Wuhan Diary in English on Sale now

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SitangCampus
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Wuhan Diary in English on Sale now

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Since January 23, the day when Wuhan was announced to be locked down, a local female writer Fang Fang began her diary at home, recording news stories she heard from social media and thoughts thereof. Most of the content turned out to be quite different from the officail media, exposing the dark and evil side of the society in chaos caused by the unexpected pandemic of COVID-19. The diary was publised on her Weibo account (a twitter-like platform) day by day, receiving large number of traffic and warm welcome from the grassroot people, who are unsatisfied with the government in delayed reaction to the disease.

But later when China's situation became better and the disease was almost under control, her diary became exaggerating and many readers in China were surprised to see that it was not just their own country is stupid but that other developed countries like Italy, the US, Canada and Spain were more stupid in handling the pandemic. Then they began to sympathize their government. At this time the diary was published in western countries in English and German versions. The beleaguered Western powers are very happy to seize this opportunity to fight back on China.
Safari
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Re: Wuhan Diary in English on Sale now

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SitangCampus wrote: Fri Apr 10, 2020 1:26 am Since January 23, the day when Wuhan was announced to be locked down, a local female writer Fang Fang began her diary at home, recording news stories she heard from social media and thoughts thereof. Most of the content turned out to be quite different from the officail media, exposing the dark and evil side of the society in chaos caused by the unexpected pandemic of COVID-19. The diary was publised on her Weibo account (a twitter-like platform) day by day, receiving large number of traffic and warm welcome from the grassroot people, who are unsatisfied with the government in delayed reaction to the disease.

But later when China's situation became better and the disease was almost under control, her diary became exaggerating and many readers in China were surprised to see that it was not just their own country is stupid but that other developed countries like Italy, the US, Canada and Spain were more stupid in handling the pandemic. Then they began to sympathize their government. At this time the diary was published in western countries in English and German versions. The beleaguered Western powers are very happy to seize this opportunity to fight back on China.
Now indoctrinated Western journalists are talking about "imported" cases in China. But for correct use of English language they should say "reimported" cases because these cases are being brought back into China after first being exported by China. That is the definition of reimport.
SitangCampus
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Re: Wuhan Diary in English on Sale now

Post by SitangCampus »

Safari wrote: Mon Apr 13, 2020 12:04 pm
Now indoctrinated Western journalists are talking about "imported" cases in China. But for correct use of English language they should say "reimported" cases because these cases are being brought back into China after first being exported by China. That is the definition of reimport.
So far we do not have hard evidence to prove the zero patient of COVID-19 is from China, so import or reimport is groundless. The world is now a whole and people can travel here and there freely before the epidemic, it is possible anyone in any country might be responsible for the problem. To hold China under moral pressure makes no sense because it is not the time to make such an accusation, the current focus should be on how to solve the problem and clean the mess, and who will pay and who will be punished should be left to be determined later.
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Re: Wuhan Diary in English on Sale now

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SitangCampus wrote: Wed Apr 15, 2020 2:45 am
Safari wrote: Mon Apr 13, 2020 12:04 pm
Now indoctrinated Western journalists are talking about "imported" cases in China. But for correct use of English language they should say "reimported" cases because these cases are being brought back into China after first being exported by China. That is the definition of reimport.
So far we do not have hard evidence to prove the zero patient of COVID-19 is from China, so import or reimport is groundless. The world is now a whole and people can travel here and there freely before the epidemic, it is possible anyone in any country might be responsible for the problem. To hold China under moral pressure makes no sense because it is not the time to make such an accusation, the current focus should be on how to solve the problem and clean the mess, and who will pay and who will be punished should be left to be determined later.
Oh absolutely, my purpose is not to make baseless accusations. My interest is purely in the correct use of the English language.
Safari
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Re: Wuhan Diary in English on Sale now

Post by Safari »

SitangCampus wrote: Fri Apr 10, 2020 1:26 am Since January 23, the day when Wuhan was announced to be locked down, a local female writer Fang Fang began her diary at home, recording news stories she heard from social media and thoughts thereof. Most of the content turned out to be quite different from the officail media, exposing the dark and evil side of the society in chaos caused by the unexpected pandemic of COVID-19. The diary was publised on her Weibo account (a twitter-like platform) day by day, receiving large number of traffic and warm welcome from the grassroot people, who are unsatisfied with the government in delayed reaction to the disease.

But later when China's situation became better and the disease was almost under control, her diary became exaggerating and many readers in China were surprised to see that it was not just their own country is stupid but that other developed countries like Italy, the US, Canada and Spain were more stupid in handling the pandemic. Then they began to sympathize their government. At this time the diary was published in western countries in English and German versions. The beleaguered Western powers are very happy to seize this opportunity to fight back on China.
I thought you might like to see this recent story about this topic:
Coronavirus: Chinese writer hit by nationalist backlash over diary about Wuhan lockdown
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politic ... over-diary
SitangCampus
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Re: Wuhan Diary in English on Sale now

Post by SitangCampus »

Safari wrote: Thu Apr 23, 2020 6:33 am
I thought you might like to see this recent story about this topic:
Coronavirus: Chinese writer hit by nationalist backlash over diary about Wuhan lockdown
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politic ... over-diary
Thank you for the info. Unfortunately, we cannot access without taking illegal means to the page you provide, despite the fact that South China Morning Post is owned by China's e-commerce giant Alibaba. We living in China cannot reach to many interesting things around the world due to the firewall in the Internet set by our dear government.

We do not have Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Youtube, Google, The Economist, BBC, VOA, NYT, WSJ, FT, etc, so next time if you wish to share info from these websites, you had better paste the full content here, or it will be vapor in the air, transparent to me. I obey China's laws and do not have extra money for illegal means to visit foreign country websites.
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Re: Wuhan Diary in English on Sale now

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SitangCampus wrote: Mon Apr 27, 2020 11:57 am
Safari wrote: Thu Apr 23, 2020 6:33 am
I thought you might like to see this recent story about this topic:
Coronavirus: Chinese writer hit by nationalist backlash over diary about Wuhan lockdown
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politic ... over-diary
Thank you for the info. Unfortunately, we cannot access without taking illegal means to the page you provide, despite the fact that South China Morning Post is owned by China's e-commerce giant Alibaba. We living in China cannot reach to many interesting things around the world due to the firewall in the Internet set by our dear government.

We do not have Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Youtube, Google, The Economist, BBC, VOA, NYT, WSJ, FT, etc, so next time if you wish to share info from these websites, you had better paste the full content here, or it will be vapor in the air, transparent to me. I obey China's laws and do not have extra money for illegal means to visit foreign country websites.
Coronavirus: Chinese writer hit by nationalist backlash over diary about Wuhan lockdown

- Award-winning novelist and poet Fang Fang accused of fuelling Western criticisms of China’s handling of the Covid-19 outbreak
- Her Wuhan Diary, first published online, is now set to be released in both English and German


A Chinese writer who published an online diary about her life in Wuhan during the Covid-19 lockdown is facing a nationalist backlash on social media with people accusing her of empowering Western critics of Beijing’s handling of the crisis.

Fang Fang, an award-winning poet and novelist, was called a traitor after it emerged that her book, simply titled Wuhan Diary, would be published in English and German. Observers said the controversy reflected the rising nationalism in mainland China, especially among the younger generations.

Fang began writing her diary on January 25, just two days after the central China city in which the coronavirus outbreak was first identified, was put under lockdown.

In it she describes the difficulties of life in quarantine, as well as the spread of the disease and how it wreaked havoc, taking lives and breaking up families and homes.

Her work quickly attracted a large following but she also came under heavy fire, with people accusing her of betraying her country and trying to stir up trouble by giving China’s critics ammunition with which to attack it.

He Weiheng, a 19-year-old university student in Beijing, though critical, was more concerned about the authenticity of the translations than Fang’s writing.

“If the content of the diary is real, it is reasonable to write it and publish it,” he said. “But if the diaries have been translated without guaranteeing the authenticity, some people in China are concerned the book will have a detrimental impact on our national image and national interests.”

Another social media user composed a rap, containing some of Fang’s own words, which accuses her of trying to be a spokeswoman for the truth and influence public opinion.

“What kind of person keeps a diary on the internet,” it said. “She puts every word into the national scars.”

It goes on to say that China’s young people will shoulder the responsibility of developing a strong nation.

Despite the online criticism, Fang has also received plenty of support, from at home and abroad.

Yue Zhongyi, a 63-year-old resident of Wuhan, said a lot of the criticism represented nationalist sentiment rather than the views of the city’s people.

“I asked all of my neighbours and friends and all of them said they support Fang Fang,” he said. “Her diaries represent our experiences and our feelings.”

The writer’s critics misunderstood the notion of patriotism, he said.

“Everyone loves his country, but the country and the government are two concepts. If someone criticises the government, you can’t say that person is a traitor.”

US publisher Harper Collins said an English-language version of Fang’s diary would be available for sale online in June, while Hoffmann and Campe will publish a German-language version.

While some have been quick to criticise Wuhan Diary, the Chinese government and Communist Party have been more restrained, with only a handful of state media commentators expressing an opinion.

Hu Xijin, editor-in-chief of the nationalistic tabloid Global Times, urged people to respect the sentiments documented in the diary.

“[We] should not exaggerate their meaning, nor should we amplify the significance of the diary as well as the resonance it draws [from the public],” he said last month on Weibo, China’s Twitter-like platform.

Wu Qiang, an independent political analyst based in Beijing, said the coronavirus pandemic had created a schism, with nationalism at its core. Despite the country now being the world’s second-largest economy, some people were still haunted by China’s past humiliations at the hands of foreign forces and felt they must rise up to defend their country, he said.

“These young people are still sharing the thinking and ideas of conservatism, xenophobia, and being easily offended,” Wu said.

But the attack on Fang’s work might also be an attempt by China’s authorities to divert the public’s attention away from an in-depth reflection on the outbreak, he said.

“Channelling people’s attention into nationalistic sentiment can effectively offset people questioning what is the real social justice after such a severe disaster.”

Also, despite the backlash she had faced, Fang – who is a former president of the officially affiliated Hubei Writers’ Association – was still considered a “politically trustworthy figure”, Wu said, and her work was still available on China’s internet.

“Many voices from Wuhan have been silenced. The fact that her work was allowed to survive is the art of censorship: to let out a relatively moderate voice to avoid the embarrassment of a completely blank canvass,” he said.

In an interview with the Chinese social media account Scholar, Fang said it was childish to describe publishing the book overseas as an act of treason, and called for greater tolerance.

“There is no tension between me and the country,” she said.

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