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Censorship of Winnie-the-Pooh in China
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Beginning in July 2017, the government of the People's Republic of China implemented restrictions on images of the anthropomorphic teddy bear Winnie-the-Pooh, particularly Disney's depiction of the character from the works of A. A. Milne. The censorship emerged after internet users began using images of Winnie-the-Pooh in satirical memes to compare the character with Xi Jinping, the general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).[1]
 | This article may require copy editing for grammar, style, cohesion, tone, or spelling. (December 2025) |
The CCP reportedly viewed such comparisons as an act of ridicule and symbolic dissent, leading to the removal of the imagery across Chinese social media platforms. Winnie-the-Pooh has become a symbol of resistance to China, though there is no comprehensive prohibition on all content related to the character. Books and merchandise remain available, and two Winnie-the-Pooh-themed attractions continue to operate at Hong Kong Disneyland and Shanghai Disneyland.[2][3]
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Background
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Censorship in China (PRC)
The CCP employs extensive censorship of topics it considers dissident or unflattering. Examples include the Cultural Revolution's violence, the Falun Gong movement, the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre, and issues related to the Uyghurs, Tibet, and Taiwan.[4]
Initially limited to the mainland, this censorship has spread to other regions, including Taiwan. In 2017, Taiwanese universities were asked to avoid discussing sensitive topics in class, such as unification/independence or "One China, One Taiwan". Due to the financial benefits of enrolling mainland students, over 80 of 157 universities complied, compromising their academic independence.[4]
Comparisons between Xi Jinping and Winnie the Pooh
Chinese Internet users have compared General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party Xi Jinping to Winnie-the-Pooh to satirize his public persona. Xi projects a serious image, whereas Winnie-the-Pooh is a comedic cartoon character for children.[1]
The comparisons date back to 2013, when Xi visited U.S President Barack Obama. An image of the two leaders walking side by side was immediately compared to Pooh and his friend Tigger. Similar comparisons followed with other leaders, including Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who was likened to Pooh's friend Eeyore. Reluctant to tolerate humor directed at Xi, Chinese authorities condemned the character when political activists and dissidents used it to express discontent.[5]
As a result, the government blocked images and mentions of Winnie-the-Pooh on social media to prevent users from mocking Xi. This is part of a broader effort to restrict bloggers from circumventing censorship in China.[1] Notably, the 2018 Disney live-action film Christopher Robin was not shown in China, with speculation that censorship played a role, though some analysts argued the decision may have been unrelated, citing China's annual quota of 34 foreign films. Similarly, the 2011 theatrical release of Winnie the Pooh also did not screen in China, predating the controversy and Xi's general secretaryship.[6][3] The government's concern is not only to prevent ridicule of its leaders but also to stop the character from becoming an online euphemism for Xi Jinping.[1]
Disneyland Shanghai
In 2018, according to Business Insider, China ordered that the Winnie the Pooh theme be banned and replaced with a new one due to the character's use in censored internet memes.[7] However, as of 2023, Winnie the Pooh-themed rides remain operational available to the public.[8][9]
In May 2021, a performer dressed up as Winnie-the-Pooh in Shanghai Disneyland was beaten by a child tourist. Chinese mass media referred to the character as "Pooh Pooh Bear" (Chinese: 噗噗熊) in reports on the incident, as the name "Winnie" is censored. However, search results for "Pooh Pooh Bear hurt in Shanghai Disneyland" were censored on Weibo following the incident.[10][11]
Others
When Xi visited the Philippines, protestors posted images of Winnie-the-Pooh on social media.[12] Other politicians have been compared to Winnie-the-Pooh characters alongside Xi, including Barack Obama as Tigger, Carrie Lam, Rodrigo Duterte,[13] and Peng Liyuan as Piglet,[14] and Fernando Chui and Shinzo Abe as Eeyore.[15]
Some dissidents, including Liu Xiaobo and his wife Liu Xia, were photographed holding Winnie The Pooh mugs as an act of protest.[16]
Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs criticized China for banned Winnie The Pooh film due to its association with internet memes.[17][2]
During pro-democracy protests, Hong Kongers used costumes and masks of characters such as Winnie the Pooh to protest against the Chinese government.[18]
In 2019, a Chinese student studying in the United States was arrested upon returning to China and sentenced to six months in prison for posting an image comparing Xi to the cartoon character.[19]
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Cultural impact
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In June 2018, HBO late-night talk show Last Week Tonight with John Oliver was blocked in China after it spoke about Xi Jinping and censorship of the media in China including comparisons between Xi and Pooh.[20]
On October 7, 2019, Pooh was featured in the South Park episode "Band in China" as a prisoner In China, because of his alleged resemblance with Xi. In the episode, Pooh is brutally killed by Randy Marsh. South Park was banned in China as a result of the episode.[21][22]
On October 10, 2019, Omegle added an image of the American flag on its front page with the words "Xi Jinping sure looks like Winnie-the-Pooh" over it.[23]
On October 16, 2019, YouTuber PewDiePie uploaded an episode of his Meme Review series, in which he reacted to memes about the Internet Memes Between Pooh And Xi. Shortly after, PewDiePie reported his content had been banned in China.[24]
On October 15, 2021, the song Fragile by Namewee and Kimberley Chen was released. The song was intended to mock the Chinese Government and Chinese censorship, and included comparison between Xi Jinping and Winnie The Pooh. As a result, both artists were banned from Weibo in China.[25]
On October 25, 2021 NBA Was Adding Shoes Images Winnie The Pooh Was Criticized With Chinese Policy.[26]
In March 2023, Movie distributor VII Pillars Entertainment announced on Facebook that Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey, originally scheduled to be released on 23 March, would be cancelled for release in the Hong Kong and Macau regions. This move is suspected to be influenced by the amendment of Hong Kong's film censorship regulations in 2021, which prohibits the public screening of movies that are deemed "potentially harmful to national security". However, VII Pillars Entertainment did not provide any explanation for the decision.[27]
In April 2023, the Taiwanese Air Force released an image of a Taiwanese pilot. The pilot was wearing a shoulder patch depicting a Formosan black bear punching Winnie the Pooh. The badge was designed by Alec Hsu in 2022. After the photo went viral, Hsu ordered more patches due to its popularity with civilians and the military alike. "I wanted to boost the morale of our troops through designing this patch," he told the media. The patch is not an official part of the Taiwanese Air Force's uniform, although the military "will maintain an open attitude" to things that raise morale.[28][9]
In 2024, Malaysian rapper Namewee released "Descendants of the Dragon", a song satirizing the Chinese government and its supporters. The music video features numerous references to Pooh, including a person in person in an emperor's robe wearing a pixelated Pooh mask.[29]
On 28 January 2025, the National Post reported that DeepSeek apps censored topics controversial to the Chinese government, including Winnie the Pooh. When asked about Pooh's significance in China, the app simply described the children's cartoon character, omitting information about its usage as a controversial symbol in China.[30]
Video games
In November 2018, the character was blurred out of the Chinese version of a trailer for Kingdom Hearts III.[31] However, the same site that the trailer was posted on later uploaded a screenshot of the same trailer unedited.[32]
In February 2019, the Taiwanese video game Devotion was found to have contained an Easter egg comparing Xi Jinping to Pooh two days after the game's release. As a result, Devotion was heavily review bombed by Chinese gamers on Steam, and the game went from having "Overwhelmingly Positive" reviews overall to being "Mostly Negative".[33] The game was removed from Steam in China on 23 February.[34] In July 2019, the Chinese government revoked the business license of Indievent, the original publisher of the game in China. The official statement from the government stated that the revoking was due to violating relevant laws.[35]
As of March 2019, Pooh's Chinese name (Chinese: 小熊维尼; lit. 'little bear Winnie') was censored in World of Warcraft, PUBG: Battlegrounds and Arena of Valor.[36]
In June 2021, it was reported the developers of Cyberpunk 2077 had utilized the tag "Winnie the Pooh" for media and content within the game's source code intended to be censored according to guidelines in China.[37]
In 2022, Diablo Immortal was delayed with publications speculating that this was due to an alleged, since-deleted post from the account making reference to "Winnie the Pooh" after China banned Immortal's Official Weibo account due to "violating related laws and regulations".[38] NetEase delayed the launch from June 23 to July 25 in China.[39]
On 5 January 2025, CBR reported the Marvel-based video game Marvel Rivals had banned the phrase "Winnie the Pooh" from chat and showed the message "Text contains inappropriate content" if a player attempts to do so. The game's developer, NetEase is a Chinese company in partnership with Marvel.[40]
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See also
- Erdoğan–Gollum comparison trials, another case of censorship due to comparisons between a national leader and a fictional character
- Euphemisms for Internet censorship in China
- Fragile Bard
- Streisand effect
- Xi Jinping's cult of personality
References
External links
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