China’s Qingdao Authorities Ban Books for Students

As the new school year is around the corner, Communist China’s Qingdao local authorities notified schools in their districts to ban some books they deemed “no longer suitable for students.”

These banned books include all the works of the famous Taiwanese writer Lung Ying-tai (龙应台), books authored by Yi Zhongtian (易中天), a former professor of the Chinese Department at Xiamen (厦门) University, such as his “Yi Zhongtian Chinese Classic Stories,” children literature author Yang Hongzhuo’s (杨红樱) “Naive Mother” from Naughty Ma Xiaotiao (马小跳) series, “Mi Xiaohuan’s (米小圈) School Diary” by children literature writer Bei Mao (北猫), “Young Children’s Chinese History Stories with Pictures” edited by Chen Lihua (陈丽华), a former deputy director of the Beijing Palace Museum, and all creations of cartoonist Guo Jingxiong (郭竞熊).

The notice requires all schools in Qingdao to inspect all their books stored in libraries, reading rooms, book corners, offices, and other places by 3 pm, August 28th, and to remove banned books immediately, along with an inventory report detailing these banned books.In response to this, the renowned writer Lung Ying-tai felt honored for her works being banned by the Chinese Communist Party, and she would continue to open closed windows in people’s hearts through her literature works. She hopes people would understand the only reason for the existence of their nations is to bring happiness to their people, and the fundamental purpose of these governments is to ensure individual freedom.