Chinese comedian under investigation for joke about communist song | Gravitas
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Chinese comedian Guo Degang Photograph: (Credit: AFP)
Popular Chinese comedian Guo Degang is under official investigation after altering the lyrics of a famous patriotic song during a Wuhan performance. Discover how an unapproved joke sparked a probe into China's political red lines and freedom of expression.
A joke about a patriotic song has put one of China's big comedy stars under official investigation. Guo Degang, a popular comedian, actor, and television host, is reportedly being investigated after performing a modified version of a well-known Chinese patriotic song during a show in Wuhan in July. The song celebrates Chinese guerrilla fighters who fought Japanese forces during the Second Sino-Japanese War from 1937 to 1945. The conflict remains central to China’s official narrative of national struggle and sacrifice.In 2019, the song was included in a list of 100 songs selected by the Communist Party’s Central Committee to mark the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China.
According to Chinese media reports and videos posted online, Guo changed part of the song’s lyrics and added jokes, including lines in which he appeared to pray to Buddha.Wuhan officials reportedly said Guo had secured approval for his performance but had not disclosed that he would alter the lyrics.The city’s Culture and Tourism Bureau launched an investigation after receiving a complaint.Officials are reportedly examining whether Guo violated rules requiring performers to submit their material for approval before taking the stage.
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Guo is reportedly credited with helping revive crosstalk, a traditional Chinese comedy form built around scripted exchanges, wordplay, and improvisation. In the 2010s, Chinese media reportedly praised him for attracting younger audiences to the genre.
Comedy has reportedly provided a rare space for indirect criticism of contemporary life in China.However, that space is narrowing as authorities tighten controls over artistic expression.Under President Xi Jinping, officials have reportedly pushed artists to align their work with Communist Party priorities and tightened scrutiny of material seen as challenging official political or historical narratives. In 2021, China made insulting or defaming national heroes and martyrs a criminal offense. Guo is not alone.In 2023, a Chinese comedy company was fined about two million dollars after a comedian compared two stray dogs chasing a squirrel to the Chinese military.
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