China comedian changed one line of a revolutionary song; then came a probe
3 min readAug 18, 2026 08:04 PM IST
Chinese comedian Guo Degang is under investigation after altering a line from a famous revolutionary song during a performance in Wuhan in late July. Some of his subsequent performances have also been cancelled.
Guo, one of China’s best-known comedians, was accused in a complaint of “distorting and vulgarising” the revolutionary song “Playing My Beloved Pipa”. The song was written in 1956 for the film Railway Guerrillas, which depicted Chinese resistance fighters battling Japanese forces during the Second Sino-Japanese War.
According to a screenshot of the complaint published by state-affiliated media outlet thePaper, Guo was reported to Wuhan’s Culture and Tourism Bureau for allegedly having “distorted and vulgarised a classic revolutionary work” and violating standards of conduct.
The original song includes the line, “The sun is about to set in the west; all is quiet on Weishan Lake.” During his performance, Guo changed the second part to “all is quiet in the Forbidden City” and delivered the altered line as a joke.
The Wuhan Culture and Tourism Bureau said the adapted portion of Guo’s performance had not been included in materials submitted for prior approval and was suspected of violating regulations governing commercial performances. The bureau confirmed to CNN that its investigation was ongoing and said it did not know when the results would be announced.
Performances cancelled amid investigation
Guo had been touring China to mark the 10th anniversary of his theatre group, but some subsequent performances have been cancelled.
A worker at Xi’an Chanba Poly Grand Theater, where Guo was scheduled to perform this week, told CNN there was “no date or plan for a possible return” and that ticket holders would receive automatic refunds.
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Guo is widely credited with helping revive the popularity of crosstalk, a traditional form of Chinese comedy, and is a household name in the country. He also co-founded the Qilin theatre company with Peking Opera artists to promote traditional Chinese art forms.
News of the investigation has become widely discussed on Chinese social media, with some users arguing Guo should be punished for altering communist songs, while others described the authorities as being “oversensitive.”
Limited space for artistic expression
The controversy comes as performers in China face increasingly limited space for artistic expression amid the Communist Party’s efforts to bring online, celebrity and media culture in line with the doctrines of “Xi Jinping’s Thought.”
Other comedians have previously faced backlash over their performances. In 2023, stand-up comedian Li Haoshi was fined 14.7 million yuan ($2 million) after using a phrase associated with the People’s Liberation Army while telling a story about two stray dogs. He apologised and was subsequently banned from performing indefinitely.
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In 2022, comedian Li Bo was fined 50,000 yuan ($7,400) for joking about the Covid-19 lockdown in Shanghai and teasing teenagers.
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