Why is Peppa Pig Considered a Counterculture Icon in China?
Peppa Pig, the popular U.K. cartoon, isn’t the first image that would come to mind when you think of a counterculture movement, but in China, thousands of videos featuring the character have been censored because of what Peppa represents.
According to the state media publication the Global Times, around 30,000 videos featuring Peppa Pig have been removed from the short video sharing app Douyin in recent weeks.
But why has China clamped down so hard on Peppa? She entered Chinese culture in 2015 and was initially popular among children. But in late 2017, adults began sharing clips of the cartoon, and it went viral.
The Global Times reports that the pig became a cultural icon for shehuiren, a name that refers to people that are poorly educated with no stable job, who run against mainstream values. The tabloid paper goes as far as describing this group of people as “unruly slackers roaming around and the antithesis of the young generation the Party tries to cultivate.”
Parents in China also complained that their children were addicted to Peppa Pig, around the same time as a video featuring the piglet and the slogan “Tattoos on Peppa, claps for fella,” went viral. Social media users then started posting photos of tattoos featuring Peppa Pig, raising more ire with the government, which has previously banned references to tattoos and other “low taste content.”
Although everything with the hashtag #PeppaPig has been censored, users on Douyin have already begun posting Peppa Pig videos with alternative hashtags to avoid the ban.
China has a long and troubling history of censorship, and this isn’t even the first cartoon to be censored in the country. In 2017, the government banned images of Winnie the Pooh, after internet users made clear the resemblance between the bear and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The internet in China is heavily censored, with major sites like Facebook and Google banned. This has provided two advantages to the Chinese government: to control what the population sees and shares, and to allow homegrown social media and search sites to prosper.
Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.
Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.
Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.
Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.
We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.
Culture Trip Spring Sale
Save up to $1,100 on our unique small-group trips! Limited spots.
