The top online stories from China in 2009
The last 12 months have been full of conversation topics, from bizarre police 'fishing operations' to female soldiers clad in white knee-high boots and pink dresses. As the year draws to a close, Xinhua.net (Chinese) has put together a list of internet buzz words, stories and phrases that got people talking. These are our favorites.
60th anniversary (60周年）
It was hard to miss this birthday celebration. China partied into its 60th anniversary at Beijing’s Tiananmen Square with a performance extravaganza that made the 2008 opening ceremony look modest. It was the celebration's military parade and the women marching in white boots that got most tongues wagging.
Carbon copy
More than just making headlines, environmental issues brought new memes into Chinese conversations, the most popular of which was "我为全球减斤碳." Meaning “I reduce carbon for the planet," the phrase was central to an environmental campaign that started in 2009 with the goal of making a greener China. How did it go? Read up here.
Duo mao mao (躲猫猫, playing hide and seek)
While in police custody in Yunnan Province, 24-year-old Li Qiaoming died in hospital after suffering fatal brain injuries. The official explanation from the police was that “he hit the wall while he was duo mao mao.” Duo mao mao soon became the hottest phrase on the Chinese internet. The online frenzy in protest against the official line led to an investigation of the case.
Fishy story (釣魚執法事件)
During the Shanghai government’s “fishing operations”, cab driver Sun Zhongjie was arrested by police after picking up a traffic official who posed as a passenger with an upset stomach. Sun was accused of driving a black (illegal) cab. Sun chopped off one of his own fingers to prove that was not the case.
Qi shi ma (欺實碼, 70 kph)
When a deadly race car accident was caused by Hu Bin, son of a wealthy man from Hangzhou, the police said Hu’s speed was just 60-70 kph, much lower than the speed needed to cause the kind of crash he was in. The official response provoked an angry uproar online. “Qi shi ma” and “fu er dai” (second generation of super rich) became popular memes highlighting the divide between the haves and have-nots in China.
Employment of university graduates (大學生就業)
In 2009, 6.11 million people graduated from universities in China. By July 1, 2009, just 68 percent of the graduates were employed. The competition for jobs between China’s new graduates is still instense and was a consistent buzz topic throughout 2009. Even many of those with jobs are now part of the growing ant tribe population.
Tou cai (偷菜, stealing vegetables)
An internet game called “Tou Cai” from China’s own version of Facebook, Kaixin.com, gave people a distraction during the 2009 economic crisis. “Have you tou cai today?” became a catch phrase within the massive Kaixin community and was soon a hugely popular phrase across China.
Internet addiction camp
With the increasing number of young Internet addicts in China, Internet addiction camps also emerged as a new industry. A 16-year-old from Nanning was beaten to death during his treatment at a camp in August thrusting the topic to the forefront of the news.
Wo Ju (蜗居, Dwelling Narrowness)
Wo Ju, a TV series based on an eponymous novel portrays the daily life of the younger generation who work in cubicles of 1sq m, pay housing loans (are 'house slaves' to their morgages), take the bus and, if they're lucky, eat boxed lunches. Wo Ju also became the catchphrase used by young people who struggle between a housing dream and the reality.
