One joke was enough: The famous comedian got into trouble with the Chinese regime

One of the most well-known comedians in China, Guo Degang, is under investigation by authorities in the city of Wuhan in the center of the country, after changing the lyrics of a revolutionary song during a performance. Following the incident, his performance scheduled for Friday in the city of Xi'an was canceled due to what was defined by the organizers as "problems at the venue."

The production company offered a full refund for tickets and even for the travel and accommodation expenses of the buyers, while reports in local media point to the cancellation of other performances planned for the month of August.

The investigation was opened after Degang was reported to the culture and tourism authorities in Wuhan following a change he made to the song's text during a show held last month. The comedian replaced the line "Quiet along Weishan Lake" with the line "Quiet in the Forbidden City."

According to reports, the show itself was approved in advance by the authorities, but the change in the text was not approved – which constitutes a violation of government regulations overseeing commercial performances in the country. The original song, "Playing My Favorite Pipa," from a 1950s film dealing with the fighting against Japanese forces, is considered a cultural asset in China.

The current case brings to light the ongoing tightening of censorship and supervision over the entertainment and art industry in China, where artists are required to navigate carefully in front of unclear "red lines."

This is not the first time that artists in China have suffered heavy penalties due to stage content. In 2023, comedian Li Haoshi caused a storm after using a military slogan to describe dogs chasing squirrels. Following the case, his production company was fined in the amount of approximately 14.7 million yuan, and he was completely banned from public performances.