On May 14, veteran Hong Kong cartoonist Zunzi had his political cartoon column terminated by the Hong Kong newspaper Ming Pao after running for 40 years.
The Hong Kong Public Library has also removed Zunzi’s work from its shelves. Suddenly Zunzi seemed to have never existed in the city.
Zunzi shares with The Epoch Times that he wishes Hongkongers would continue to speak up safely to stop a small group of people from controlling the right to speak.
He also wishes the present is the darkest time for Hong Kong and the sun will rise soon.
Zunzi, taking a brief break, looks very relaxed in the interview.
Although Zunzi feels the suspension was not a big deal, the breakup with Ming Pao was political.
“It is a political cancellation. Perhaps the government wants to create a certain political effect or intent. Or, the government wants no one at all to criticize it. Of course, the published content is also a problem for it.”
Zunzi’s comics were discontinued permanently right before June 4, a sensitive date for the regime.
Zunzi thinks that June 4 is not the only reason the government killed off his cartoon column. The regime wants to create a particular political atmosphere. So silencing his work was just a way to eliminate opposition voices.
The cartoonist observes that there have been increasingly more “sensitive” topics.
“There has never been an issue with political or satirical comics. That seems to have changed, even though everything on the surface remains the same.”
Zunzi suspects that the red line has encircled Hong Kong.
Zunzi tells the reporter that Ming Pao fears the regime so much that there was no mention in the newspaper of Tiananmen Square, June 4, or its 34th anniversary.
When asked whether he fears violating the National Security Law should he continue to draw, Zunzi says there is a possibility and that if journalists are not careful, there will be trouble.
“We as cartoonists may not always know what is wrong, but we have an idea of what subjects we cannot touch. Hence we do our best to avoid them.”
Zunzi’s response confirms journalists in Hong Kong have been trying to avoid topics that may trigger a government response.
Zunzi also mentions that if they do not self-censor, there will be problems.
Perhaps in the past, the fine line was not as thin as the one now and everyone has to tread on the thin line carefully.
As he takes a breather, Zunzi sketches a picture for The Epoch Times reporter to express his current mood.
Hitler More ‘Public-Appropriate?’
In recent years, Hong Kong Public Library has removed a large number of “sensitive” books, some of which are Zunzi’s comics. These books are considered to be “a risk of endangerment to national security.”To a certain extent, Zunzi thinks it includes everything that reflects the government’s lack of confidence.
“Reading does not equal brainwashing. People who take literature or reading seriously will not blindly agree with everything they read. Those who read, read with an open mind.”
Zunzi also emphasizes that not everyone can or will be swayed by the content of a single book: The government has made a wrong move to ban books.
When asked why Hitler’s books can remain in the library but not his comics, Zunzi casually smiles and shares, “The same question has also crossed my mind.”
Open Country, Open Mind
Zunzi says that in any liberal country, historical literature will always be welcome in libraries. He says people in a free world learn with an open mind. “I hope one day everything will return to normal. Everyone can exchange thoughts or opinions freely, bouncing off ideas again.”Talk Shows Targeted In China
Mainland talk shows have also become a target of suppression by the Chinese government in recent months. Since talk show content goes viral quickly with video sharing, they can capture more attention. “The more the drama, the more the public pay notice.”In previous interviews, Zunzi had said that people working in journalism were supposed to document, observe and seek what happened.
The Darkest Hour
Zunzi hopes that Hong Kong is at its darkest time. “At least we would know dawn will come next. Perhaps everything will improve from here. People can heal and relax. Things can return to how they were, and we can share ideas freely again.”Why Stay in Hong Kong?
As his drawing career has been put on hold, why is Zunzi still in Hong Kong? Why doesn’t he leave?Like some other Hongkongers close to the city, Zunzi loves Hong Kong very much. “Think about it. Otherwise, why would I write and sketch so much about it?”
Zunzi has drawn so much about Hong Kong in the past forty years because he wanted the best for Hong Kong.
So What Is Next For Zunzi?
Zunzi responds quickly that he has plenty to do. That he can finally do something that he always wanted to do. “I might have read just a page of the books I have bought while others are still untouched on the shelf—now I can catch up on my reading.”Words For Hongkongers
Zunzi says that Hongkongers will need more courage now than ever. He recommends that they “Speak up as much as possible, whenever possible.”It is crucial for Hongkongers to express their idea right now.
“If your circumstances allow, and you are in a safe environment, you should express your beliefs loudly. Otherwise, your speech rights will soon be stripped away by a small group of people,” he said.
