Chinese news agency's list of banned words reveals political correctness

Posted By Blake Hounshell Friday, December 29, 2006 - 4:40 PM Share

With the caveat that FP can't verify the authenticity of this list, below are the highlights of a translation of what purports to be Xinhua's banned terms (Xinhua is China's national news agency).

As popular China blogger Jeremy Goldkorn observes, "Aside from the rather predictable rules about Taiwan... most of the list resembles a guide to Western style political correctness rather than the usual Communist Party list of taboo words and subject matter."

  • Physically handicapped persons should not be described by denigrating terms such as "cripple 残废人", "one-eyed dragon 独眼龙", "blindie 瞎子", "deafie 聋子", "fool 傻子", "idiot 呆子". Instead, the appropriate terms are "handicapped person 残疾人", "blind person 盲人", "deaf person 聋人", "mentally impaired person 智力障碍者".
  • In reporting about medicine, do not use terms such as "best curative effect 疗效最佳", "cure once and for all 根治", "safe prevention  安全预防", "safe without side effect 安全无副作用." In reporting about medical drugs, do not use terms such as "cure immediately after taking 药到病除", "refund if ineffective 无效退款", "insured by insurance company 保险公司保险", "latest technology 最新技术", "highest technology 最高技术", "most advanced production method 最先进制法", "king of medicines 药之王", "national-class new medicine 国家级新药," etc.
  • For persons in the art and literature field, do no use terms such as "movie king 影帝", "movie queen 影后", "superstar 巨星", "celestial king 天王". Normally, use instead "art and literature field person 文艺界人士" or "famous actor/actress 著名演员", "famous artist 著名艺术家," etc.
  • As a national news agency, Xinhua should not be using slang, obscenities and gangster talk such as "Wa-sigh (So grateful!) 哇噻", "Mother's 妈的", etc.
  • When reports on criminal cases refer to "thieves" and "rapists", the social position of the individual should not appear as a prefix.  For example, a worker who stole should not be described as "worker thief"; a professor who committed a crime should not be written as "professor criminal."
  • It is forbidden to use slang or professional terminology that may insult various ethnic groups.  For example, it is prohibited to use "Mongolian doctor 蒙古大夫" for a charlatan doctor, or to use "Mongolian" to refer to the condition of Down syndrome.
  • In all reports concerning persons of Islamic faith, "pork" must not be mentioned.
  • Hong Kong and Macau are special administrative regions of China.  Taiwan is a province of China.  In any text, map and map annotations, do not describe them as "nations."  When a nation and its regions are cited simultaneously, pay extra attention to remember to write as "the nation and its regions."
  • In the public reports, do not use "Islamic fundamentalism 伊斯兰原教旨主义", "Islamic fundamentalists 伊斯兰原教旨主义者", etc. Use instead "religious extremism 宗教激进主义 (religious extremists 宗教激进派)" as substitute. If the reference cannot be avoided, then use "Islamic extremist organization 伊斯兰激进组织" but not "extremist Islamic organization 激进伊斯兰组织".
  • Do not mention the "crusaders", etc.
  • In hostage reports, do not use "decapitation 斩首". Use neutral language such as "the hostage was killed by having the head cut off 人质被砍头杀害."
EXPLORE:EAST ASIA, CHINA, FREEDOM, MEDIA
 
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