In a rare move one of China’s censors has gone on the record to explain why popular TV drama “The Empress of China” was ordered off air for a re-edit.
Tian Jin, deputy director of the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television, said Wednesday that the show contained “unhealthy images.”
The period drama starring Fan Bingbing as the country’s only known empress, Wu Zetian, ran on satellite channel Hunan TV from Dec. 21 before it was taken off. When it reappeared on Jan. 1 many full-length and mid-length shots had been closely cropped to become headshots, eliminating the cleavage-revealing dresses that were the fashion of Wu’s era.
The re-edit provoked howls of criticism online that the industry regulators are absurdly over-protective. Before and after shots revealed that many of Fan’s multiple costume changes were rendered invisible.
It also sparked renewed calls for a rating system that would allow film distributors and broadcasters to clearly target their shows at specific audience segments. Currently China operates a system where all content is supposed to be suitable for all age groups and categories of society.
Popular on Variety
Typically China’s broadcast regulators do not comment on decisions, They often leave rules vague and encourage film makers to err on the side of caution.
Tian specifically blamed a “lack of editing” of the show and said that “punishment was given in accordance with the law.”
“Our artistic works, films and TV dramas should all promote China’s core values and pass on positive energy and good and true ideas,” Tian said.
Read More About:
Jump to CommentsMore from Variety
CBS Orders Comedy Pilot ‘DMV,’ to Develop Single-Cam ‘Eternally Yours’ From ‘Ghosts’ Creators
Hollywood Must Define AI Technical Standards to Prep for Its Future
Jared Padalecki Joins ‘Fire Country’ Season 3 at CBS
‘FBI’ Season 7 Casts Lisette Olivera
AI Content Licensing Deals With Publishers: Complete Updated Index
CBS, Nexstar Renew Affiliate Stations Across 42 Markets
Most Popular
‘Inside Out 2’ Becomes First Animated Film to Hit $1 Billion at International Box Office
Channing Tatum Says Gambit Accent Was Supposed to Be ‘Unintelligible’ at Times and He Was ‘Too Scared to Ask’ Marvel for the Costume to Bring…
Box Office: ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ Returns to No. 1 in Fifth Weekend as ‘The Crow’ Bombs and ‘Blink Twice…
Ryan Reynolds Was ‘Mortified’ to Cut Rob McElhenney’s ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ Cameo but the ‘Sequence Wasn’t Working’: ‘I Had to Kill a Darling…
‘Ted Lasso’ Eyes Season 4 Greenlight With Main Cast Members Returning
Oasis’ Liam and Noel Gallagher Drop Biggest Hint Yet That Group Is Reuniting
China Box Office: 'Alien: Romulus' Becomes Hollywood's Second Biggest Film of 2024
Taylor Swift Praises Charli XCX After ‘Sympathy Is a Knife’ Reignited Feud Rumors: ‘Her Writing Is Surreal and Inventive’
‘Super/Man’ Trailer: Christopher Reeve Doc Captures the Late Actor’s Superhero Stardom and Life After His Near-Fatal Accident
Chris Hemsworth Plays Drums in Surprise Appearance at Ed Sheeran’s Romania Concert
Must Read
- Film
‘Megalopolis’ Trailer’s Fake Critic Quotes Were AI-Generated, Lionsgate Drops Marketing Consultant Responsible For Snafu
- Music
Sabrina Carpenter Teases and Torments on the Masterful — and Devilishly NSFW — 'Short n' Sweet': Album Review
- Film
Tim Burton on Why the 'Batman' Films Have Changed and How 'Beetlejuice Beetlejuice' Saved Him From Retirement
- Film
Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck Are the Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton of the 2020s
Sign Up for Variety Newsletters
By providing your information, you agree to our Terms of Use and our Privacy Policy.We use vendors that may also process your information to help provide our services. // This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.Variety Confidential
ncG1vNJzZmiukae2psDYZ5qopV9nfXKBjq2taJmjnq5wr8eipZqrXZiyr7%2FOq2SesKChrqq60mauobFdl7%2BmrdKtqmavlaeybq%2FUrWSfqp%2BierGx0aKmnWWUp66urYxqaWlpZGZ%2BeH2YaA%3D%3D