According to a report in The Beijing News, 53 separate animal protection organizations in China wrote an open letter to the directors of the China Central Television Spring Festival Gala protesting the use of live goldfish in an act by magician Fu Yandong in which the fish are caused to dance and move together. Animal welfare groups in China feared that the act might be harmful to the fish, and also argued that putting such an act on national television might lead to imitations in which animals could be hurt or killed. Earlier this week, China Central Television said it would not include animal acts in future programming. In this cartoon, posted by the Kunming-based studio Yuan Jiao Man’s Space (圆觉漫时空) to QQ.com, Fu Yandong’s magic act is rudely interrupted as a protective basket labeled “animal protection groups” is lowered over his tank of performing goldfish.


David Bandurski

CMP Director

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