recent events in china have highlighted the precarious position of creators within the danmei literary sphere, a genre that has seen immense growth but now faces significant governmental scrutiny. authorities in beijing have taken actions that have made discussions surrounding these authors increasingly difficult, leading to the swift disappearance of critical commentary and support.
a prominent hashtag, translating to 'haitang authors arrested,' garnered tens of millions of views on weibo before being systematically removed.
similarly, platforms offering legal guidance and discussions related to the situation have also been scrubbed from the internet.
prominent news outlets have seen their reports on the matter taken down, and the online presence of several writers, including some of their personal profiles, has been erased.
one author, pingping anan yongfu, experienced a viral moment after posting, a post she later deleted. she subsequently shared a new message expressing gratitude for support and acknowledging that her writing had transgressed legal boundaries, before ultimately deleting her account entirely.
her earlier, now-deleted post reportedly conveyed a sense of shame and the feeling of having disappointed her family, noting that her actions would prevent them from holding their heads high.
these women have operated in the shadows for a considerable time in china, a society where homosexuality and eroticism are often met with stigma.
however, current police investigations have brought their work into the public eye, exposing them to social and legal repercussions that are as severe as they are unforgiving. one author recounted the distressing experience of being removed from her university classroom by police, with her peers witnessing the escort to her dormitory for a search.
she expressed that when things went awry, none of the support she had built seemed to matter.
she felt others perceived her as having profited effortlessly. another writer described the police as being surprisingly "gentle," advising her to consult with legal counsel and return any "illegal earnings" to potentially mitigate her sentence.
she lamented, "so young, and i have already ruined my life." a third contributor shared her disbelief: "i never imagined a day would come when every word i wrote would come back to haunt me." an author who has been writing danmei novels for two decades stated that while she hadn't been directly interrogated, she refused to be deterred by the crackdown, asserting, "and i cannot give up the connections i have made with this community."
the rise and appeal of danmei
danmei, a genre inspired by japanese boys' love manga, emerged as an online subgenre in the early 2000s.
it has since achieved remarkable success, with some novels even appearing on international bestseller lists. by 2017, an estimated 60 danmei works had been licensed for adaptation into films and television series. prominent chinese celebrities, such as xiao zhan and wang yibo, launched their careers through streaming series based on danmei novels, underscoring the genre's significant cultural impact.
essentially, danmei represents a rebellious force in pop culture - too popular to be ignored, yet too controversial to be officially embraced.
the platform haitang, which takes its name from the chinese word for a flower that blooms in various shades of pink, is central to this phenomenon.
fittingly, haitang and danmei have flourished as uniquely female-centric spaces, despite often featuring male protagonists. in a society where female sexual desire is frequently policed, danmei has evolved into a coded and creative outlet for expression - a sanctuary where women can explore and articulate feminine desires, even if directed towards other women.
liang ge, a professor of digital sociology at university college london, explains that this is precisely what makes danmei "subversive." she notes that it allows women to "disconnect from gender realities," which are often tied to expectations of marriage and motherhood.
for instance, danmei narratives can feature scenarios where men can become pregnant and openly express vulnerability, a stark contrast to the frequently unequal relationships many chinese women experience in real life.
criticisms and ongoing concerns
however, danmei novels are not without their critics.
some works have been called out for containing extreme or violent scenes. the age of some authors has also raised concerns. several individuals interviewed by the bbc indicated that they began reading and writing gay erotic literature before reaching the age of 18, with some starting as young as 14.
ma, a danmei writer who preferred to use only her surname, believes this is an issue the community itself needs to acknowledge and address. she points out that this concern extends to all forms of adult content, as china does not enforce age restrictions for access.
nonetheless, danmei, in particular, has faced escalating criticism over the past decade, coinciding with beijing's campaigns to "clean up" the internet.
in 2019, a danmei author was sentenced to 10 years in prison for selling 7,000 copies of her book, titled "occupy." professor ge observes that as marriage and birth rates decline and chinese leader xi jinping promotes "national rejuvenation," state surveillance of danmei has intensified.
this current wave of arrests marks the second major crackdown in less than a year; approximately 50 writers from the haitang platform faced legal action the previous year. a lawyer who represented some accused individuals last year stated that while the two crackdowns are similar, "this time, not even those with minimal involvement have been spared."
the impact of the crackdown
one lawyer offering pro bono legal advice reported that over 1,000 individuals sought guidance within a mere two-day period.
many of these individuals have not yet been formally accused but are experiencing intense fear of potential repercussions. the term "abusive jurisdiction" is being used to describe the actions of local police. in this instance, police in lanzhou allegedly summoned writers from various other regions, potentially exceeding their authority.
several writers reported having to cover their own travel expenses to appear in lanzhou. one individual shared that the ¥2,000 (approximately $280) cost of her flight was a significant burden.
last year, all arrests were conducted by police in jixi county, eastern china.
the practice of local governments in debt resorting to such actions to generate revenue through fines has occurred before, sometimes prompting warnings from the central government. cybercrimes are particularly susceptible to this tactic, as a lawyer explained, "it's sufficient to claim that a local reader was corrupted." danmei authors are aware that official tolerance can be fleeting.
consequently, they have historically employed metaphors to circumvent censorship. nevertheless, the recent crackdown has caught many by surprise.
authors have accused police of searching their mobile phones without warrants. they also claim their alleged offenses were calculated by summing the views for each chapter - a method they deem misleading, as it likely inflates the actual number of readers.
another danmei author posted, "i wrote on haitang for years, with only a handful of readers. then those ignored stories accumulated over a thousand clicks, and the 4,000... this is beyond my imagination."
glacier discovery and cultural immersion
this morning promises a spectacular sunrise view of the mt.
kawagebo glacier from the comfort of our guesthouse. in glacier park, a scenic river walk, bordered by spruce trees and crossed by charming wooden bridges, offers breathtaking vistas of the mt. kawagebo glacier. our adventure continues to ice lake, nestled at the glacier's base.
for centuries, buddhists have undertaken pilgrimages to this sacred area, circumambulating a waterfall 13 times with the belief that this ritual can absolve sins from one's life.
en route to cizhong, we will pause to admire the grand canyon, an awe-inspiring natural wonder with its immense depth and idyllic scenery.
our day begins with a visit to a local tibetan catholic church, where we will observe their prayer gathering. this iconic church, established by french missionaries in 1909, serves as a shared space for tibetan, naxi, and lisu communities. the residents here live in picturesque, traditional homes characterized by wooden walls and tiled roofs.
exploring lijiang and beyond
our itinerary today includes a cycling tour of lijiang old town.
should we be carrying our lucky charms, there's a chance we might spot the endangered black-necked crane. adventurous souls, fear not; the terrain will transition from paved surfaces to more rugged paths as we complete our loop. today, we bid farewell to the beautiful province of yunnan.
following breakfast, a transfer to lijiang airport will commence our journey home.
please note: while every effort is made to adhere to the itinerary, factors such as weather, trail conditions, river crossings, and other unforeseen circumstances may necessitate alterations in this remote and less-traveled region.
for an alternative experience, consider our china cultural tour. exclusions: airfare to and from the starting and ending points; meals on day 1 and lunch on day 2; personal expenses including alcoholic beverages, snacks, laundry, and telephone calls; gratuities for guides and the he travel host.
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exclusions: airfare to the starting point in beijing; meals on the arrival day; one lunch and one dinner; personal items such as alcoholic beverages, snacks, laundry, and telephone calls; gratuities for guides and the he travel host.
beijing pre-tour dates: tbd. for those with additional time, we extend an invitation to arrive early and join us for a 3-night visit to beijing. upon arrival at the airport, you will be transferred to your hotel to settle in. no activities are scheduled for today to allow for rest after a long journey.
prepare for tomorrow's explorations.
beijing's historical and modern marvels
after breakfast, we will journey to the magnificent temple of heaven, an imperial complex of religious buildings. subsequently, we will tour tiananmen square and the forbidden city, followed by lunch at the fangshan restaurant, which is designed in the qing dynasty style.
later in the afternoon, we will head north of coal hill for an enjoyable rickshaw tour of beijing's historic hutong district. today will involve an early start for a full day of sightseeing.
we will have lunch before heading to the mutianyu section of the great wall.
a short walk will lead us to a cable car that will transport us to the wall itself. this afternoon, we will pass by the olympic park, constructed for the summer olympics. a visit to a tea house precedes our return to the hotel for the night. dinner will be at your own expense following this packed day of activities.
after breakfast, a private transfer will take you to the airport for your flight to lijiang, where you will join the main tour.
we highly recommend purchasing trip cancellation and interruption insurance to protect your vacation investment against unforeseen events such as flight delays, illness, or injury.
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