Beware tomes of Chinese political gossip!
Our new number-crunching on reading banned books
“Reading banned books behind closed doors on a snowy night is one of life’s greatest pleasures,” goes a popular saying in China. It is often (perhaps mistakenly) attributed to a 17th-century scholar, but is used to convey a yearning that many relate to today. Surprisingly, Chinese officials are among those who treasure poring over gossipy political works that the Communist Party prohibits. In recent months, numerous high-ranking ones have been accused of keeping secret stashes.
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This article appeared in the China section of the print edition under the headline “Peruse at your peril”
From the July 5th 2025 edition
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Why so many Chinese are drowning in debt
Some contemplate suicide. Others vaunt their folly as influencers
Leung Kwok-hung, Hong Kong’s shaggy agitator for democracy
His League of Social Democrats, the territory’s last pro-democracy party, disbanded this week
Hong Kong’s last functioning pro-democracy party disbands
A long campaign against dissent crushes a final few democrats
China’s growth targets cause headaches—even when met
Local officials wrestle with competing incentives
China’s giant new gamble with digital IDs
They could change its internet for good and turbocharge AI efforts
Chinese cops are cuffing erotica
Local police have found a perverse way to raise money