CDT presents a month-to-month collection of censored content material that has been added to our “404 Deleted Content material Archive.” Every month, we publish a abstract of content material blocked or deleted (typically yielding the message “404: content material not discovered”) from Chinese language platforms resembling WeChat, Weibo, Douyin (TikTok’s counterpart within the Chinese language market), Xiaohongshu (RedNote), Bilibili, Zhihu, Douban, and others. Though this content material archived by CDT Chinese language editors represents solely a small fraction of the net content material that disappears every day from the Chinese language web, it supplies worthwhile perception into which matters are thought-about “delicate” over time by the Celebration-state, our on-line world authorities, and platform censors. Our totally searchable Chinese language-language “404 Deleted Content material Archive,” at the moment accommodates 2,344 deleted articles, essays, and different items of content material. The entry for every deleted merchandise contains the creator/social media account title, the unique publishing platform, the subject material, the date of deletion, and extra data.
Under is Half Two of CDT’s abstract of deleted content material from December 2025. (Half One contains 20 deleted articles; Half Two contains 21 deleted articles.) Between December 1-31, CDT Chinese language added 41 new articles, principally from WeChat, to the archive. Subjects focused for deletion in December included:
- Cancellations of performances by Japanese entertainers, together with Maki Otsuki and Ayumi Hamasaki, amid the continued Sino-Japanese diplomatic spat over Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s feedback on defending Taiwan.
- Complaints in regards to the rise of “the menstrual police” as pro-natalist native household planning officers undertake extra intrusive strategies, together with calling native ladies to inquire about their menstrual cycles, childbirth plans, and so forth.
- Proposed authorized reforms that might expunge misdemeanors, together with minor drug offenses, from residents’ data after they’ve served their punishment.
- Excessive funds to laid-off staff by Canon and different foreign-owned firms in China have been dubbed “malicious compensation” as a result of they make Chinese language firms look dangerous compared.
- Rural residents face a steep rise in Rural Cooperative Medical Insurance coverage premiums.
- A PR marketing campaign by food-delivery platform Meituan that backfired for over-glorifying the lives of supply riders and understating the trials of their jobs.
- A scandal on the Nanjing Museum results in an investigation into whether or not museum workers secretly offered off a few of the museum’s works.
- “Ming Dynasty nostalgia” is a rising development on-line.
(Observe that the dates within the abstract under seek advice from when an article was printed on the CDT web site, not when it was deleted from Chinese language social-media platforms.)
21. “‘Meteor Backyard’ Really Is a Work of Ming Dynasty Nostalgia,” by Wang Xiaolei, WeChat account Liushen Leilei Reads Jin Yong
December 11, 2025
On-line commentator, humorist, and former political reporter Wang Xiaolei satirizes the current on-line development towards “Ming Dynasty nostalgia” amongst Chinese language nationalists by claiming that “Meteor Backyard” (a well-liked 2001 Taiwanese “idol drama” primarily based on the Japanese manga “Boys Over Flowers”) is a piece steeped in Ming Dynasty symbolism and nostalgia. To bolster his tongue-in-cheek claims, Wang applies sham numerology and homophony to varied character names, places, and occasions to tease out the present’s “hidden references” to all issues nice and Ming. After publishing this piece, Wang’s account was suspended (see #26, under).
22. “‘Father of [China’s] COVID-19 Vaccine’ Falls From Grace, All His Awards Revoked,” by Zhang Yunsu, WeChat account Incorrect (不正确, bù zhèngquè)
December 13, 2025
This text from Zhang Yunsu explores the “underreported story” of Yang Xiaoming, the “father of China’s COVID-19 vaccine,” having all of his earlier scientific awards revoked. Yang, former chief scientist at China Nationwide Biotec Group below Chinese language state-owned Sinopharm, was dismissed in 2024 from his place as a Nationwide Individuals’s Congress (NPC) delegate attributable to “suspected severe violations of self-discipline and legislation.” Zhang discusses three matters associated to Yang’s downfall: current corruption and malpractice circumstances which have eroded public belief in medical and scientific specialists; rampant structural corruption that has undermined the fame of China’s pharmaceutical business; and the necessity to transfer past “witch hunts” and set up institutional safeguards and clear mechanisms to forestall “the subsequent Yang Xiaoming.”
23. “Whether or not Through the Qing or the Ming, Your Ancestors Would Have Been Too Lowly To Even Haul Shit,” by Mu Bai, from WeChat account Mu Bai’s Writing is Mediocre
December 13, 2025
Blogger Mu Bai mocks the current wave of “dynastic nostalgia” amongst some on-line Chinese language nationalists who establish with the emperors and generals of yore, and interact in heated arguments about whether or not the Ming or the Qing Dynasty was extra badass. Mu Bai provides a “actuality test” by reminding these wannabe political cos-players that they’re possible descended from the downtrodden who, in any given dynasty, “would have been too lowly to even haul across the Emperor’s shit-bucket on a shoulder-pole.” As for why Ming and Qing nostalgia has change into a development, the creator mentions components resembling nationalism, historic resentment, boredom, heavy on-line censorship, the will to vent, and the recognition of escapist brief historic and costume dramas. Mu Bai likens this type of historic escapism to “non secular opium.”
24. “So It Turns Out ‘Marxist Scriptures’ Are the Secret to Success for 26-Yr-Outdated ‘Youngest Doctoral Supervisor Ever,’” by Xiang Dongliang, WeChat account Constructive Opinions
December 14, 2025
Well-liked-science blogger and present occasions commentator Xiang Dongliang examines the profession trajectory of Min Chao, a professor of Marxism who at 26 grew to become the youngest doctoral supervisor in China’s historical past below Zhejiang College’s “One Hundred Abilities Program.” Xiang digs into Min’s quite a few awards, most of which appear to be ideological somewhat than educational in nature, in addition to his publication document, which compares poorly to different excellent teachers who occupy much less lofty positions. (For instance, Xiang notes the dearth of main sources and reliance on translated sources in a few of Min’s printed papers.) At a top-tier establishment resembling Peking College, Xiang writes, doctoral supervisors below the age of 35 are uncommon, however Zhejiang College has an accelerated program that fast-tracks some teachers in fascinating fields resembling Marxist Research. The creator concludes that, given the Nationwide Social Science Fund of China’s (NSSFC) large growth of funding for Marxist Research in recent times—it’s now NSSFC’s largest class in funding for the humanities and social sciences—younger professors resembling Min Chao have been capable of turbocharge their careers by tailoring their educational work to the CCP’s favored ideological considerations.
25. “Is There No Technique to Treatment Canon of ‘Malicious Compensation?’” by Track Xi, WeChat Account Incorrect (不正确, bù zhèngquè)
December 15, 2025
This was December’s second archived article about Japanese producer Canon’s unusually beneficiant severance funds to staff laid off from its manufacturing unit in Zhongshan, Guangdong province, attributable to a manufacturing shift to Southeast Asia. Some critics in China have argued that such magnanimous remedy of staff by Japanese and different overseas producers is “silly generosity” or “malicious compensation” as a result of it makes Chinese language corporations look stingy compared. Writer Track Xi highlights social-media platform Douyin’s resolution to limit a viral screenshot, posted by a person who had labored on the manufacturing unit for 18 years, of his severance fee receipt exhibiting a financial institution deposit of 630,000 yuan (over $91,000 U.S.) Douyin claimed that the publish violated platform guidelines towards “wealth flaunting,” however Track challenges this logic by asking why rich Douyin customers are allowed to publish photographs of high-priced vehicle emblems whereas hardworking manufacturing unit staff can’t even share information of their uncommon success. Douyin’s resolution, writes Track, exposes the platform’s double requirements and arbitrary content-review standards.
26. “How Does Satirizing ‘Ming Dynasty Nostalgia’ Violate Platform Guidelines? There’s Extra To Liushen Leilei’s Account Suspension Than Meets the Eye,” by Xu Peng, WeChat account Historical past Rhymes
December 15, 2025
Xu Peng confesses to being baffled by the current suspension of blogger, humorist, and former political reporter Wang Xiaolei’s WeChat account “Liushen Leilei Reads Jin Yong.” That account was suspended by the platform after a consumer criticism concerning Wang’s article satirizing “Ming Dynasty nostalgia” (see #21, above), during which he mocks on-line nationalists for blindly romanticizing the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644 C.E.) After questioning the logic of Wang’s suspension, Xu Peng proceeds to match the Ming Dynasty unfavorably with the sooner Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty (1271–1368 C.E.), arguing that the Yuan Dynasty was much less centralized and thus much less repressive, a boon for extraordinary residents of the time.
27. “Rural Cooperative Medical Insurance coverage Annual Premium Rises to 400 Yuan: The Heartbreaking Fact Behind Why Some Farmers Stopped Making Funds,” by Xiong Zhi, WeChat Account Glacier Suppose Tank
December 15, 2025
A report about why so many farmers aren’t paying their obligatory annual medical health insurance premiums for the RCMS (Rural Cooperative Medical Scheme). Because the RCMS was launched as a pilot program in 2003, creator Xiong Zhi writes, annual per-person premiums have soared from 10 yuan to 400 yuan (roughly $58 U.S.), a forty-fold enhance that many rural residents can not afford. The creator additionally cites growing worries amongst rural residents about waste inside the system, an unfair distribution of assets, and price-gouging by profit-driven hospitals.
28. “Is This Any Technique to Resolve Such an Egregious Incident?” by 书荼门人 (shūtú ménrén), WeChat account 走读新生 (zǒudú xīnshēng)
December 16, 2025
This text questions whether or not the sunshine sanctions meted out to village officers in Huixian County, Henan Province have been adequate punishment, given their egregious conduct: with a purpose to keep away from the village having to repay a debt of 781,000 yuan ($113,000 U.S.) to a neighborhood creditor, the officers cast paperwork to muddy the waters and make it troublesome for the creditor to gather on the debt. Particularly, in these cast paperwork, they changed the title of the present village occasion secretary with the title of an intellectually disabled man from the village. The creator additionally mentions one other incident during which officers acquired outrageously lenient punishment: the “dismissal or reassignment” of 16 native regulatory officers discovered to have engaged in rampant extortion and bribery. The prevalence of such slap-on-the-wrist punishments, writes the creator, serves as no deterrent and solely contributes to continued official malfeasance.
29. “Central Fee for Self-discipline Inspection, Take Observe: Retired Deputy Governor Had 2.43 Million Yuan Price of Model-Identify Liquor Stolen by His ‘Butler,’” by NetEase
December 19, 2025
A wild story a couple of butler named Li Peng who was sentenced to 10 and a half years in jail for stealing over 2.43 million yuan (roughly $340,000 U.S.) price of Moutai and different luxurious spirits from his employer Chen **Ming, a retired provincial deputy governor dwelling in Qingdao, Shandong province. There have been two additional plot twists: first, when police examined the bottles of Moutai that that they had recovered, 42 of 44 turned out to be fakes. Second, Mr. Chen later filed a police report claiming that media protection of the case had defamed him and violated his privateness. The NetEase article requires an official corruption probe to reply the query: how did a public servant on a authorities wage handle to accumulate a liquor assortment price thousands and thousands?
30. “The Adjustments Occurring in China Are Written within the Public Fiscal Knowledge,” by 边城蝴蝶梦 (Biānchéng húdié mèng, “Bordertown butterfly dream”), WeChat Account Port Youth
December 20, 2025
The creator examines fiscal income information launched by the Ministry of Finance on December 17, 2025 (this contains tax- and non-tax authorities income for the primary 11 months of 2025) and concludes that every one indicators level to an general financial slowdown. The creator notes the low development in VAT, consumption, and company tax income, in addition to the large 17.4% drop in automobile buy tax income, a gauge of financial confidence amongst extraordinary shoppers. Concerning the 11.5% enhance in private revenue tax income, the creator argues that it doesn’t sign a commensurate enhance in private revenue throughout 2025, since incomes are definitely not rising at double-digit charges. Quite, it possible displays extra sturdy tax-collection efforts aimed toward middle-class Chinese language taxpayers, provided that poorer residents can not afford to pay extra taxes, and wealthier taxpayers are inclined to earn extra from investments than from wages, are higher at shielding their revenue sources from taxation, and are more durable to gather from. Whereas rising incomes and housing costs might have insulated the middle-class prior to now, the creator writes, in coming years, they are going to be squeezed by a mixture of stagnant wages, a weak property sector, and extra aggressive income-tax assortment efforts.
31. “Telecom Operators Do as Instructed, and Handle to Block 99% of Rip-off Calls!” WeChat account Hereditary Editorial Division (家传编辑部, Jiāchuán biānjíbù)
December 22, 2025
This text asks why it took so lengthy for China’s three main telecom operators (China Telecom, China Cell, and China Unicom) to start critically blocking robocalls from scammers. The creator notes that it was solely in December, after the U.S. Federal Communications Fee (FCC) threatened to bar the three telecoms from connecting to U.S. networks until they met a December 22 deadline for cracking down on robocalls, that the telecom giants lastly took motion. If the telecoms have been succesful all alongside of blocking such calls, the creator asks, why didn’t they act sooner? And why haven’t they made extra efforts to guard cell subscribers in China from telecom scammers? The creator additionally mentions the disconnect between the current U.S. indictment of Chinese language-Cambodian cyber-fraud kingpin Chen Zhi (and the seizure of his $14 billion in Bitcoin) with the business-related awards he was given in China, and Chinese language and Cambodian authorities’ years of overlooking his unlawful actions. Towards the top of the article, the creator asks, “Why is it at all times foreigners who need to step in and resolve these issues?”
32. “Japanese Routes Cancelled, However Flights to Cambodia Are Simple to Purchase,” by Mu Qi, WeChat account Mu Qi Says
December 22, 2025
Blogger Mu Qi recounts a dialog with a good friend in regards to the power of the Chinese language yuan and whether or not there’s nonetheless cash to be made by shopping for luxurious items abroad and reselling them in China (代购, dàigòu). Mu Qi’s good friend mentions the current rash of Japan-bound flight cancellations amid Sino-Japanese diplomatic tensions, and Mu Qi, checking on-line, confirms that whereas there has definitely been a fall in Japan-bound flights on Chinese language carriers, there are nonetheless loads of tickets out there for journey to Cambodia. Mu Qi sardonically notes that he’s completely not advocating a resumption of flights to Japan, and cautions readers that in the event that they do journey to Japan, they need to train warning in posting about their journey on Chinese language social media, lest they be criticized for being unpatriotic. On a extra severe notice, the creator reminds readers that given the combating alongside the Cambodia-Thailand border and a few bombings of Cambodian telecom rip-off compounds, it is perhaps higher to keep away from battle zones and as an alternative journey to nations that provide extra authorized transparency, safer monetary transactions, and higher general security.
33. “Commentary on Ningbo’s ‘Little Luoxi Incident’: Sufferers Can’t Be Used as Lab Rats,” by Chengdu Sewers, WeChat account Open Knowledge
December 22, 2025
A strongly worded commentary a couple of medical scandal in Ningbo, Zhejiang province, that drew nationwide consideration. The piece particulars the loss of life of a five-month-old toddler often called “little Luoxi” on November 14, after a surgical procedure to right a congenital coronary heart defect. Luoxi’s dad and mom, who later organized an unbiased post-mortem and launched the outcomes on-line, have alleged that the surgeon did not notify them of the dangers and that the surgical procedure was pointless, as this type of coronary heart defect generally resolves by itself. (A separate case additionally involving pointless surgical procedures was highlighted in CDT’s roundup of notable quotes from 2025.) Noting the extraordinary public anger over the case, this commentary urges a radical investigation into the surgeon and the hospital for the sake of accountability and avoidance of future malpractice incidents. (An investigation resulted in 12 medical personnel on the hospital being disciplined; in February 2026, the hospital’s chief surgeon, surnamed Chen, misplaced his job and had his medical license revoked.)
34. “The Antiquities Swindle,” by Feng Haonan, WeChat account 兽楼处 (Shòu lóu chù, “Beast workplace”)
December 22, 2025
This long-form article is the primary of 4 deleted items in December a couple of decades-long mismanagement and corruption scandal on the Nanjing Museum in Jiangsu province. The creator discusses varied antiquities swindles via the ages, and describes how not less than 5 of the 137 artworks donated to the Nanjing Museum by the household of collector Pang Laichen have been falsely recognized as fakes, transferred to a state-owned provincial storehouse for cultural relics, and resold at public sale for a revenue. The Pang household found the subterfuge after one of many donated works—“Jiangnan Spring,” a silk-scroll portray by Ming Dynasty painter Qiu Ying, price an estimated 88 million yuan ($12.5 million)—surfaced at a Beijing public sale in Might of 2025. The story broke in December 2025 and an investigation was launched; this month, in February, the investigation concluded that there had been systematic mismanagement and corruption on the Nanjing Museum, and 25 people concerned now face authorized or disciplinary motion.
35. “Eight Lifeless as Car Transporting Kindergarteners Plunges into Pond,” by Lü Yaxuan, from China Newsweek
December 24, 2025
A report from China Newsweek (not related to the U.S. publication Newsweek) a couple of crash that killed seven kindergarten college students and one grownup when the van during which they have been touring plunged right into a pond in a rural space of Pengzi county, Jiangxi province. The article contains interviews with dad and mom, witnesses, educators, and authorized specialists. Some posited that the van might have been used, in violation of laws requiring that colleges use buses to move college students, as a cost-saving measure by the college.
36. “From the Cultural Revolution to the Nanjing Museum Incident: Energy Operating Roughshod Over the Rule of Regulation is a Perennial Downside,” by Su Yuanbao, WeChat account 沔溪杂谭 闲堂闲话 (Miǎnxī Zátán, Xiántáng Xiánhuà)
December 24, 2025
Su Yuanbao contrasts the current scandal in regards to the unlawful switch and sale of work from the Nanjing Museum with the looting of books and artworks by Purple Guards and cadres resembling Kang Sheng in the course of the Cultural Revolution. Though that Cultural Revolution-era interval of lawlessness now lies prior to now, writes the creator, the safety of cultural relics and property in the end is determined by the rule of legislation and constraints on abuse of energy. Complete authorized provisions and oversight of energy are important to defending China’s worthwhile cultural relics.
37. “2025 Report on ‘Buddy Circle Estrangement,’” WeChat account Plan C (C计划, C jìhuà)
December 25, 2025
This lengthy article discusses ten controversial tales from the previous yr, and ranks every (on a scale of 1 to 5 stars) for its potential to sow estrangement amongst one’s household and associates’ circle on WeChat. In line with the creator, essentially the most divisive matters, indicated by a five-star ranking, have been the Wuhan College library sexual harassment incident, which some claimed was a witch hunt and others claimed was justified; and the expulsion of a younger lady from Dalian Polytechnic College for her consensual relationship with a visiting Ukranian e-sports participant, which touched off debates about misogyny, double requirements, and “sexual nationalism.”
38. “Nanjing Museum’s Lacking Work Are Clearly an Egregious Case of State-Asset Embezzlement,” WeChat account Glacier Suppose Account (冰川思享号, Biāngchuān sī xiǎng hào)
December 25, 2025
This text, from a weblog related to WeChat account Glacier Suppose Tank, discusses an investigation by The Paper into the Nanjing Museum’s “lacking work” scandal. The creator argues that Nanjing Museum practiced deception at each step of the best way: deliberately misclassifying a few of the donated work as fakes, shifting and promoting them at public sale, deceptive the household that donated the works, and mendacity to the general public about what was primarily a heist of Chinese language cultural artifacts, an inside job pushed by greed and corruption.
39. “Within the Identify of Nationwide Treasures,” by Li Yuchen, WeChat Account Li Yuchen
December 26, 2025
Authorized blogger Li Yuchen’s lengthy article in regards to the Nanjing Museum scandal discusses the sordid particulars of how museum directors and workers stole and resold artistic endeavors that have been donated to the museum. Contrasting the selflessness of households that donate their artwork collections to China’s museums with the craven corruption of some museum directors, the creator expresses concern about whether or not it’s doable to sufficiently shield China’s cultural artifacts.
40. “The U.S. ‘Kill-Line’ is Really Our Nationalist Grifters’ ‘Idiocy Line,’” by Li Yuchen, WeChat account Li Yuchen
December 29, 2025
An extended and meandering article from Li Yuchen mocking nationalist influencers who hawk the notion of the U.S. “kill line” and declare that the U.S. is on the breaking point. Li characterizes these influencers as grifters who insult the intelligence of their viewers—an viewers that’s properly conscious that China suffers from lots of the similar “kill line” issues: job losses, poverty, financial insecurity, chapter attributable to medical bills, and so forth.
41. “Asia Weekly Exposé Reveals Xu Ying Lied About Her {Qualifications} for 11 Years and Falsified Information of Republican-Period Artworks,” by NetEase
December 30, 2025
One other article in regards to the corruption and theft scandal on the Nanjing Museum, this one targeted on how Xu Ying, a “famend scholar” of Chinese language artwork from the Republican interval (1912-1949 C.E.), managed to have fabricated her complete educational background and cast historic paperwork for over a decade. The creator concludes that it’s crucial to “plug the loopholes” within the system and clear up the corruption that permits such fraud to go unnoticed in artwork, cultural, and educational circles.
