The Japanese organisers of an academic conference to celebrate China’s 1911 revolution were taken aback a few days ago when, after months of preparation, the event was abruptly cancelled. They were not the only ones to be caught by surprise. The Beijing world premiere of an opera depicting the life of Sun Yat-sen, the first president of the Chinese republic, was also suddenly stopped for “logistical reasons”. Though many events commemorating the revolution of 100 years ago have proceeded as planned and though a giant portrait of Sun was erected in Tiananmen Square in October, several other celebrations associated with 1911 have been mysteriously curtailed.
幾天前，日本方面組織的一場紀念中國辛亥革命一百周年的學術會議被突然取消，令組織者大感詫異。這次會議已經籌備了數月之久。感到意外的不只是他們。一部描繪中華民國首任總統孫中山生平的歌劇原定在北京舉行全球首演，也因“流程操作問題”而被突然叫停。盡管許多紀念活動都照計劃舉行，盡管10月天安門廣場上豎起了一幅巨大的孫中山肖像，但也有一些與辛亥革命相關的紀念活動被神秘封殺。