Chinese Authorities Issue Heavy Fines Over Guo Degang’s Altered ‘Red Classic’

Chinese authorities have imposed hefty penalties on the companies involved in a performance by renowned comedian Guo Degang after he altered the lyrics of a Communist-era song during a live show. The Wuhan Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism announced the penalties on Sept. 7, nearly two months after Guo performed an improvised version of “Playing My Beloved Tupa” (《弹起我心爱的土琵琶》), a well-known song depicting Chinese resistance during the Second Sino-Japanese War.

According to state broadcaster CCTV, authorities determined that Guo had “distorted and altered” the song during a July 24 performance of “The Living Buddha Ji Gong,” causing what officials described as an “adverse social impact,” and imposed the fines as a warning to other show organizers.

The show’s organizer, Jiangsu Zidiruicheng Sports and Cultural Industry Development Co., was issued a stern warning, ordered to forfeit 48,687.4 yuan (about USD$6,800) in proceeds and fined 486,874 yuan (about USD$68,000). Meanwhile, Wuhan Zhongnan Theater Management Co., which operates the venue, was separately fined 110,000 yuan (about USD$15,400).

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Authorities also said others involved with the incident would be “dealt with seriously,” but the notice not including a fine or other administrative punishment against Guo himself.

Altered lyrics triggered probe

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During the performance, Guo, playing the well-known Buddhist monk Ji Gong, changed the original lyric “Weishan Lake is quiet” to “The Forbidden City is quiet.” He also inserted humorous phrases including “My Buddha, oh Tathagata, oh, ma mi ma mi hong,” apparently as part of the impromptu performance. The altered lyrics were reportedly not included in material submitted for regulatory approval, prompting a complaint and an official investigation by Wuhan cultural authorities on Aug. 11.

“Revolutionary songs carry the memory of the Chinese nation’s War of Resistance and the feelings of the people. No organization or person can be allowed to distort or misrepresent them,” authorities said in the statement announcing the fine.

In the aftermath, several performances involving Guo or his Deyunshe comedy troupe were also canceled or postponed. A planned Aug. 15 performance in Xi’an was canceled, as were two shows scheduled for Aug. 20 and 21 in Yantai, Shandong Province. An Aug. 22 performance marking Deyunshe’s 30th anniversary was also postponed due to what organizers described as “venue reasons.”

China tightens entertainment oversight

The controversy comes amid longstanding efforts by Chinese authorities to strengthen ideological and content controls over live entertainment. In 2019, China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism proposed tighter content reviews and on-site supervision of emerging and popular performance formats, specifically identifying rap, stand-up comedy, traditional xiangsheng comedy (also known as Chinese crosstalk), electronic music, and immersive performances as areas requiring greater scrutiny.

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The consequences of crossing political or ideological boundaries became particularly visible in 2023, when comedian Li Haoshi, known professionally as House, made a joke during a Beijing performance that invoked a slogan associated with the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).

Li described two dogs chasing a squirrel using the phrase “fine style of work, capable of winning battles,” language associated with Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s instructions to the military. After an audience member reported the joke, authorities fined Li’s management company, Xiaoguo Culture, more than 13 million yuan (roughly USD$1.8 million at the time) and suspended its performances in Beijing.