Popular Chinese blogger’s magazine shuts down
By IANSTuesday, December 28, 2010
BEIJING - The editing team of Party, a magazine started by popular Chinese novelist and blogger Han Han, has been dismissed before the release of its second issue.
The editing team was dismissed Sunday, the magazine’s executive editor-in-chief made the announcement on his microblog account at Sina.com.
According to Xinhua, Ma Yimu wrote on his microblog: “I cannot believe it. I am confident we’ll be back.”
Ma also thanked and apologised to the magazine’s readers and writers.
Han Han’s assistant confirmed the dismissal with a text message to Xinhua, but did not disclose the cause. “The news is true,” read the message.
Another editor said the team feels sorry for writers whose work was to appear in the second issue.
One of the writers said he received an apology from one of the magazine’s editors through his microblog.
The first issue of Party was published July 6 and included part of Han Han’s new novel, “1988 - I Want to Talk to the World”.
The 120-page Chinese-language magazine also included essays, poems and opinion pieces by Hong Kong movie director Pang Ho-cheung, folk musician Zhou Yunpeng and blogger Luo Yonghao.
It sold nearly 1.5 million copies, according to Han Han’s assistant. The magazine was to be published on a bi-monthly basis.
Han Han, 28, is one of the most popular bloggers in China. He is also a race-car driver. Earlier this year, netizens voted him into the top 100 of Time magazine’s 2010 World’s Most Influential People list alongside US President Barack Obama and pop singer Lady Gaga.
