In a curious instance of image censorship, China has stirred controversy by seemingly censoring a photograph capturing two Chinese hurdlers embracing after a race. The reason behind the censorship lies in the unintended reference their lane numbers made to the Tiananmen massacre of 1989.
The photograph in question features Lin Yuwei, positioned in lane 6, and Wu Yanni, in lane 4, sharing a heartfelt embrace following the women’s 100-meter hurdles final during the 19th Asian Games held in Hangzhou.
A closer look at the image reveals that stickers displaying their lane numbers inadvertently formed the combination “6 4,” which many viewers interpreted as an allusion to the tragic events of June 4, 1989. This date is indelibly marked by the arrival of Chinese military tanks in Beijing, culminating in a violent crackdown aimed at dispersing students advocating for democracy within Tiananmen Square.
Chinese authorities maintain a tight grip on any references to this historical event, scrupulously removing all mentions of it from the internet within China. They are also swift to expunge any connection to it on social media platforms. Even seemingly unrelated appearances of the numbers 6, 4, and 89 are subject to censorship.
Notably, this incident occurred on October 1, China’s National Day, a sensitive occasion when authorities remain vigilant against any potential signs of dissent that could detract from the festivities.
Initially, state broadcaster CCTV shared the photograph on Weibo, China’s equivalent of Twitter, on Sunday night. However, it was removed from their account approximately an hour later. A search for the image on Weibo yielded no results on Thursday. However, sporadic posts featuring another photograph showing the athletes crossing a hurdle with their lane numbers visible, albeit in a less conspicuous manner, can still be located.
Notably, the image is absent from Baidu, a popular Chinese search engine, and Google services remain inaccessible within the country.
An article published by state news agency Xinhua on Monday also featured the image, albeit with the numbers discreetly cropped out.
CNN has initiated contact with Weibo, Baidu, CCTV, and the Propaganda Department of the Chinese Communist Party in pursuit of clarification on the matter.
China’s strict censorship extends beyond criticism of the Communist Party and encompasses subjects deemed sensitive or incompatible with the party’s principles and ideology. These regulations have previously led to the censorship of seemingly benign content, such as images of women’s cleavage and men modeling lingerie as part of sales promotions on social media.