Chrysanthemum script

菊花文 (júhuā wén): chrysanthemum script

Coded writing using the Combining Cyrillic Millions character ( ҉ ; Unicode: U+0489). Typically used in bi-directional text, where both left-to-right and right-to-left scripts are used simultaneously, Chinese netizens have employed ҉ to obscure sensitive online discussion.

When Combining Cyrillic Millions ( ҉ ) is inserted between each character in a word or phrase, the ҉ overlays each character, making it difficult to automate censorship. Online converters allow Internet users to create chrysanthemum script automatically.

҉ used to be blocked on Weibo, but is now searchable. It appears that using chrysanthemum script to discuss sensitive topics is either out of fashion or no longer viable.

Chrysanthemum script converted text: “Sensitive words can avoid being harmonized.” (Screenshot from iPlaysoft

Chrysanthemum script covering non-sensitive posts on Weibo.

See also Martian script.

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