Amp up your <keyword id="30873" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="home-decor">home decor</keyword> by adding these <keyword id="11684238" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="traditional-stools">traditional stools</keyword> to your home setting. These are hand-crafted with traditional techniques that make them look attractive. The eco-friendly material used makes them lightweight and easy to carry. Also, their compact size makes them suitable to fit easily even in small spaces. To help you choose the best <keyword id="11684237" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="bamboo-stools">bamboo stools</keyword>, we have curated a list.<br /><br /><bulletContentEmbed name="B073BW1FXV" columns="1"><bulletContentHeading name="B073BW1FXV_head"><columnHead col="1"><columnHeadThumb><div type="image" title="Lightweight" msid="84595217" hostid="261"></div></columnHeadThumb><columnHeadTitle>B073BW1FXV</columnHeadTitle></columnHead></bulletContentHeading><bulleteContentBody name="B073BW1FXV_body"><bulletContentRow name="B073BW1FXV_6259419560523494"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1">Pushkar Handicraft Exclusive Product Bamboo Cane Bar Stool- 2 Pieces</bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">This handmade bamboo cane bar stool from Pushkar Handicraft claims to be made from eco-friendly material. It is said to have a seat height of 40cm which should let you sit comfortably. Its lightweight should make it convenient to carry conveniently. The ethnic and traditional design should add grace to the decor.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow><bulletContentRow name="B073BW1FXV_8351790875266761"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1"></bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">Its lightweight should make it easy to lift.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow></bulleteContentBody></bulletContentEmbed><br /><br /><bulletContentEmbed name="B089F6LK5D" columns="1"><bulletContentHeading name="B089F6LK5D_head"><columnHead col="1"><columnHeadThumb><div type="image" title="Eco-friendly" msid="84595238" hostid="261"></div></columnHeadThumb><columnHeadTitle>B089F6LK5D</columnHeadTitle></columnHead></bulletContentHeading><bulleteContentBody name="B089F6LK5D_body"><bulletContentRow name="B089F6LK5D_4688193126623141"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1">Handmakers! Natural <keyword id="11684232" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="bamboo-mudda">Bamboo Mudda</keyword> Stool with Beige and White</bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">This traditional style mudda stool from Handmakers is said to be made of eco-friendly material. Its compact size should make it fit anywhere, which also makes it easy to move. It is said to be suitable for sitting on a balcony, living room, garden, etc. The natural and eco-friendly material used should make the sitting comfortable.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow><bulletContentRow name="B089F6LK5D_4293855892298648"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1"></bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">The material used should help you sit comfortably.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow></bulleteContentBody></bulletContentEmbed><br /><br /><bulletContentEmbed name="B08KLVZKLH" columns="1"><bulletContentHeading name="B08KLVZKLH_head"><columnHead col="1"><columnHeadThumb><div type="image" title="Hand-crafted" msid="84595253" hostid="261"></div></columnHeadThumb><columnHeadTitle>B08KLVZKLH</columnHeadTitle></columnHead></bulletContentHeading><bulleteContentBody name="B08KLVZKLH_body"><bulletContentRow name="B08KLVZKLH_9580858258724064"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1">Kam Home Bamboo Mudda Stool</bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">This contemporary style bamboo mudda from Kam is said to be hand-crafted from bamboo and rope. Its gracefully and cleanly bound design should elevate the look of your living space. The 16 by 16-inch height and 5kgs weight should make you carry conveniently and effortlessly.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow><bulletContentRow name="B08KLVZKLH_5634182660079486"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1"></bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">Its neat design should make it look attractive.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow></bulleteContentBody></bulletContentEmbed><br /><br /><bulletContentEmbed name="B08LW243JV" columns="1"><bulletContentHeading name="B08LW243JV_head"><columnHead col="1"><columnHeadThumb><div type="image" title="Traditional Design" msid="84595270" hostid="261"></div></columnHeadThumb><columnHeadTitle>B08LW243JV</columnHeadTitle></columnHead></bulletContentHeading><bulleteContentBody name="B08LW243JV_body"><bulletContentRow name="B08LW243JV_3508406078278768"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1">Yash Mudda House Handicraft Bamboo Chair</bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">This traditionally designed bamboo chair from Generic is said to be hand-crafted from bamboo material with traditional techniques. The superior quality material used should make it easy to clean with a damp cloth. The material used should make you feel relaxed and help you provide comfortable sitting.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow><bulletContentRow name="B08LW243JV_3219146472579838"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1"></bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">It is easy to clean without any hassle.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow></bulleteContentBody></bulletContentEmbed><br /><br /><bulletContentEmbed name="B06XB7TZMZ" columns="1"><bulletContentHeading name="B06XB7TZMZ_head"><columnHead col="1"><columnHeadThumb><div type="image" title="Compact Size" msid="84595311" hostid="261"></div></columnHeadThumb><columnHeadTitle>B06XB7TZMZ</columnHeadTitle></columnHead></bulletContentHeading><bulleteContentBody name="B06XB7TZMZ_body"><bulletContentRow name="B06XB7TZMZ_1261185124493702"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1">Rang Barse Cotton Rajasthani Handmade Patchwork Stool</bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">This beautifully designed handmade patchwork stool from Rang Barse claims to be made of bamboo material. It is said to be covered with a 100% cotton material with a traditional design to make it look attractive. Its compact size and lightweight should make you carry or move conveniently and fit comfortably.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow><bulletContentRow name="B06XB7TZMZ_2044282172455497"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1"></bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">It is easy to carry due to its compact size and lightweight.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow></bulleteContentBody></bulletContentEmbed><br /><br /><bulletContentEmbed name="B08R3R2BSL" columns="1"><bulletContentHeading name="B08R3R2BSL_head"><columnHead col="1"><columnHeadThumb><div type="image" title="Low Maintenance" msid="84595410" hostid="261"></div></columnHeadThumb><columnHeadTitle>B08R3R2BSL</columnHeadTitle></columnHead></bulletContentHeading><bulleteContentBody name="B08R3R2BSL_body"><bulletContentRow name="B08R3R2BSL_8262790821745185"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1">Ahaan Creations Cane bar Bamboo Mudda Eco-Friendly Handicraft Stool</bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">This cane bar bamboo mudda from Generic claims to be made from eco-friendly and durable material to make your sitting comfortable. Its lightweight should make you carry and move effortlessly. The traditional techniques used in the making should make its appearance eye-pleasing. Also, it does not require any effort for cleaning or maintaining.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow><bulletContentRow name="B08R3R2BSL_2065728673051973"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1"></bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">It should make your sitting comfortable and convenient.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow></bulleteContentBody></bulletContentEmbed><br /><br />

Best bamboo stools to buy in India

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In India,<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/The-9-most-unconventional-courses-in-Indian-colleges-you-can-pursue/articleshow/51442075.cms"> several professions</a> being passed on within families from one generation to the next have become redundant in 21st Century modern India, thanks to the economic restructuring. The last two decades have completely transformed India's cities. Traditional industries have been rendered redundant and new technologies have outdone the need of laborious tasks. <br />
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We bring you pictures from the new book, <em>The Lost Generation</em>, by author <keyword id="3295934" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nidhi-Dugar-Kundalia">Nidhi Dugar Kundalia</keyword> and those by photographer <keyword id="1759466" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="clare-arni">Clare Arni</keyword> – both of whom have been chronicling "dying professions" of India.<br />
<br />
First up - Those by Nidhi: <br />
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<strong><keyword id="58099" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Scribes">Scribes</keyword> of Old Delhi</strong><br />

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<br /> Back in the Mughal era, <keyword id="52564" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="calligraphy">calligraphy</keyword> was considered a virtuous and pious act. Members of the royal family often learnt calligraphy from the finest experts and offered them high positions in their courts. Wasim Ahmed, a scribe and teacher of Urdu, Persian and Arabic calligraphy, has been practising the art for over 30 years now. He once inscribed books and made hand-drawn posters and they then went to the printers to be replicated and were sold to people who believed the sacred verses would bring them good luck. But Mr Ahmed and others like him have long lost the patronage and the benefits that came with calligraphy after the introduction of Urdu font on computers.<br />
 <br />
<strong>Professional mourners of Rajasthan</strong><br />

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In the Thar desert in the western states of Rajasthan, where women from privileged and upper-caste backgrounds are expected to preserve their dignity by not exhibiting their emotions in front of commoners, the lower-caste rudaalis are called in to mourn for them. They cry out aloud, toss their heads, and wail to the heavens, beating their chests and slapping the ground in front of them. This goes on for 12 days after a death. Over the years, families now prefer sophisticated, quieter funerals with rising literacy rates and migrations. Rudaalis are therefore increasingly losing their relevance.<br />
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<strong><keyword id="3295936" type="POSITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="street-dentist">Street dentist</keyword> of Baroda</strong><br />

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Amrit Singh's humble office is a street shop outside MS Baroda University. There's no mortar-and-brick structure, no ritzy chairs, no surgical light head. What you find is a few dentures, bottles and a tin box that holds extra dental tools. He makes his patients sit on a bamboo stool boot out any pain from their mouth with his corroded set of pliers. The street dentists in modern India learned their skills mostly from the Hubei community of China, who came looking for work in India in the early 1900s. Post-independence, regulations in dentistry practices were introduced, rendering street dentistry illegal but they continued to thrive in the dark underbelly of the country, tending to those for whom licensed dental services are still unaffordable.<br />
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	<strong>Genealogist of Haridwar</strong><br />
	
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	After a death, male members in Indian families travel down to Haridwar to cremate their kins by pouring their ashes in the Ganga. The ceremony conducted by the family "panda" - priests who double up as genealogists. They are also in charge of the family register, of updating the family's genealogical tree with details of marriages, births and deaths. The reason for their existence has to do with the Hindu belief that the family is everlasting and comprehensive and that each Hindu must "look out" for his ancestors and perform ceremonies for their journey heavenwards and immortalise them by recording their names in the genealogical registers known as "vahis". Over the years, digitisation of their records and increasing scientific worldview are eating into the pandas' work but those like Mahendra Kumar continue to work.<br /><br />
	 
<strong>Ittarwallah of Hyderabad</strong><br />

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Before they bought a box-sized shop, Syed Abdul Gaffar's ancestors sold ittars from a wooden box that hung around their necks, walking the streets. They moved about the lanes of the old city that were lined with the homes of nobles and relatives of the Nawabs. The ittarwallahs would be invited in and the women would buy their scented wares - a vial of "raat ki rani", a flowery scent reminiscent of breathing the warm night air, or jasmine that would lure their husbands to their beds. Mr Gaffar now sells the ittar (perfumes) he makes to the few discerning customers who still have a nose for it. There is an increasing demand for branded synthetic perfumes which are more cost effective. But he refuses to make them, says it’s immoral.<br />
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Next up are those by British-born Clare Arni:<br />
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<strong>Tinning Process, Delhi</strong><br />

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Copper is one of the best metals for conducting heat and was often used in cooking vessels, so that the heat spread evenly across the surface of the pot. The metal can, however, react with acidic foods to produce toxins, so in workshops like these the pots are lined with tin on the inside. This profession is now vanishing due to the availability of cheaper stainless steel vessels.<br />
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<strong>Woon Son Shoes, Kolkata</strong><br />

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Christopher Francis Lin’s card said that he was an ‘Expert footwear designer and shoemaker’. At one time, each of the shoe moulds – or lasts, as they're called in the trade – were custom made to the shape and size of the customer's feet. But now, they sizes are standarised. “Then it was good money.”<br />
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<strong>The Potter, Duza Siguiera, Goa</strong><br />

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Several members of Duza Siguiera family work together in a small red laterite workshop producing hand-pinched pots. The market has become less as everyone is using plastic and stainless steel despite the fact that it’s good to use terracotta for health. <br />
<br />
(Image source: Clare Arni)<br />


The 8 dying professions of India

<p><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/542c3507ecad049e2e2105b0-1004-502/sina-weibo.png" border="0" alt="sina weibo">China's government heavily censors its internet - and a<span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">mid recent pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong, online freedom of speech in the country has deteriorated <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2014/9/28/6859993/instagram-reportedly-blocked-in-mainland-china-following-hong-kong-protests">even further</a>.</span></img></p>
<p>Netizens have long gone without YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook, but one website stands as China's largest social media network: <a href="http://s.weibo.com/">Sina Weibo</a>.</p>
<p>The site, which operates much like Twitter, has <a href="http://edition.cnn.com/2014/04/10/business/china-weibo-user-base/">10 million "core" users</a>. But even they face restrictions. </p>
<p>In his 2012 book, "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Blocked-Weibo-Suppressed-China%C2%92s-Version/dp/159558871X">Blocked on Weibo</a>," researcher <a href="http://www.jasonqng.com/">Jason Q. Ng</a> compiled a list of what the site suppresses and why. The <a href="http://blockedonweibo.tumblr.com/">project started as a Tumblr</a> and quickly spilled onto actual pages. </p>
<p>We chose 16 weird terms that Weibo banned at one point - and likely still does.</p>
<h3>1. "Fifty cents" <em>(wumao)</em></h3>
<p>Short for "50 Cent Party," this pejorative term refers to internet commenters hired by the government to post favorable comments about the Communist Party and China in general.</p>
<p>These hired guns supposedly earn 50 cents for every post. The Chinese government has implicitly acknowledged their existence, and people often use the term as a snarky response to any pro-China sentiments online.</p>
<h3>2. "Four gentleman" <em>(si junzi)</em></h3>
<p><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/542c75fc6bb3f7734ecea301-502-251/four-gentleman-2.jpg" border="0" alt="four gentleman" width="800" /></p>
<p>This refers to four plants: orchid, bamboo, chrysanthemum, and plum blossom, which represent a Confucian concept about virtuosity. Roughly translated into English, the teaching means "gentleman." Chinese paintings commonly show the four flowers together.</p>
<p>During the Tiananmen Square protests in 1989, four men, referred to as the <em>si junzi</em>, stood on the students' side. Using the term signifies deep respect. </p>
<h3>3. "Victoria" <em>(Weiduoliya)</em></h3>
<p>In Roman mythology, Victoria was the goddess of victory. So does Weibo block the name because of that? The lingerie models? No, it's blocked for Hong Kong's Victoria Park. </p>
<p>Every June 4, Victoria Park acts as the site for a candlelight vigil commemorating those who died in Tiananmen Square in 1989. Other demonstrations frequently use the park as a home base, too. </p>
<h3>4. "May 35" <em>(Wuyue sanshiwu)</em></h3>
<p>Since May has 31 days, the date "May 35" would technically be June 4 - the day the army arrived in Tiananmen Square in Beijing in 1989 to deal with demonstrators. </p>
<p>Since June 4 is obviously blocked on Weibo, users found other ways to discuss the date: "day four," "the beginning of June," and even phonetic translations of the words "six" and "four." All of them have been, or still are, blocked.</p>
<h3>5. "Meow" <em>(mimi)</em></h3>
<p>Known to Westerns as the sound a cat makes (or an oboe-like folk instrument), "meow" in Chinese is roughly the equivalent to "tits" in English. </p>
<h3>6. "Dew point" <em>(ludian)</em></h3>
<p>Certainly not blocked for its scientific meaning, "dew point" is slang in China for "reveal a little bit (of skin)."</p>
<h3>7. "Rich woman" <em>(fu nu)</em></h3>
<p><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/542c730a69beddb1602f2294-588-294/guo-meimei.png" border="0" alt="Guo Meimei" width="800" /></p>
<p>Often used to criticize the wealth of the wives, mistresses, and daughters of corrupt businessmen and government officials, Weibo blocks the term because of a specific woman: Guo Meimei. </p>
<p>In June 2011, Meimei had been posting about her glamorous lifestyle for months: horseback riding, Hermes purses, an orange Lamborghini, and so on. But she listed her job title as manager of the "China Red Cross Chamber of Commerce." When netizens realized the disconnect, they began wondering where their donations had gone. </p>
<p>While the government maintained the existence of her alleged organization, the real Chinese Red Cross launched an investigation, which turned up irregularities. The scandal shook the entire country's confidence in charities. </p>
<h3>8. "Never forget" <em>(wu wang)</em></h3>
<p>These two words begin a classical Chinese idiom, known as "<em>chengyu." </em>Literally translated, it means "don't forget that you're in Ju." </p>
<p>Ju was a Chinese city in the Qi state during the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warring_States_period">Warring States Period</a>,  a centuries-long struggle between the various states of China. Ju suffered heavily.</p>
<p>Turning this phrase now intends to motivate the group on a losing side of a battle - rooting for the little guy, if you will.</p>
<h3>9. "Empty stool" <em>(kongdeng)</em></h3>
<p>This references the empty chair that sat between two people during the 2010 Nobel Peace Price ceremony. </p>
<p>The recipient was <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liu_Xiaobo">Liu Xiabao</a>, a Chinese writer, professor, and human rights activist. He was, and remains, in prison. In one of the most iconic images to come from the day, chairman of the Nobel Committee, Thorbjorn Jagland, placed the medal on Xiabao's empty chair. </p>
<p>Netizens started using the phrase "empty stool" as a tribute to Xiabao. </p>
<h3>10. "Hair bacon" <em>(mao larou)</em></h3>
<p>Strange as it seems, this phrase references Mao Zedong's body on display at the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong in Tiananmen Square in Beijing.</p>
<p>The Chinese character for "hair" is also Mao's surname. And the character for "bacon" literally means "preserved meat." </p>
<p>Thus, "hair bacon" means the "preserved meat of Mao."</p>
<h3>11. "Calico cat" <em>(sansemao)</em></h3>
<p><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/542c74ad6bb3f7da4acea30a-640-320/calico-cat.jpg" border="0" alt="Calico cat" width="800" /></p>
<p>Searching for any color cat is actually blocked on Weibo. They reference Chinese revolutionary Deng Xiaoping's famous 1961 proverb: "It doesn't matter if the cat is black of white; so long as it catches mice, it's good." </p>
<p>In the statement, the mouse represents economic prosperity and national advancement, while the cat is the system used to achieve it. Xiaoping likely meant it as a mockery of China's China's socialist system. </p>
<h3>12. "Canadian French" <em>(Jianada Fayu)</em></h3>
<p>In traditional Chinese, the characters for "Canadian French" inadvertently contain another character meaning: "national constitution," which also happens to be an abbreviation for Falun Dafa, a.k.a. <a href="http://www.falundafa.org/">Falun Gong</a>, the outlawed cult. </p>
<p>The author uses this as an example of the <a href="http://www.wikiwand.com/en/Scunthorpe_problem">Scunthorpe problem</a>, in which algorithms block innocent terms that simply contain banned words.</p>
<h3>13. "Dry your mother" <em>(gan ni ma)</em></h3>
<p>The characters for this phrase can mean "grasp you" or "grasp your mother," too. All are ostensibly the equivalent of English's "f--- you." </p>
<h3>14. "Hoobastank"</h3>
<p><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/542c74fb69beddb8692f2293-1024-512/hoobastank.jpg" border="0" alt="Hoobastank" /></p>
<p><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">The American rock band's name contains the word "tank" - one of the many military-related terms banned on Weibo. It's the Scunthorpe problem all over again. </span></p>
<h3>15. "River crab" <em>(hexie)</em></h3>
<p>This actually refers to the mitten crab, an edible crustacean common to China's eastern coast.</p>
<p>Despite its invasiveness, Weibo bans this animal's name because of its similarity to the Chinese word for "harmony." Communist party leader until 2012, Hu Jintao, made that his chief message. S<span style="line-height: 1.5em;">keptical of his agenda, people quickly started using "river crab" as a sort of code to discuss the situation online.</span></p>
<h3>16. "Color of leopard" <em>(sebao)</em></h3>
<p>The English equivalent is "animal print," or "leopard print, and the author has no idea why Weibo bans it.<span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><br /></span></p>

16 Terms That Show How Heavily China Censors Its Internet

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table click-to-enlarge"><div><div class="image on-image"><a title_source="Sina Weibo" title_caption="The homepage of China's version of Twitter." class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/542c3507ecad049e2e2105b0-960/sina-weibo.png"><span class="sprites click-to-enlarge-icon" title="Click to enlarge"></span><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/542c3507ecad049e2e2105b0-1004-502/sina-weibo.png" border="0" alt="sina weibo" /></a><p class="source"><span><a href="http://s.weibo.com/">Sina Weibo</a></span></p><p class="caption">The homepage of China's version of Twitter.</p></div><p></p></div></div>China's government heavily censors its internet - and a<span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">mid recent pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong, online freedom of speech in the country has deteriorated <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2014/9/28/6859993/instagram-reportedly-blocked-in-mainland-china-following-hong-kong-protests">even further</a>.</span></p>
<p>Netizens have long gone without YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook, but one website stands as China's largest social media network: <a href="http://s.weibo.com/">Sina Weibo</a>.</p>
<p>The site, which operates much like Twitter, has <a href="http://edition.cnn.com/2014/04/10/business/china-weibo-user-base/">10 million "core" users</a>. But even they face restrictions. </p>
<p>In his 2012 book, "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Blocked-Weibo-Suppressed-China%C2%92s-Version/dp/159558871X">Blocked on Weibo</a>," researcher <a href="http://www.jasonqng.com/">Jason Q. Ng</a> compiled a list of what the site suppresses and why. The <a href="http://blockedonweibo.tumblr.com/">project started as a Tumblr</a> and quickly spilled onto actual pages. </p>
<p>We chose 16 weird terms that Weibo banned at one point - and likely still does.</p>
<h3>1. "Fifty cents" <em>(wumao)</em></h3>
<p>Short for "50 Cent Party," this pejorative term refers to internet commenters hired by the government to post favorable comments about the Communist Party and China in general.</p>
<p>These hired guns supposedly earn 50 cents for every post. The Chinese government has implicitly acknowledged their existence, and people often use the term as a snarky response to any pro-China sentiments online.</p>
<h3>2. "Four gentleman" <em>(si junzi)</em></h3>
<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container click-to-enlarge"><div class="image on-image"><a title_source="Wikimedia Commons" title_caption="Chinese art featuring one of the " four="" gentleman="" the="" chrysanthemum.="" class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/542c75fc6bb3f7734ecea301-960/four-gentleman-2.jpg"><span class="sprites click-to-enlarge-icon" title="Click to enlarge"></span><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/542c75fc6bb3f7734ecea301-502-251/four-gentleman-2.jpg" border="0" alt="four gentleman" width="800" /></a><p class="source"><span>Wikimedia Commons</span></p><p class="caption">Chinese art featuring one of the "four gentleman," the chrysanthemum.</p></div><p></p></div></p>
<p>This refers to four plants: orchid, bamboo, chrysanthemum, and plum blossom, which represent a Confucian concept about virtuosity. Roughly translated into English, the teaching means "gentleman." Chinese paintings commonly show the four flowers together.</p>
<p>During the Tiananmen Square protests in 1989, four men, referred to as the <em>si junzi</em>, stood on the students' side. Using the term signifies deep respect. </p>
<h3>3. "Victoria" <em>(Weiduoliya)</em></h3>
<p>In Roman mythology, Victoria was the goddess of victory. So does Weibo block the name because of that? The lingerie models? No, it's blocked for Hong Kong's Victoria Park. </p>
<p>Every June 4, Victoria Park acts as the site for a candlelight vigil commemorating those who died in Tiananmen Square in 1989. Other demonstrations frequently use the park as a home base, too. </p>
<h3>4. "May 35" <em>(Wuyue sanshiwu)</em></h3>
<p>Since May has 31 days, the date "May 35" would technically be June 4 - the day the army arrived in Tiananmen Square in Beijing in 1989 to deal with demonstrators. </p>
<p>Since June 4 is obviously blocked on Weibo, users found other ways to discuss the date: "day four," "the beginning of June," and even phonetic translations of the words "six" and "four." All of them have been, or still are, blocked.</p>
<h3>5. "Meow" <em>(mimi)</em></h3>
<p>Known to Westerns as the sound a cat makes (or an oboe-like folk instrument), "meow" in Chinese is roughly the equivalent to "tits" in English. </p>
<h3>6. "Dew point" <em>(ludian)</em></h3>
<p>Certainly not blocked for its scientific meaning, "dew point" is slang in China for "reveal a little bit (of skin)."</p>
<h3>7. "Rich woman" <em>(fu nu)</em></h3>
<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container click-to-enlarge"><div class="image on-image"><a title_source="YouTube/China Uncensored " title_caption="Pictures from Guo Meimei's Instagram. " class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/542c730a69beddb1602f2294-960/guo-meimei.png"><span class="sprites click-to-enlarge-icon" title="Click to enlarge"></span><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/542c730a69beddb1602f2294-588-294/guo-meimei.png" border="0" alt="Guo Meimei" width="800" /></a><p class="source"><span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=poz7DVmpKko">YouTube/China Uncensored </a></span></p><p class="caption">Pictures from Guo Meimei's Instagram. </p></div><p></p></div></p>
<p>Often used to criticize the wealth of the wives, mistresses, and daughters of corrupt businessmen and government officials, Weibo blocks the term because of a specific woman: Guo Meimei. </p>
<p>In June 2011, Meimei had been posting about her glamorous lifestyle for months: horseback riding, Hermes purses, an orange Lamborghini, and so on. But she listed her job title as manager of the "China Red Cross Chamber of Commerce." When netizens realized the disconnect, they began wondering where their donations had gone. </p>
<p>While the government maintained the existence of her alleged organization, the real Chinese Red Cross launched an investigation, which turned up irregularities. The scandal shook the entire country's confidence in charities. </p>
<h3>8. "Never forget" <em>(wu wang)</em></h3>
<p>These two words begin a classical Chinese idiom, known as "<em>chengyu." </em>Literally translated, it means "don't forget that you're in Ju." </p>
<p>Ju was a Chinese city in the Qi state during the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warring_States_period">Warring States Period</a>,  a centuries-long struggle between the various states of China. Ju suffered heavily.</p>
<p>Turning this phrase now intends to motivate the group on a losing side of a battle - rooting for the little guy, if you will.</p>
<h3>9. "Empty stool" <em>(kongdeng)</em></h3>
<p>This references the empty chair that sat between two people during the 2010 Nobel Peace Price ceremony. </p>
<p>The recipient was <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liu_Xiaobo">Liu Xiabao</a>, a Chinese writer, professor, and human rights activist. He was, and remains, in prison. In one of the most iconic images to come from the day, chairman of the Nobel Committee, Thorbjorn Jagland, placed the medal on Xiabao's empty chair. </p>
<p>Netizens started using the phrase "empty stool" as a tribute to Xiabao. </p>
<h3>10. "Hair bacon" <em>(mao larou)</em></h3>
<p>Strange as it seems, this phrase references Mao Zedong's body on display at the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong in Tiananmen Square in Beijing.</p>
<p>The Chinese character for "hair" is also Mao's surname. And the character for "bacon" literally means "preserved meat." </p>
<p>Thus, "hair bacon" means the "preserved meat of Mao."</p>
<h3>11. "Calico cat" <em>(sansemao)</em></h3>
<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container click-to-enlarge"><div class="image on-image"><a title_source="Wikimedia Commons" title_caption="This cat hates socialism. " class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/542c74ad6bb3f7da4acea30a-960/calico-cat.jpg"><span class="sprites click-to-enlarge-icon" title="Click to enlarge"></span><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/542c74ad6bb3f7da4acea30a-640-320/calico-cat.jpg" border="0" alt="Calico cat" width="800" /></a><p class="source"><span>Wikimedia Commons</span></p><p class="caption">This cat hates socialism. </p></div><p></p></div></p>
<p>Searching for any color cat is actually blocked on Weibo. They reference Chinese revolutionary Deng Xiaoping's famous 1961 proverb: "It doesn't matter if the cat is black of white; so long as it catches mice, it's good." </p>
<p>In the statement, the mouse represents economic prosperity and national advancement, while the cat is the system used to achieve it. Xiaoping likely meant it as a mockery of China's China's socialist system. </p>
<h3>12. "Canadian French" <em>(Jianada Fayu)</em></h3>
<p>In traditional Chinese, the characters for "Canadian French" inadvertently contain another character meaning: "national constitution," which also happens to be an abbreviation for Falun Dafa, a.k.a. <a href="http://www.falundafa.org/">Falun Gong</a>, the outlawed cult. </p>
<p>The author uses this as an example of the <a href="http://www.wikiwand.com/en/Scunthorpe_problem">Scunthorpe problem</a>, in which algorithms block innocent terms that simply contain banned words.</p>
<h3>13. "Dry your mother" <em>(gan ni ma)</em></h3>
<p>The characters for this phrase can mean "grasp you" or "grasp your mother," too. All are ostensibly the equivalent of English's "f--- you." </p>
<h3>14. "Hoobastank"</h3>
<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table click-to-enlarge"><div><div class="image on-image"><a title_source="Wikimedia Commons" title_caption="There's 'A Reason' Hoobastank is banned." class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/542c74fb69beddb8692f2293-960/hoobastank.jpg"><span class="sprites click-to-enlarge-icon" title="Click to enlarge"></span><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/542c74fb69beddb8692f2293-1024-512/hoobastank.jpg" border="0" alt="Hoobastank" /></a><p class="source"><span>Wikimedia Commons</span></p><p class="caption">There's 'A Reason' Hoobastank is banned.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p>
<p><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">The American rock band's name contains the word "tank" - one of the many military-related terms banned on Weibo. It's the Scunthorpe problem all over again. </span></p>
<h3>15. "River crab" <em>(hexie)</em></h3>
<p>This actually refers to the mitten crab, an edible crustacean common to China's eastern coast.</p>
<p>Despite its invasiveness, Weibo bans this animal's name because of its similarity to the Chinese word for "harmony." Communist party leader until 2012, Hu Jintao, made that his chief message. S<span style="line-height: 1.5em;">keptical of his agenda, people quickly started using "river crab" as a sort of code to discuss the situation online.</span></p>
<h3>16. "Color of leopard" <em>(sebao)</em></h3>
<p>The English equivalent is "animal print," or "leopard print, and the author has no idea why Weibo bans it.<span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><br /></span></p>

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