SAEDNEWS: Things Banned in China That May Surprise You
Some people may think the Chinese government is concerned about this plant species because it included it in its list of prohibitions. However, the reality is that after the 2011 revolution in Tunisia—known as the “Jasmine Revolution”—the communist government banned anything related to this flower. This includes buying, selling, cultivating, and even talking about it.
According to a law enacted by the Chinese government, only 34 foreign films are allowed to be screened in the country’s cinemas each year. Even after approval, these films undergo extensive censorship, and anything that the communist government deems contrary to its ideals is removed. It is still unclear where this number 34 comes from and why, for example, 30 films are not shown instead.
Twitter users in China cannot access the platform. In line with the “Great Firewall of China” policy, many websites and social media networks are blocked in the country, and everything is heavily censored and monitored.
Many celebrities around the world are banned from entering China. For example, Harrison Ford and Richard Gere were restricted due to their open support for Tibetan independence. Brad Pitt also lost permission to enter China after starring in the film Seven Years in Tibet.
The film Avatar was highly successful during its release in China, and this popularity led the communist government, fearing its influence, to ban its screening a few weeks later. Interestingly, only the 2D version of Avatar is banned in China, and it is unclear why the 3D version is not.
In 2000, the Chinese government announced a ban on all video games, consoles, and related equipment to prevent young people from wasting time and instead encourage them to work. In January 2014, however, the government temporarily lifted this ban, and it remains unclear how long people will be allowed to choose between gaming and work.
Whether or not laws should exist for time travel may seem absurd in itself, but in China, discussion of time travel is censored. For unclear reasons, whenever time travel is mentioned, it is removed from public discourse. It seems as though the authorities do not want people to learn what might have happened to their ancestors in the past.
The classic novel Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll is banned in China. The reason is that the communist government does not like talking animals. From their perspective, if animals speak like humans, it implies equality with humans—which they consider a serious problem.
