Several industry insiders in mainland China have expressed that the Chinese Communist authorities are requiring performance content to be reported, with some performances being “supervised on-site” by cultural departments. Performance agencies and frontline practitioners have noted a significant tightening of censorship standards: some performances are last-minute asked for changes, some programs need to undergo script reevaluation, and a more proactive self-censorship atmosphere is gradually forming within the industry.
In recent years, the ideological control in Beijing has continued to strengthen. According to sources familiar with the cultural management system, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism has recently issued verbal or written notices to its subordinate Art Department and various private performance organizations, requiring all performances to be “institutionalized.” These units must submit full scripts, program lists, organizer qualifications, safety plans, performance venue information, and emergency plans in written form for review.
A manager from a performance agency in Beijing, Ms. Xu, told reporters that the focus of higher-level reviews has clearly shifted to content. “For example, corruption-related themes, historical subjects, religious and ethnic matters are all under scrutiny. I received a notice earlier this year, and recently, another one stating that public events, such as traffic accidents or malicious incidents, should not be depicted in performances, even in small-scale shows.”
She mentioned that where previously small performances or internal events only required a brief program introduction, now even improvisational segments and interactive content are required to be accompanied by explanations. “Genres like crosstalk and theater comedy that originally involved improv performances are now required to follow the script and are not allowed to improvise on the spot.” She said that many private teams have started removing phrases that could trigger associations, including negative internet slang.
The official review of cultural performances by the Chinese Communist Party not only happens in advance but also extends to the performance venues. According to multiple practitioners who spoke to Dajiyuan, cultural market administrative personnel in cities like Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou will show up during performances to ensure compliance with the registered content. If they find added segments or sensitive content, they may stop the show on the spot or request the removal of related parts.
Miss Wang from Nanjing recalled an incident where security guards called the police on young people performing content related to “lying flat” in Xuanwu Lake Park not long ago. “They said those performers didn’t have permits and took them away.”
Another performance ticketing and coordination specialist in Beijing, Mrs. Sun, mentioned that “on-site supervision” has gradually become normalized in recent years. “Especially for external teams, cross-province performances, or during holiday seasons. Recently, the relevant departments would usually send personnel on-site. Teams must prepare performance scripts and dialogue records in advance for these individuals to review.”
She also mentioned that in addition to administrative review, online public opinion could affect performance arrangements. “For example, recordings of live performances at venues can easily be uploaded online, and if disputes or complaints arise, local cultural and tourism departments tend to investigate.”
Industry insiders in mainland China generally agree that the boundaries of self-censorship are shifting further and further forward. Several crosstalk and stand-up comedy groups told reporters that they deliberately steer clear of political topics during their creative process, and sections related to historical or industry satire, even content related to professional descriptions and social news, tend to lean towards conservatism.
According to sources, this round of censorship is not targeting specific works or performers but is part of an overall “policy tightening” by the Chinese Communist Party’s Propaganda Department. The Ministry of Culture and Tourism has requested provinces and cities to establish a “routine supervision” mechanism for performance content and set up internal early warning alerts for potentially controversial content. Additionally, performance companies are required to designate a “content safety officer” who should start recording script revisions from the early stages of creation and keep them on file.
Under the impact of tightened policies, the creative landscape of the entertainment industry in mainland China is undergoing significant changes. Comedians no longer dare to use vague metaphors, crosstalk performers are reducing the use of satirical techniques, and legal or policy consultants are increasingly common in theater performances. Narrative forms like stage plays and musicals, which are relatively enclosed, are frequently adjusting scripts due to censorship.
Scholar Zhou Wu from Nanjing believes that the tightened censorship will have profound implications for cultural production in China. “In the evolving regulatory environment, performance institutions, scriptwriters, and actors all need to reassess the boundaries of content.” He stated that the content landscape of Chinese artistic performances is being reshaped, and the future creative space and expression methods might be redefined within the new censorship framework.