Nervous China nips revolution in the bud with Jasmine ban
It may seem the unlikeliest of revolutionary tools but the humble jasmine flower has gotten the leaders of one of the world’s most powerful nations so scared they have decided to censure its use.
Their anxiety stems from the so called “Jasmine Revolution”, a moniker attached to the Tunisian uprising, an event which saw the overthrow of the Arab states dictatorial president.
Keen to nip any similar revolution in the bud, so to speak, China is taking extraordinary measures to ensure that references to jasmine are reduced and has introduced an open ended ban on all sales of the plant.
This includes blocking the Chinese characters for jasmine on the internet, deleting videos of President Hu Jintao singing an ode to the flower and cancelling an International China Cultural Festival.