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Overseas Chinese Win Play Title Dispute in France
The playwright of a controversial drama, titled ``Chinese and Dogs Not Allowed,'' agreed on November 26 to revise the play name, and recall all the posters and advertisements promoting its display at a local Paris theatre.
Because of the consensus, the Association of Overseas Chinese in France agreed to repeal a complaint litigation against the playwright, 68-year-old Francois Gibault, a lawyer once lived in Shanghai.
Gibault initiated the negotiations, which took place at his home and lasted for more than two hours, said Lin Jiazhe, vice-chairman of the overseas Chinese association.
In accordance with the agreement, Gibault will have to add a subtitle to his play and the ads, named ``Originate from a Humiliating Placard in the Colonial Era'', and he also agreed to add one more page containing the same language to all his novels to be published.
Lin said the agreement was a ``great success'' to the overseas Chinese living in France and also people of Chinese origin all over the world. Unity of all Chinese is the prerequisite to the success, Lin said, adding support of the Chinese Government had laid important weight to the case moving in the right direction.
The Association of the Overseas Chinese filed a complaint against the insulting play one week ago, and the France Paris Higher Court was expected to issue a verdict on the play on Sunday.
The title of the play, from an insulting term used in the colonial era of Shanghai during the period of foreign concessions in 1930s and 1940s, had ``seriously hurt the feelings of the Chinese nation, both at home and abroad, is unacceptable,'' a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said last week.
``The Chinese Government has made solemn diplomatic representations to France, and demanded it immediately rectify this error,'' the spokesman said.
Strong indignation of Chinese groups
Up to 21 overseas Chinese groups in France made a solemn statement November 19, throwing their weight behind the case demanding immediate change of a play title called ``Chinese and Dogs Not Allowed.''
Earlier, a Paris overseas Chinese group filed a lawsuit at the local Paris Higher Court urging the court to ban the derogatory play title, and prevent the local Theatre De Nesles from showing the play until the name is modified.
The joint statement, made public at the Yue Hai Chinatown in Paris, condemned the ridiculous play title and related advertisements, which they said is a blatant humiliation to Chinese people.
The play title originates from Shanghai, which, during the 1930s and 1940s, was occupied by invaders including Britain, France, Japan and the United States and divided into varied spheres of influence. A notice in then Huangpu Park read: ``Chinese and Dogs Not Allowed.''
To 1.3 billion Chinese, the notice means past sufferings the invaders inflicted on Chinese nation, and is an emblem of humiliation, the statement said.
``Now, China is an independent country which has drived away the aggressors, is bent on reform and on the advent towards economic take-off, and rejuvenation of the nation,'' the statement says, adding all the overseas Chinese are proud of their motherland, and destined to uphold the dignity and integrity of being a Chinese.
Source: chinadaily.com.cn
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