In recent news from Epoch Times on August 12, 2024, a popular card game named “Drop Egg” has been causing controversy in the Chinese political and business circles. The state-run media of the Chinese Communist Party, Beijing Youth Daily, unexpectedly published a series of articles criticizing “Drop Egg” for causing officials to become slouch and lose their drive. This criticism has sparked strong reactions from various local media outlets. Some analysts view this unusual phenomenon as a sign of the approaching end of the Chinese Communist Party.
From August 5 to 7, Beijing Youth Daily published three critical articles condemning the prevalent culture of “Drop Egg” in Chinese society and the political arena. It stated that indulging in “Drop Egg” fosters a sense of lethargy, leading to a culture where public officials embrace passivity and aimlessness, forming a “Drop Egg circle” that promotes political opportunism and rent-seeking behavior, ultimately impacting the political ecosystem by fostering factionalism.
The use of phrases like “forming groups” is a familiar warning within the Chinese Communist Party to discourage the formation of small factions. By elevating “Drop Egg” to a political discourse warned by Xi Jinping, the origin and purpose of the critique have garnered tremendous attention. This controversy has triggered both public backlash and rebuttals from local media outlets.
On August 8, Xinhua Daily, through its WeChat account “Jiangdong Watch”, countered the criticism anonymously, stating that playing “Drop Egg” is merely a personal choice of leisure activity and should not be subject to moral judgment unless it crosses certain principles or boundaries, cautioning against creating a culture of moral condemnation.
Additionally, the Hunan Provincial Government news website, “Red Net,” published an article titled “Oppose to Drop Egg? Don’t talk nonsense!”, questioning the basis for the criticism against “Drop Egg.” It criticized Beijing Youth Daily for allegedly exaggerating the negative aspects of the game and piling on unfounded accusations.
Furthermore, the official media outlet of Shandong Jinan, “New Yellow River,” criticized that condemning “Drop Egg” should not deviate from practicality and should not solely target individuals with moral reprimands, warning against becoming an empty outcry.
These rare instances of mutual criticism among Chinese state media have prompted Chinese netizens to comment that the articles should be grounded in reason and evidence, rather than resembling emotional outbursts commonly seen in online arguments. Some Chinese netizens deemed the whole situation as tedious and wondered what criticisms would come next, portraying the issue as a display of internal disputes within the Chinese government.
Former Associate Professor at Capital Normal University and historian Li Yuanhua expressed to Epoch Times that the intense debates surrounding “Drop Egg” in the Chinese media likely have underlying political motives, suggesting a covert power struggle within the political factions; beyond being just a matter of a simple card game.
Professor at Feitian University and host of “At the Break of Dawn,” Zhang Tianliang, also suggested that the dispute regarding “Drop Egg,” while seemingly between media outlets like Beijing Youth Daily and Xinhua Daily, could signify a deeper power struggle between Cai Qi and Li Qiang in the central leadership.
“Drop Egg” is a card game that originated in the 1960s in Huai’an, Jiangsu Province, and became popular in Jiangsu and surrounding regions. In the Huai’an dialect, “Drop” means to throw or smash, hence “Drop Egg” refers to the action of players slamming their “eggs” (bombs) onto the table.
The game of “Drop Egg” uses two decks of 108 playing cards and is played by four participants, with two players forming a team. The basic rule is to dominate the opponents by playing higher-ranking card combinations, with the first player to deplete their cards becoming the winner and advancing, with the side that reaches Class A first being declared the champion.
It is estimated that in Jiangsu and Anhui provinces alone, over 20 million people frequently engage in playing “Drop Egg”, with approximately 140 million participants nationwide. In 2014, “Drop Egg” was listed as the fifth batch of intangible cultural heritage in Huai’an City. In 2017, the General Administration of Sport of China issued unified competitive rules for “Drop Egg”, followed by further regulations towards the end of 2022 and its inclusion as an exhibition event in the 5th National Intelligence Sports Games in 2023.
Competitions involving “Drop Egg” are quite popular in mainland Chinese enterprises, with many companies organizing staff tournaments. In 2017, the Jiangsu Survey and Design Association officially notified its member units to participate in the competition.
In popular belief, various expressions circulate regarding the value of “Drop Egg,” such as: “Playing ‘Drop Egg’ before a meal is like having not eaten at all”; “Playing ‘Drop Egg’ well indicates intelligence”; “Precise ‘Drop Egg’ playing reflects clear thinking”; “Deliberate ‘Drop Egg’ strategy signifies economic acumen,” among others.
The initial and prominent refutation against the criticism of “Drop Egg” came from Xinhua Daily, the official organ of the Jiangsu Provincial Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, which has been instrumental in promoting the “Drop Egg culture” and designating it as intangible cultural heritage in Huai’an City. Throughout this process, the initiative received indirect support from two former Chinese premiers, Li Keqiang and Li Qiang.
Current Premier Li Qiang served as the Secretary of the Jiangsu Provincial Committee from June 2016 to October 2017. During his tenure, “Drop Egg” was highlighted as a popular cultural aspect of Jiangsu at the inaugural Jiangsu Development Conference. Former Premier Li Keqiang mentioned to visiting members of the Canadian Chinese Business Council in November 2016, about the responsibility and role of promoting economic and cultural ties; subsequently, the Council introduced “Drop Egg” to Canada, organizing the first Chinese “Drop Egg” Conference in Nanjing in 2018.
Due to their previously alleged discord and the aforementioned situation, the recent “Drop Egg” controversy is believed to be linked to Li Qiang, indicating a new rhythm in the infighting at the top echelons of the Chinese Communist Party.
In recent years, the prevalent trend of “lying flat” in China, which signifies passivity and disengagement, has coincided with the rapid spread of “Drop Egg” culture. Reports from mainland Chinese media indicate that “Drop Egg” has gained popularity not only in financial circles, industry, and the political arena but has been jokingly referred to by netizens as a “new social currency in the financial circle.”
Li Yuanhua remarked that with the economic downturn, withdrawal of foreign investments, and struggles faced by businesses in China, it is peculiar to see bureaucratic elites indulging in “Drop Egg,” forming political cliques, and engaging in the game. He emphasized that this phenomenon turning into a political issue and being magnified through top-tier Chinese media skirmishes signals a path towards decay within the Chinese Communist Party.
Recent speculations suggest that state-owned enterprises and central enterprises have issued directives prohibiting employees from playing “Drop Egg” in office areas.
A document titled “Party Member and Leading Cadre Personal Self-inspection Report” has been circulating on Chinese online platforms. This self-inspection form comprises four sections, each questioning the presence of “DE” (Drop Egg) related activities, like ingratiating leaders through banquets, entertainment, especially “Drop Egg,” forming cliques, or engaging in favoritism. Other “DE” related activities include “forming groups”, “fostering alliances for personal gains”, “violating regulations through bribery, corruption or trading influence,” among others.
During the waning years of the Ming Dynasty, officials were often engrossed in playing the card game “Yezixi.” This indulgence in entertainment activities was considered one of the reasons for the decline and fall of the Ming Dynasty. The writer from the end of the Ming Dynasty and early Qing Dynasty, Wu Meicun, remarked, “The demise of the Ming Dynasty was due to gambling.” “Gambling” here refers to “Yezixi.”
“Yezixi” is a card game originating from the Tang Dynasty, named after the resemblance of playing cards to leaves. The game consists of forty cards categorized into different suits like ten-thousand, myriads, bamboo, coins.
During the late Ming Dynasty, this game became popular across the country and was frequently linked to gambling activities. Under the reign of the founding emperor Zhu Yuanzhang, anyone caught engaging in gambling, regardless of whether they were official or commoner, risked severe penalties such as amputation. Despite these strict measures, many high-ranking officials continued their fervor for the game, with accounts describing scholars and officials playing excessively until the demise of the Ming Dynasty.
Some Chinese netizens draw parallels between the current “Drop Egg” controversy and the Ming officials’ obsession with “Yezixi.”
Li Yuanhua expressed that amidst the economic decline, societal distortions, and officials “lying flat,” their obsession with “Drop Egg” and the formation of political cliques within the bureaucracy appear perplexing. This phenomenon has now transformed into a political issue, with the Chinese Communist Party’s elite media engaging in contentious battles and infighting – reflecting a sign of the party’s impending decline.