The chinese language wikipedia has been banned in China for three times, and it is still blocked. however, many of the administrators actually work directly from China, quite a few working directly from the capital city – Beijing, and a few from big cities. Chinese police are well known for spying on its own people’s internet activities, it is simply a wonder why those “brave” administrators dare to work for a banned site?
wikipedia claims it is an encyclopedia that anyone can edit, but right now, this article is locked, and this article’s current version is written by those administrators working for the “Chinese language wikipedia,” so you can imagine how “neutral” the wikipedia article is.
Here is the part of banned version in its original source code which wikipedia doesn’t want the world to know the truth!
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[[Image:Wikipedia-logo-zh.png|thumb|200px|The Chinese Wikipedia logo]]
”’Chinese Wikipedia”’ is the [[Chinese language]] edition of [[Wikipedia]], run by the [[Wikimedia Foundation]]. Started in October 2002, the Chinese Wikipedia has, as of [[December]] [[2006]], over 103,000 articles. Currently, it is [[Blocking of Wikipedia in mainland China|blocked by the Chinese government]] together with all the other wikipedia in other languages. It has 86 moderators, including 29 from [[mainland China]], 16 from [[Taiwan]], and 14 from [[Hong Kong]].
==History==
The Chinese Wikipedia was established along with 12 other Wikipedias in May 2001. At the beginning, however, the Chinese Wikipedia did not support Chinese characters, and had no encyclopedic content.
It was in October 2002 that the user ‘Ghyll’ (now [[:zh:User:Mountain]]) wrote the first Chinese-language page, the Main Page. Mountain is also the first registered user of the Chinese Wikipedia. A software update on [[October 27]], [[2002]] allowed Chinese language input. The domain was set to be [http://zh.wikipedia.org/ zh.wikipedia.org]. On [[November 17]], [[2002]], Mountain translated the ”[[Computer science]]” article into [[:zh:计算机科学]], thus creating the first real encyclopedic article.
In its early days, most articles on the Chinese Wikipedia were translated from the English version. The first five sysops: [[:zh:User:Samuel]], [[:zh:User:Menchi]], [[:zh:User:Lorenzarius]], [[:zh:User:Formulax]], and [[:zh:User:Shizhao]], were promoted on [[June 14]], [[2003]]. Since then, Shizhao in particular has performed many maintenance tasks, and was also instrumental in removing the first [[blocking of Wikipedia in mainland China]] in June 2004.
Wikipedia was first introduced by [[mainland China]] media in the newspaper ”[[China Computer Education]]” (中国电脑教育报) on [[October 20]], [[2003]], in the article, “I, too, shall write an encyclopedia” (我也来写百科全书). On [[May 16]], [[2004]], Wikipedia was first reported by Taiwanese media in the newspaper ”[[China Times]]”. Since then, many newspapers have published articles about Wikipedia, and several sysops have been interviewed by journalists.
==Chinese administrators==
At the end of 2006, 89 moderators are managing the site.
Wikipedia is [[Blocking of Wikipedia in mainland China|blocked by the Chinese government]], however, mainland China actually has the largest number of administrators for the Chinese Wikipedia, total of 29 members strong. They are able to go around the [[Golden Shield Project]]’s block, when the rest of the over one billion Chinese are not able to get on the Chinese wikipedia.
China’s capital city – Beijing has 6, [[Shanghai]] has 6, [[Guangdong]] province has 6, [[Hunan]] province has 1, [[Jiangsu]] province has 3, [[Shanxi]] province has 1, [[Shandong]] province has 1, [[Zhejiang]] province has 1, [[Heilongjiang]] province has 1, [[Hubei]] has 1, other areas have 2. Total of 29.<ref>[http://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:管理员名单 List of Moderators]</ref>
Other Chinese concentrated areas, such as [[Taiwan]] has 16, [[Hong Kong]] has 13, [[Macau]] has 3. [[Singapore]] has none. there are 9 in the United States, 5 in Canada, 3 in Macau, 3 in the United Kingdom, 1 in Australia, 1 in France, 1 in Germany, 1 in Japan, 1 in South Korea, and 2 unspecified.
After the Chinese government unblocked the wikipedia for the first time, one month later, the first Chinese Wikipedian meeting was held in [[Beijing]] on [[July 25]], [[2004]]. Even though Wikipedia is still blocked in mainland China, the moderators in several Chinese cities are still openly advertising for meetings on the site, and have met in person. So far, there is no [[surveillance]] or [[harassment]] report about the Chinese police or similar kind.
Since then, Chinese Wikipedians from different regions have held many gatherings in [[Beijing]], [[Shanghai]], [[Guangdong]], [[Hong Kong]], and [[Taiwan]]. In particular, a semi-regular meetup has been held in [[Taipei]] every one to three weeks since April 2006. In July 2006, Taiwanese Wikipedians also held a “travelling meetup”, travelling by train through four Taiwanese cities over a period of two days. In August 2006, Hong Kong hosted the first annual [http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/CWMC_2006 Chinese Wikimedia Conference].
==Community==
The Chinese Wikipedia encompasses participants from a variety of backgrounds. According to statistics from March 2005, 46% of users connect from [[mainland China]], 22% from [[North America]], 12% from [[Taiwan]], 9% from [[Hong Kong]], 3% from [[Japan]], 3% from [[Europe]], 2% from [[Southeast Asia]], and 3% from other regions. Just as the [[English Wikipedia]] tends to be more detailed in [[Western world|western]]-related topics, the Chinese Wikipedia has very detailed descriptions of [[China]]-related topics. Within that region, the Chinese Wikipedia tends to be more detailed in topics about Hong Kong, Taiwan, and the wealthy east coast provinces of mainland China, reflecting the economic disparity in that part of the world.
Also due to the geographical origin of its participants, the most discussed and debated topics on the Chinese Wikipedia are those related to [[Taiwanese independence]], [[Falun Gong]], the [[Tiananmen Protests of 1989]], and so forth; the five most edited articles, as of July 2006, are [[Mao Zedong]], [[China]], the [[People's Republic of China]], the [[Republic of China]], and [[Chiang Kai-shek]], in that order. In contrast, issues such as the [[Israel-Palestinian conflict]] are much less contentious.
In order to avoid [[systemic bias]], one of the cornerstones of the Chinese Wikipedia (along with [[NPOV|neutral point-of-view]]) is avoiding [[sinocentrism]]. Editors are advised to avoid writing from the point-of-view of China or any other country/region; to avoid using terms such as 我国/我國 (“our country”; referring to the [[People's Republic of China]] or the [[Republic of China]], depending on viewpoint), 本港 (“this port”; referring to Hong Kong), or 本澳 (“this Macao”, referring to Macao); and instead, to refer to locations in the Chinese-speaking sphere or periods in [[Chinese history]] by explicitly stating China (e.g. “[[Yunnan]] province, China”, instead of just “[[Yunnan]] province”.)
==Blocking of Wikipedia==
{{Main|Blocking of Wikipedia in mainland China}}
Internet has been partially censored in [[mainland China]] almost as early Internet got connected to China. Recently, China has spent about 8 billion US dollars on the [[Golden Shield Project]] to improve the censorship ability. The [[People's Republic of China]] and its [[internet service provider]]s have adopted a [[internet censorship in mainland China|practice of blocking]] contentious Internet sites in [[mainland China]], and Wikimedia sites have been blocked at least three times in its history.
The first block lasted between [[June 2]] and [[June 21]], [[2004]]. It began when access to the Chinese Wikipedia from [[Beijing]] was blocked on the 15th anniversary of the [[Tiananmen Square protests of 1989]].
On [[May 31]] an article from the IDG News Service was published [http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,116323,00.asp], discussing the Chinese Wikipedia’s treatment of the protests. The Chinese Wikipedia also has articles related to [[Taiwanese independence]], written by contributors from Taiwan and elsewhere. A few days after the initial block of Chinese Wikipedia, all [[Wikimedia]] sites were blocked in Mainland China. In response to the blocks, two moderators prepared an appeal to lift the block and asked their regional [[internet service provider]] to submit it. All Wikimedia sites were unblocked between [[June 17]] and [[June 21]], [[2004]]. One month later, the first Chinese Wikipedian moderators’ meeting was held in the capital city – Beijing on July 25, 2004.
The first block had an effect on the vitality of Chinese Wikipedia, which [http://en.wikipedia.org/wikistats/EN/TablesWikipediaZH.htm suffered sharp dips in various indicators] such as the number of new users, the number of new articles, and the number of edits. In some cases, it took anywhere from 6 to 12 months in order to regain the stats from May 2004. On the other hand, on today’s site, some of the articles are put into protection which may last more than a month or more without any actions.
The second and less serious outage lasted between [[September 23]] and [[September 27]], [[2004]]. During this 4-day period, access to Wikipedia was erratic or unavailable to some users in mainland China — this block was not comprehensive and some users in mainland China were never affected. The exact reason for the block is a mystery. Chinese Wikipedians once again prepared a written appeal to regional ISPs, but the block was lifted before the appeal was actually sent. The reason is unknown.
The third block began on [[October 19]], [[2005]], and there is no indication as to whether this block is temporary or permanent, or what the reasons or causes for this block are. According to the [[:zh:Wikipedia:状况回报|status page]] currently maintained on the Chinese Wikipedia, the [[Florida]] and [[Korea]] [[server]]s are blocked, while the [[Paris]] and [[Amsterdam]] servers are not. Dozens of editors from across [[Mainland China]] have [[:zh:Wikipedia talk:状况回报|reported]] that they can only access Wikipedia using proxy servers, although there are isolated reports that some users can access Wikipedia without using proxy. Most of the Chinese people were not able to connect to this site at all.
During October and November of 2006, it first appeared that the this site was unblocked again. Many conflicting reports came from news outlets, bloggers, and Wikipedians, reported a possible partial or full unblocking of Wikipedia. Some reports indicated a complete unblock; others suggested that some sensitive topics remained blocked, and yet other suggested that the Chinese Wikipedia was blocked while other language versions were not. From November 17 onwards, the complete block was once again in place. It is still unknown when the next unblock will be.
An attempt to appeal to the government was made in October 2005, but was met with no response. Since then, no more plans for appeals have been made.
==Self-censorship==
November 30th, 2006, CBS published an online article named: [http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2006/11/30/publiceye/entry2218394.shtml Is Wikipedia China Really Wikipedia?]
In December, 2006, according to [[International Herald Tribune]] Asia-Pacific, sensitive topics get gentle treatment on the Chinese wikipedia.
{{cquote| But on sensitive questions of China’s modern history or on hot-button issues, the Chinese version diverges so dramatically from its English counterpart that it sometimes reads as if it were approved by the censors themselves.
For some, the Chinese version of Wikipedia was intended as just such a resource, but its tame approach to sensitive topics has sparked a fierce debate in the world of online mavens over its objectivity and thoroughness.
On the evidence of entries like this, for the moment, the fight over editorial direction of Wikipedia in Chinese is being won by enthusiasts who practice self-censorship.}}<ref>[http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/11/29/news/wiki.php Chinese-language Wikipedia presents different view of history]</ref>
On December 1, 2006, The [[New York Times]] published another report by Howard W. French, titled as “Wikipedia lays bare two versions of China’s past.”
{{cquote|
Some say the object should be to spread reliable information as widely as possible, and that, in any case, self-censorship is pointless because the government still frequently blocks access to Wikipedia for most Chinese Internet users. ‘There is a lot of confusion about whether they should obey the neutral point of view or offer some compromises to the government,’ said Isaac Mao, a well-known Chinese blogger and user of the encyclopedia. ‘To the local Wikipedians, the first objective is to make it well known among Chinese, to get people to understand the principles of Wikipedia step by step, and not to get the thing blocked by the government.}}
And “the articles are already pre-censored by party-leaning moderators and users.” <ref>[http://digg.com/political_opinion/Wikipedia_lays_bare_two_versions_of_China_s_past user comment]</ref> There is no evidence that the Chinese site had any discussion about those two articles even though the moderators are all aware of.
;Examples
What happened in [[Tibet]] in 1950 was 56 years ago. On the chinese wikipedia, before 11-23, 2006, that part of history was written as “in 1950, the government of People’s Republic of China signed “peaceful liberation treaty” with the Tibetan government, under the condition of respecting Tibetan’s system and life style, the liberation army was allowed to enter tibet.” When a user tried to added the detailed history for that period of time, his contribution was deleted as “vandalism” twice by two Chinese moderators on 11-23, and 12-6, 2006. [http://zh.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=%E8%A5%BF%E8%97%8F%E5%8E%86%E5%8F%B2&diff=2993090&oldid=2993080] [http://zh.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=%E8%A5%BF%E8%97%8F%E5%8E%86%E5%8F%B2&diff=3084041&oldid=3083995]
As of December 29th, 2006, the article of People’s Republic of China on the Chinese site did not mention anything about the well-known [[Falun Gong]] which originated in mainland China. And the phrase “Human Rights” was only mentioned once under the name “Organization for Human Rights.” There was no direct link to the “Human rights in the People’s Republic of China” article, either. While the English site of [[People's Republic of China]] has an entire paragraph about Human Rights, and also a direct link to [[Human rights in the People's Republic of China]]. It was added only when a user mentioned in the English version of Village Pump, then the moderator Ran added the word “falun gong.” [http://zh.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=%E4%B8%AD%E5%8D%8E%E4%BA%BA%E6%B0%91%E5%85%B1%E5%92%8C%E5%9B%BD&diff=3233627&oldid=3214644]
==Competitors==
On [[April 20]], [[2006]], the online Chinese search engine company [[Baidu]] created [[Baidu Baike]], an online encyclopedia that registered users can edit, pending administrator reviews. The content of the encyclopedia is self-censored in accordance with the regulations of the Chinese government. Within weeks, the number of articles in Baidu Baike had surpassed that of the Chinese Wikipedia.
==References==
<references/>
==See also==
*[[Blocking of Wikipedia in mainland China]]
*[[Internet censorship in mainland China]]
*[[Golden Shield Project]]
*[[Politics of China]]
*[[meta:Automatic conversion between simplified and traditional Chinese|Comprehensive technical information about automatic conversion on the Chinese Wikipedia between Simplified and Traditional Chinese]]
Posted by Wikipedia generated OCD 
Posted by Wikipedia generated OCD 
Posted by Wikipedia generated OCD 