ma , literally "Grass Mud Horse", was supposedly a species of alpaca
. The name is derived from cào nǐ mā , which translates to "fuck your mother". Note that the comparison with the "animal" name is not an actual homophone
, but rather the two terms have the same consonants and vowels with different tones
, which are represented by different characters. Their greatest enemy are "river crabs
" ' onMouseout='HidePop("36454")' href="/topics/Three_Represents">Three Represents
, where "represent" and "to wear a watch" are homophones, both pronounced dàibiăo), and are said to be frequently seen in combat against these crabs.
Videos of songs, as well as "documentaries" about "Grass Mud Horse" started appearing on YouTube
and elsewhere on the Internet. The video scored some 1.4 million hits; a cartoon attracted a quarter million more views; a nature documentary on its habits received 180,000 more.
The "Grass Mud Horse" became widely known on the English-language web following the 11 March 2009 publication of a The New York Times
article on the phenomenon, sparking widespread discussion on blogs, and even attempts to create "Grass Mud Horse" themed merchandise, such as plush dolls.
of "fuck you" in English
), was supposedly a species of squid
discovered simultaneously by France and Croatia
, hence the name "Fa Ke You". The Baidu Baike article claims that "Fa Ke You" is a species of invertebrate
, aggressive squid
found in Europe. When agitated, it is said that they release a form of "white-coloured liquid". These squids are said to cause great harm to humans when attacked. When some of these squids reached East Asia, it is said that they became hunted, and eaten with corn. Such a dish is known as yù mǐ fǎ kè yóu , being one of the world's top five greatest delicacies. An alternate name for the dish in question is (fēi zhǔ liú de fǎ kè yóu, "Non-mainstream French-Croatian Squid"). This is apparently due to the behaviour of these squids, which do not inhabit major rivers, or the "main stream" of a river system, thus scientists dubbing them as squids with "deviant behaviour".
scenes and common conceptions and stereotypes Chinese display towards the Japanese in regards to pornography
and erotomania
), was supposedly a type of butterfly
discovered on 1 January 2009 at the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau
, and that legends state that there was once a Japanese
girl who turned into these butterflies after harsh pressures during a romantic relationship. The original article states that these butterflies are able to change colour, and are luminescent, naturally emitting light from its wings. This is due to the cold temperatures and low oxygen
environment these butterflies live in. There are an estimated 14,000 butterflies living throughout the world, and thus are considered to be precious and highly uncommon.
Silkworms" (referring to Intestinal worms, where the term "Chrysanthemums" (júhuā) is vulgar slang which refers to the anus
). This referred to Chrysanthemum Terrace
, a song by Jay Chou
, where the lyrics "" (Chrysanthemums scattered, ground filled with wounds/the wounded) are re-rendered with homophones and similar sounds as "" ("Chrysanthemum(Anus)" worms, buttocks covered with wounds). Ju Hua Can can also be interpreted as a pun on another homophone, , meaning "broken chrysanthemum", which would be slang for a "broken anus", referring to (possibly painful) anal sex
, as is a homophone meaning "broken". Such a phrase implies hopelessness, as once a person is given a "broken anus", they would find difficulty in sitting down, and so "broken Chrysanthemum" is a common (vulgar) Chinese idiom. These silkworms are said to feed on chrysanthemum flowers rather than mulberry
leaves (from the article). The article also states that the usage of Chrysanthemum Silkworms dates back to 3000 years ago in Ancient China, and that they were the first cultivation method of silk obtained by early scientists. The silk produced by silkworms that feed on chrysanthemums rather than mulberry
are able to be produced at a much faster rate, are higher in mass
, are fireproof
, protective against ionizing radiation, bulletproof
, and lightweight. However, these silkworms are very difficult to maintain, and easily die. They are vulnerable to cold
, heat
, and are susceptible to changes in humidity
, and thus are very costly to nurture. Noblewomen from ancient times are said to pay large sums of money for such types of silk.
" is a homophone with (Big Brother Chun). This species of bird is apparently found only in Sichuan
and Hunan
; formerly found in the area that is now the Republic of Yemen.
The term "Big Brother Chun" ( has been used to refer to the female singer Li Yuchun
due to her apparent androgynous appearance. "Yemen" comes from the catchphrase chūn gē chún yé men , meaning "Brother Chun is a real man" — , meaning "grandfather", can also be read as "masculine" (young males in Northeast China
use the slang term 爷 as a personal pronoun
in an impolite context). The Chun can also refer to fa chun , which is slang for sexual arousal
- literally "Spring
has come".
, as the homophone jība translates to "penis", while the definition of máo is "hair" or "fur".) The original article states that this cat lives in dark, damp environments and competes for food with the White Tiger (white tiger is a slang term for a woman's shaved pubic area). Additionally, the Ji Ba Mao flourished during the reign of the Zhengde Emperor
.
during his maritime adventures, this creature was hunted for clothing material to manufacture women's lingerie
.
infection). From the article on Yin Dao Yan, in the Kangxi era, a large goose dove into a certain field, damaging it and causing the local farmers to come down with a strange sickness.
use neck spasms
and spit out a white secretion
to impress females during mating seasons.
glands. According to the article, this is a legendary crab that once stopped up the Grand Canal (referring to the urinary tract).
issued a directive on 30 March 2009 to highlight 31 categories of content prohibited online, including violence, pornography, content which may "incite ethnic discrimination or undermine social stability". Many netizens believe the instruction follows the official embarrassment over the rise of the "Grass Mud Horse" phenomenon.
Hoax
A hoax is a deliberately fabricated falsehood made to masquerade as truth. It is distinguishable from errors in observation or judgment, or rumors, urban legends, pseudosciences or April Fools' Day events that are passed along in good faith by believers or as jokes.-Definition:The British...
from the interactive encyclopedia Baidu Baike
Baidu Baike
Baidu Encyclopedia is a Chinese language collaborative Web-based encyclopedia provided by the Chinese search engine Baidu. Like Baidu itself, the encyclopedia is heavily self-censored in line with government regulations....
which became a popular and widespread Internet meme
Internet meme
The term Internet meme is used to describe a concept that spreads via the Internet. The term is a reference to the concept of memes, although the latter concept refers to a much broader category of cultural information.-Description:...
in the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
in early 2009.
These hoaxes, ten in number, originated in response to increasingly pervasive and draconian online censorship in China
Internet censorship in the People's Republic of China
Internet censorship in the People's Republic of China is conducted under a wide variety of laws and administrative regulations. There are no specific laws or regulations which the censorship follows...
, and have become an icon of citizens' resistance to censorship.
Meme details
Arising in early 2009 , the meme initially began as a series of vandalised contributions to Baidu BaikeBaidu Baike
Baidu Encyclopedia is a Chinese language collaborative Web-based encyclopedia provided by the Chinese search engine Baidu. Like Baidu itself, the encyclopedia is heavily self-censored in line with government regulations....
, through the creation of humorous articles describing a series of fictional creatures, with each animal with names vaguely referring to Chinese profanities (utilizing homophones and characters using different tones). Eventually, images, videos (such as faux-documentaries) and even a song regarding aspects of the meme were released. It was thought that the Baidu hoaxes were written in response to recent strict enforcements of keyword filters in China, introduced in 2009, which attempted to eliminate all forms of profanity . The Baidu Baike "articles" initially began with "Four Mythical Creatures" (The "Grass Mud Horse", "French-Croatian Squid", "Small Elegant Butterfly" and "Chrysanthemum Silkworms"), and were later extended to ten.
The memes became widely discussed on Chinese Internet forum
Internet forum
An Internet forum, or message board, is an online discussion site where people can hold conversations in the form of posted messages. They differ from chat rooms in that messages are at least temporarily archived...
s, and most netizen
Netizen
The term Netizen is a portmanteau of the English words internet and citizen. It is defined as an entity or person actively involved in online communities and a user of the internet, especially an avid one. The term can also imply an interest in improving the internet, especially in regard to open...
s concluded that the initial aim of the hoaxes were to satirise and ridicule the pointlessness of the new keyword filters. The meme is interpreted by most Chinese online as a form of direct protest rather than motiveless intentional disruption to Baidu services. After the hoaxes were posted, news of the articles spread quickly online on joke websites, popular web portals and forums such as Baidu Tieba
Baidu Tieba
Baidu Tieba is the largest Chinese communication platform provided by the Chinese search engine Baidu. It is an online community bound tightly with internet search services, the main business of Baidu...
, while a large number of posts were sent on the Tencent QQ
Tencent QQ
Tencent QQ, generally referred to as QQ, is the most popular free instant messaging computer program in mainland China. As of July 11, 2011, the active QQ users accounts for QQ IM totaled 812.3 million, possibly making it the world's second largest online community. The number of simultaneous...
Groups chat service. There have also been various parodies of the meme created (such as the "Baidu 10 Legendary Weapons" and "Baidu 10 Secret Delicacies" ). Meme references can be found throughout Chinese websites .
The 10 Mythical Creatures
The mythical creatures have names which are innocuous in written Chinese, but sound similar to and recognizable as profanities when spoken. References to the creatures, particularly the Grass Mud Horse, are widely used as symbolic defiance of the widespread Internet censorship in ChinaInternet censorship in the People's Republic of China
Internet censorship in the People's Republic of China is conducted under a wide variety of laws and administrative regulations. There are no specific laws or regulations which the censorship follows...
; censorship itself is symbolized by the river crab
River crab (Internet slang)
River crab and Harmonious/Harmonize/Harmonization are Internet slangs created by Chinese netizens in reference to Internet censorship or the other censorship of China...
, a homophone of "harmony" (a euphemism for censorship in reference to the Harmonious Society
Harmonious society
The construction of a Harmonious Society is a socio-economic vision that is said to be the ultimate end result of Chinese leader Hu Jintao's signature ideology of the Scientific Development Concept. It serves as the ultimate goal for the ruling Communist Party of China along with Xiaokang society,...
).
Cao Ni Ma
Alpaca
An alpaca is a domesticated species of South American camelid. It resembles a small llama in appearance.Alpacas are kept in herds that graze on the level heights of the Andes of southern Peru, northern Bolivia, Ecuador, and northern Chile at an altitude of to above sea level, throughout the year...
. The name is derived from cào nǐ mā , which translates to "fuck your mother". Note that the comparison with the "animal" name is not an actual homophone
Homophone
A homophone is a word that is pronounced the same as another word but differs in meaning. The words may be spelled the same, such as rose and rose , or differently, such as carat, caret, and carrot, or to, two, and too. Homophones that are spelled the same are also both homographs and homonyms...
, but rather the two terms have the same consonants and vowels with different tones
Tone (linguistics)
Tone is the use of pitch in language to distinguish lexical or grammatical meaning—that is, to distinguish or inflect words. All verbal languages use pitch to express emotional and other paralinguistic information, and to convey emphasis, contrast, and other such features in what is called...
, which are represented by different characters. Their greatest enemy are "river crabs
River crab (Internet slang)
River crab and Harmonious/Harmonize/Harmonization are Internet slangs created by Chinese netizens in reference to Internet censorship or the other censorship of China...
" ' onMouseout='HidePop("36454")' href="/topics/Three_Represents">Three Represents
Three Represents
The Three Represents is a socio-political ideology credited to General Secretary Jiang Zemin which became a guiding ideology of the Communist Party of China at its Sixteenth Party Congress in 2002....
, where "represent" and "to wear a watch" are homophones, both pronounced dàibiăo), and are said to be frequently seen in combat against these crabs.
Videos of songs, as well as "documentaries" about "Grass Mud Horse" started appearing on YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
and elsewhere on the Internet. The video scored some 1.4 million hits; a cartoon attracted a quarter million more views; a nature documentary on its habits received 180,000 more.
The "Grass Mud Horse" became widely known on the English-language web following the 11 March 2009 publication of a The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
article on the phenomenon, sparking widespread discussion on blogs, and even attempts to create "Grass Mud Horse" themed merchandise, such as plush dolls.
Fa Ke You
Fa Ke You , literally "French-Croatian Squid" (with the name derived from the direct Chinese transliterationTransliteration
Transliteration is a subset of the science of hermeneutics. It is a form of translation, and is the practice of converting a text from one script into another...
of "fuck you" in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
), was supposedly a species of squid
Squid
Squid are cephalopods of the order Teuthida, which comprises around 300 species. Like all other cephalopods, squid have a distinct head, bilateral symmetry, a mantle, and arms. Squid, like cuttlefish, have eight arms arranged in pairs and two, usually longer, tentacles...
discovered simultaneously by France and Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
, hence the name "Fa Ke You". The Baidu Baike article claims that "Fa Ke You" is a species of invertebrate
Invertebrate
An invertebrate is an animal without a backbone. The group includes 97% of all animal species – all animals except those in the chordate subphylum Vertebrata .Invertebrates form a paraphyletic group...
, aggressive squid
Squid
Squid are cephalopods of the order Teuthida, which comprises around 300 species. Like all other cephalopods, squid have a distinct head, bilateral symmetry, a mantle, and arms. Squid, like cuttlefish, have eight arms arranged in pairs and two, usually longer, tentacles...
found in Europe. When agitated, it is said that they release a form of "white-coloured liquid". These squids are said to cause great harm to humans when attacked. When some of these squids reached East Asia, it is said that they became hunted, and eaten with corn. Such a dish is known as yù mǐ fǎ kè yóu , being one of the world's top five greatest delicacies. An alternate name for the dish in question is (fēi zhǔ liú de fǎ kè yóu, "Non-mainstream French-Croatian Squid"). This is apparently due to the behaviour of these squids, which do not inhabit major rivers, or the "main stream" of a river system, thus scientists dubbing them as squids with "deviant behaviour".
Ya Mie Die
Ya Mie Die , literally "Small Elegant Butterfly" (name derived from Japanese yamete , meaning "stop", a reference to rapeRape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
scenes and common conceptions and stereotypes Chinese display towards the Japanese in regards to pornography
Pornography in Japan
Pornography in Japan.-Before the 20th century:Shunga or pornographic wood-block pictures were printed with all imaginable situations. These often took the form of a book with sentences to describe verbal utterances of the partners, as well as to offer brief descriptions of a scene...
and erotomania
Erotomania
Erotomania is a type of delusion in which the affected person believes that another person, usually a stranger or famous person, is in love with him or her. The illness often occurs during psychosis, especially in patients with schizophrenia or bipolar mania...
), was supposedly a type of butterfly
Butterfly
A butterfly is a mainly day-flying insect of the order Lepidoptera, which includes the butterflies and moths. Like other holometabolous insects, the butterfly's life cycle consists of four parts: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Most species are diurnal. Butterflies have large, often brightly coloured...
discovered on 1 January 2009 at the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau
Tibetan Plateau
The Tibetan Plateau , also known as the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau is a vast, elevated plateau in Central Asia covering most of the Tibet Autonomous Region and Qinghai, in addition to smaller portions of western Sichuan, southwestern Gansu, and northern Yunnan in Western China and Ladakh in...
, and that legends state that there was once a Japanese
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
girl who turned into these butterflies after harsh pressures during a romantic relationship. The original article states that these butterflies are able to change colour, and are luminescent, naturally emitting light from its wings. This is due to the cold temperatures and low oxygen
Oxygen
Oxygen is the element with atomic number 8 and represented by the symbol O. Its name derives from the Greek roots ὀξύς and -γενής , because at the time of naming, it was mistakenly thought that all acids required oxygen in their composition...
environment these butterflies live in. There are an estimated 14,000 butterflies living throughout the world, and thus are considered to be precious and highly uncommon.
Ju Hua Can
Ju Hua Can , literally "ChrysanthemumChrysanthemum
Chrysanthemums, often called mums or chrysanths, are of the genus constituting approximately 30 species of perennial flowering plants in the family Asteraceae which is native to Asia and northeastern Europe.-Etymology:...
Silkworms" (referring to Intestinal worms, where the term "Chrysanthemums" (júhuā) is vulgar slang which refers to the anus
Anus
The anus is an opening at the opposite end of an animal's digestive tract from the mouth. Its function is to control the expulsion of feces, unwanted semi-solid matter produced during digestion, which, depending on the type of animal, may be one or more of: matter which the animal cannot digest,...
). This referred to Chrysanthemum Terrace
Still Fantasy
Still Fantasy is the seventh studio album by Taiwanese Mandopop artist Jay Chou. It was released on 5 September 2006 by Alfa Music and distributed by Sony Music Taiwan.The album was originally scheduled for release on 8 September...
, a song by Jay Chou
Jay Chou
Jay Chou is a Taiwanese musician, singer-songwriter, music and film producer, actor and director who has won the World Music Award four times. In 1998 he was discovered in a talent contest where he displayed his piano and song-writing skills. Over the next two years, he was hired to compose for...
, where the lyrics "" (Chrysanthemums scattered, ground filled with wounds/the wounded) are re-rendered with homophones and similar sounds as "" ("Chrysanthemum(Anus)" worms, buttocks covered with wounds). Ju Hua Can can also be interpreted as a pun on another homophone, , meaning "broken chrysanthemum", which would be slang for a "broken anus", referring to (possibly painful) anal sex
Anal sex
Anal sex is the sex act in which the penis is inserted into the anus of a sexual partner. The term can also include other sexual acts involving the anus, including pegging, anilingus , fingering, and object insertion.Common misconception describes anal sex as practiced almost exclusively by gay men...
, as is a homophone meaning "broken". Such a phrase implies hopelessness, as once a person is given a "broken anus", they would find difficulty in sitting down, and so "broken Chrysanthemum" is a common (vulgar) Chinese idiom. These silkworms are said to feed on chrysanthemum flowers rather than mulberry
Mulberry
Morus is a genus of flowering plants in the family Moraceae. The 10–16 species of deciduous trees it contains are commonly known as Mulberries....
leaves (from the article). The article also states that the usage of Chrysanthemum Silkworms dates back to 3000 years ago in Ancient China, and that they were the first cultivation method of silk obtained by early scientists. The silk produced by silkworms that feed on chrysanthemums rather than mulberry
Mulberry
Morus is a genus of flowering plants in the family Moraceae. The 10–16 species of deciduous trees it contains are commonly known as Mulberries....
are able to be produced at a much faster rate, are higher in mass
Mass
Mass can be defined as a quantitive measure of the resistance an object has to change in its velocity.In physics, mass commonly refers to any of the following three properties of matter, which have been shown experimentally to be equivalent:...
, are fireproof
Fireproof
-Track List for Original 2002 Release:# "Fireproof" – 3:46# "Just 2 Get By" – 4:17# "Echelon" – 3:25# "Stay Up" – 3:40# "Behind Closed Doors" – 2:55# "Epidemic" – 3:14# "Hindsight" – 2:57# "Light at My Feet" – 3:28# "A Shame" – 3:17...
, protective against ionizing radiation, bulletproof
Bulletproof
Bulletproofing is the process of making something capable of stopping a bullet or similar high velocity projectiles e.g. shrapnel. The term bullet resistance is often preferred because few, if any, practical materials provide complete protection against all types of bullets, or multiple hits in the...
, and lightweight. However, these silkworms are very difficult to maintain, and easily die. They are vulnerable to cold
Cold
Cold describes the condition of low temperature.Cold may also refer to:*Common cold, a contagious viral infectious disease of the upper respiratory system*Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease...
, heat
Heat
In physics and thermodynamics, heat is energy transferred from one body, region, or thermodynamic system to another due to thermal contact or thermal radiation when the systems are at different temperatures. It is often described as one of the fundamental processes of energy transfer between...
, and are susceptible to changes in humidity
Humidity
Humidity is a term for the amount of water vapor in the air, and can refer to any one of several measurements of humidity. Formally, humid air is not "moist air" but a mixture of water vapor and other constituents of air, and humidity is defined in terms of the water content of this mixture,...
, and thus are very costly to nurture. Noblewomen from ancient times are said to pay large sums of money for such types of silk.
Chun Ge
Chun Ge , literally "Quail PigeonQuail-dove
Geotrygon is a bird genus in the pigeon and dove family . Its members are called quail-doves and all live in the Neotropics. The 17 species of this genus have ranges from southern Mexico and Central America to the West Indies and South America. Quail-doves are ground-dwelling birds that live, nest,...
" is a homophone with (Big Brother Chun). This species of bird is apparently found only in Sichuan
Sichuan
' , known formerly in the West by its postal map spellings of Szechwan or Szechuan is a province in Southwest China with its capital in Chengdu...
and Hunan
Hunan
' is a province of South-Central China, located to the south of the middle reaches of the Yangtze River and south of Lake Dongting...
; formerly found in the area that is now the Republic of Yemen.
The term "Big Brother Chun" ( has been used to refer to the female singer Li Yuchun
Li Yuchun
Li Yuchun also known as Chris Lee is a Chinese pop singer and actress who achieved instant fame when she won the nationwide singing contest Super Girl in 2005. She is now working with Taihe Rye Music and released her first album The Queen and the Dream in September 2006. Her second album titled...
due to her apparent androgynous appearance. "Yemen" comes from the catchphrase chūn gē chún yé men , meaning "Brother Chun is a real man" — , meaning "grandfather", can also be read as "masculine" (young males in Northeast China
Northeast China
Northeast China, historically known in English as Manchuria, is a geographical region of China, consisting of the three provinces of Liaoning, Jilin and Heilongjiang. The region is sometimes called the Three Northeast Provinces...
use the slang term 爷 as a personal pronoun
Personal pronoun
Personal pronouns are pronouns used as substitutes for proper or common nouns. All known languages contain personal pronouns.- English personal pronouns :English in common use today has seven personal pronouns:*first-person singular...
in an impolite context). The Chun can also refer to fa chun , which is slang for sexual arousal
Sexual arousal
Sexual arousal, or sexual excitement, is the arousal of sexual desire, during or in anticipation of sexual activity. Things that precipitate human sexual arousal are called erotic stimuli, or colloquially known as turn-ons. There are many potential stimuli, both physical or mental, which can cause...
- literally "Spring
Spring (season)
Spring is one of the four temperate seasons, the transition period between winter and summer. Spring and "springtime" refer to the season, and broadly to ideas of rebirth, renewal and regrowth. The specific definition of the exact timing of "spring" varies according to local climate, cultures and...
has come".
Ji Ba Mao
Ji Ba Mao , literally "Lucky Journey Cat" (a homophone with , referring to pubic hairPubic hair
Pubic hair is hair in the frontal genital area, the crotch, and sometimes at the top of the inside of the legs; these areas form the pubic region....
, as the homophone jība translates to "penis", while the definition of máo is "hair" or "fur".) The original article states that this cat lives in dark, damp environments and competes for food with the White Tiger (white tiger is a slang term for a woman's shaved pubic area). Additionally, the Ji Ba Mao flourished during the reign of the Zhengde Emperor
Zhengde Emperor
The Zhengde Emperor was emperor of China between 1505-1521. Born Zhu Houzhao, he was the Hongzhi Emperor's eldest son...
.
Wei Shen Jing
Wei Shen Jing , literally "Stretch-Tailed Whale" (a near-homophone with , wèishēngjīn, referring to menstrual pads). From the Baidu Baike article, it was discovered by Zheng HeZheng He
Zheng He , also known as Ma Sanbao and Hajji Mahmud Shamsuddin was a Hui-Chinese mariner, explorer, diplomat and fleet admiral, who commanded voyages to Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and East Africa, collectively referred to as the Voyages of Zheng He or Voyages of Cheng Ho from...
during his maritime adventures, this creature was hunted for clothing material to manufacture women's lingerie
Lingerie
Lingerie are fashionable and possibly alluring undergarments.Lingerie usually incorporates one or more flexible, stretchy materials like Lycra, nylon , polyester, satin, lace, silk and sheer fabric which are not typically used in more functional, basic cotton undergarments.The term in the French...
.
Yin Dao Yan
Yin Dao Yan , literally "Singing Field Goose" (a homophone with Yīn Dào Yán, meaning a VaginitisVaginitis
Vaginitis is an inflammation of the vagina. It can result in discharge, itching and pain, and is often associated with an irritation or infection of the vulva. It is usually due to infection. The three main kinds of vaginitis are bacterial vaginosis , vaginal candidiasis, and trichomoniasis. A...
infection). From the article on Yin Dao Yan, in the Kangxi era, a large goose dove into a certain field, damaging it and causing the local farmers to come down with a strange sickness.
Da Fei Ji
Da Fei Ji , literally "Intelligent Fragrant Chicken" (a homophone with Dǎ Fēi Jī, slang for masturbation while literally meaning "hit the aeroplane"). According to the original article, Da Fei Ji is a species of bird that likes exercise, and the malesPenis
The penis is a biological feature of male animals including both vertebrates and invertebrates...
use neck spasms
Masturbation
Masturbation refers to sexual stimulation of a person's own genitals, usually to the point of orgasm. The stimulation can be performed manually, by use of objects or tools, or by some combination of these methods. Masturbation is a common form of autoeroticism...
and spit out a white secretion
Semen
Semen is an organic fluid, also known as seminal fluid, that may contain spermatozoa. It is secreted by the gonads and other sexual organs of male or hermaphroditic animals and can fertilize female ova...
to impress females during mating seasons.
Qian Lie Xie
Qian Lie Xie , literally "Hidden Fiery Crab", closely resembles qián liè xiàn , which translates to prostateProstate
The prostate is a compound tubuloalveolar exocrine gland of the male reproductive system in most mammals....
glands. According to the article, this is a legendary crab that once stopped up the Grand Canal (referring to the urinary tract).
Official response
The State Administration of Radio, Film, and TelevisionState Administration of Radio, Film, and Television
The State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television is an executive branch under the State Council of the People's Republic of China...
issued a directive on 30 March 2009 to highlight 31 categories of content prohibited online, including violence, pornography, content which may "incite ethnic discrimination or undermine social stability". Many netizens believe the instruction follows the official embarrassment over the rise of the "Grass Mud Horse" phenomenon.
See also
- River crab (Internet slang)River crab (Internet slang)River crab and Harmonious/Harmonize/Harmonization are Internet slangs created by Chinese netizens in reference to Internet censorship or the other censorship of China...
- Internet in the People's Republic of ChinaInternet in the People's Republic of ChinaThe first connection of the mainland of the People's Republic of China with the Internet was established on between ICA Beijing and Karlsruhe University in Germany, under the leadership of Prof. Werner Zorn and Prof. Wang Yunfeng. Since then the Internet in China has grown to host the largest base...
- Internet censorship in the People's Republic of ChinaInternet censorship in the People's Republic of ChinaInternet censorship in the People's Republic of China is conducted under a wide variety of laws and administrative regulations. There are no specific laws or regulations which the censorship follows...
- Internet memeInternet memeThe term Internet meme is used to describe a concept that spreads via the Internet. The term is a reference to the concept of memes, although the latter concept refers to a much broader category of cultural information.-Description:...
- Mandarin Chinese profanity
- Jia JunpengJia JunpengJia Junpeng was an internet meme and catchphrase that became popular within the People's Republic of China in 2009.- Origins :A post in Chinese titled "Jia Junpeng, your mother is calling you home to eat" appeared on the Chinese portal Baidu in the forum for the game World of Warcraft at 10:59 a.m...
- Very erotic very violentVery erotic very violentVery erotic very violent is a Chinese internet meme that originated from a news report on China Central Television's flagship Xinwen Lianbo program allegedly quoting a schoolgirl describing a web page...
- UncyclopediaUncyclopediaUncyclopedia is a satirical website that parodies Wikipedia. Founded in 2005 as an originally English-language wiki, the project currently spans over 75 languages...
- Yax LizardYax LizardThe Yax Lizard - Yà Kè Xī - is a mythical creature named after a Xinjiang musical dance program Happy life Yaxshi in the CCTV Spring Festival's Gala 2010. It was supposedly a Komodo Dragon...
Further reading
- Chinese bloggers protest blocking of YouTube, AsiaNews.it, 25 March 2009
- Jean Meulenot, Un poney face à la censure chinoise, L'ExpressL'Express (France)L'Express is a French weekly news magazine. When founded in 1953 during the First Indochina War, it was modelled on the US magazine TIME.-History:...
, 18 March 2009 - Le clip animalier chinois qui critique le régime, France InfoFrance InfoFrance Info is a major French public news radio station, part of the Radio France group. The station is available across the country broadcasting world news 24 hours...
, 14 March 2009 - Pascale Nivelle, « Caonima », le clip qui fait la nique à Pékin, Ecrans, LibérationLibérationLibération is a French daily newspaper founded in Paris by Jean-Paul Sartre and Serge July in 1973 in the wake of the protest movements of May 1968. Originally a leftist newspaper, it has undergone a number of shifts during the 1980s and 1990s...
, 16 March 2009 - Le lama andin se déchaîne contre la censure chinoise sur Internet, Le MondeLe MondeLe Monde is a French daily evening newspaper owned by La Vie-Le Monde Group and edited in Paris. It is one of two French newspapers of record, and has generally been well respected since its first edition under founder Hubert Beuve-Méry on 19 December 1944...
, 17 March 2009 - Wen Yunchao, Les "lamas boueux" contre les censeurs du Net, France 24France 24France 24 is an international news and current affairs television channel. The service is aimed at the overseas market, similar to BBC World News, DW-TV, NHK World and RT, and broadcast through satellite and cable operators throughout the world. During 2010 the channel started broadcasting through...
, 13 March 2009