After the “National Day” holiday in China, many areas on the mainland experienced a drop in temperature, accompanied by strong winds and rain or snow, leading to abnormal weather conditions. However, in a bizarre turn of events, a woman in Xi’an was detained for sharing a video claiming it was snowing in the city, sparking widespread dissatisfaction among the people towards the authoritarian rule of the Chinese Communist Party.
On September 30th, the New City Branch of the Xi’an Public Security Bureau announced that a woman named Liu (33 years old) had been administratively detained for spreading a false video of “snowfall in Xi’an” on the internet. However, the announcement did not clarify how the claim of “snow in Xi’an” was determined to be false.
To counteract the misinformation, the Xi’an Meteorological Bureau clarified that the current rainfall was tapering off, with only residual rain left in the urban areas. The weather was expected to clear up in the afternoon, ushering in sunny skies, urging everyone to “have a happy holiday together.”
In response to the incident, netizens raised questions such as, “Is spreading inaccurate weather forecasts considered spreading rumors?” and expressed their surprise at how even a light-hearted remark like “snow in Xi’an” could cross legal boundaries, turning every casual online comment into a potential legal trap.
Reflecting on the situation, one writer noted that if a simple statement like “snow in Xi’an” could trigger a legal response, then every casual comment or joke made by ordinary people online could potentially become a “legal trap.” While snowflakes may not have fallen due to a passing breeze, the chilling winds of state power seemed to be sweeping in with a different kind of force.
Surprisingly, on October 1st, a sudden heavy snowfall hit Datong in Shanxi Province. A witness described the sudden weather change, saying, “It was sunny just a moment ago, but suddenly strong winds started blowing, and heavy snow began falling!”
Sharing their experiences, a traveler in Datong mentioned encountering snowfall while climbing Mount Hengshan, nearly freezing on the mountain. The snow lasted for less than an hour in the morning, melting by afternoon, with daytime temperatures below 10 degrees Celsius and strong winds necessitating appropriate clothing and precautions.
Some netizens speculated about the possibility of Xi’an experiencing snowfall in the coming days, given the recent snow in Datong, located around 900 kilometers away. They raised concerns about the fate of the woman who was detained for falsely claiming it was snowing in Xi’an and whether she would be released if snow indeed fell before her release and whether she deserved compensation from the state.
According to reports, several regions across China experienced rainy or snowy weather since September 29th. Changbai Mountain saw snowfall, as did Huayan Temple and Manzhouli. Even Beijing witnessed snow on the first day of the “National Day” holiday. The Beijing Daily reported that on October 1st, temperatures significantly dropped in Beijing, with high-altitude mountain areas like Lingshan, Haituo Mountain, and Baihua Mountain seeing temperatures go below 0 degrees Celsius with snowfall.
The China Meteorological Administration predicted on September 27th that a strong cold front moving southward from the northwest would bring heavy winds, significant temperature drops, and rain or snow across many regions. As a result of this cold front, various areas were expected to face wind chill, temperature drops, and noticeable rainy or snowy weather.
A video shared by a netizen from Inner Mongolia on September 29th showed the first heavy snowfall in Genhe City, vividly blanketing the area in white. The sudden snow created challenging situations on the roads, with many cars trapped in ditches, highlighting the importance of safety precautions during such weather events.
Another traveler shared their unexpected encounter with extreme snow in Inner Mongolia, witnessing the heaviest snowfall of their lifetime upon arrival in Hailar on September 28th. The snowstorm, coupled with strong winds, stranded them in their vehicle for over ten hours, struggling to navigate the thick snow accumulation on the roads, further complicated by the absence of snowplows to clear the way.
In Xining, Qinghai Province, a professional journalist documented the unexpected and substantial snowfall in areas like Datong County, Haibei Prefecture, and Qilian County on September 30th, marking the first snowfall in the region following the arrival of autumn. The early snowfall raised concerns about the adverse impacts on high-altitude crops, particularly vulnerable ones like potatoes prone to frost damage.
Mr. Liu from Shandong reported localized snowfall in Weifang on the nights of September 29th and October 1st, noting the temperature drop and the need for warm clothing in the region. He also criticized the Chinese authorities for artificially creating a festive atmosphere by decorating bridges, squares, doorways, and streets with red flags, even involving kindergarten children in distributing communist propaganda.
In an interview with the Epoch Times, former professor Li Yuanhua from Capital Normal University emphasized the importance of weather anomalies in traditional Chinese culture, where extreme deviations in weather patterns historically prompted rulers to reflect on their governance shortcomings. He suggested that the unusual weather conditions could be interpreted as a warning from the heavens regarding the oppressive rule of the Chinese Communist Party.
Li Yuanhua highlighted the deteriorating Chinese economy and societal conditions, citing crises in real estate and finance that led authorities to artificially boost the stock market and create a façade of prosperity. Yet, these efforts failed to address the underlying issues, as the challenging realities of people’s lives remained untouched despite attempts to fabricate a festive atmosphere.
The noted professor underlined how under the Communist rule, the suppression of dissent and historical truths like the story of Dou E and the phenomenon of “snowfall in June” were heavily censored. The authorities’ fear of such narratives led to extreme actions like the arrest of individuals making innocuous statements like predicting snow in Xi’an, reflecting a regime paranoid about losing control over information dissemination.
Li Yuanhua concluded by emphasizing that as the Chinese economy and social harmony continued to deteriorate, attempts to fabricate a superficial sense of well-being through orchestrated displays could not mask the underlying challenges faced by the people in their daily lives.