Dedicate a chrysanthemum with deep feeling

深情献菊花 (shēnqíng xiàn júhuā): dedicate a chrysanthemum with deep feeling

This phrase comes from a Xinhua headline widely syndicated in the Chinese press. When Hu Jintao visited a memorial to the victims of the Sichuan earthquake one year after the disaster, he dedicated a white chrysanthemum, a traditional flower of mourning. The Xinhua headline reporting on the event read, “Hu Jintao, with deep feeling, bowed and dedicated a chrysanthemum.” Unfortunately, in Chinese slang, the phrase “dedicate a chrysanthemum” has homosexual connotations. Thus, the headline sounded like, “Hu Jintao, with deep feeling, bent over and engaged in a homosexual act.” Netizens quickly circulated the headline, raising the ire of online censors. Soon, Xinhua changed the headline, and searches on Baidu for the headline were met with a statement that the requested content may not be in accordance with relevant laws and regulations.

Hu Jintao dedicating a white chrysanthemum.

Baidu notice that the search result for the headline may not be in accordance with relevant laws and regulations.

There have been a number of other headlines (too embarrassing to translate) with sexual readings that slipped past the editors of major newspapers:

1.莱昂纳多与女友恋情告吹，只因对方逼太紧。（新浪）

2.放松操，让女兵笑容更灿烂（解放军报）

3.三大全国性交易市场布局渝中（重庆晨报）

4.干了112天终于湿了（南方都市报）