Have you enjoyed some Chinese propaganda lately? I did.

I watched a Chinese legal drama called Draw the Line and I'd like to reassure you that I'm still not a member of the Communist Party of China.

What people think when I tell them I watch Chinese dramas.

In January I watched the Chinese drama, Draw the Line. Some people (okay, mostly those not of the Chinese persuasion) have dismissed the drama as Chinese propaganda because it had to do with the Chinese legal system, which made me think, so because you think it's propaganda you are not going to watch it?

To quote Uncle Roger:

Like most people in Asia and South-East Asia, I have consumed Western movies all my life.

I have imbibed the "America saves the world" message and watched American armies swoop down to save the unwashed masses of brown people in movies over and over again, either in spandex or in big planes, and I would like to reassure you that I've not lost my marbles nor have I turned American.

Of course, there's some propaganda in Draw the Line, but it is not “hand on Mao's little red book screaming the virtues of Communism” type of propaganda.

However, there are scenes where the judges swear allegiance to China, looking terribly moved while they do so, while an invisible orchestra plays in the background.

Or, after reading the judgment of a case, they will thoroughly explain why the punishment is being meted out and how it's going against China's values. To sweeping orchestra music.

I found these scenes funny more than OMG IT’S THE COMMIES!

Fun fact: We do that in Malaysia too. But admittedly, without the dramatic music.

Well, we don't have a little red book to swear over, but we always have a politician/royalty telling us what a fantastic nation Malaysia is and how we must extol the nation's values blah blah during an official function. It's expected.

Sometimes. I wonder if the disconnect Westerners feel when watching dramas like these is because they don't like their governments very much and wonder why the people in China seem so obedient and quiet.

I suppose this must be alien to Western countries, but I assure you that preachy, paternalistic attitudes from our government is very common in Asia. And we common folk have learned to smile and nod while rolling our eyes inside like the rest of the world.

First, let me reassure you again, that if you watched Draw the Line (I dare you!), you will see the lay folk heavily criticise the judges for their decisions on social media. You will see people literally screaming and attacking the judges (with knives too! Gasp).

I always view the comments about Chinese people needing rescuing and being too afraid to speak up against the Chinese government as a WTF moment. Like, have you seen the discussions on Weibo?? (FYI, you can plug Weibo into Google Chrome and it’ll automatically translate it into English for you. Chinese social media is wild. Makes Twitter look like a kindergarten brawl.)

Yes, Chinese people do criticise the government and by golly isn't it weird that the Communist Party of China have such an efficient legal system?

(I can almost see some of you mumbling that it's all fake because it's propaganda, but like, please, did you think we Asian viewers watched Law and Order and thought, "Boy, that's exactly how lawyers and the justice system works in America!")

Say what you will about the Chinese communist party and whether the legal system is truly that way, but I think Draw the Line is a fascinating glimpse into everyday life in China.

Judges don't live in mansions. They live in simple apartments like you and me. They date. They go out for hot pot meals with their colleagues. They argue. They do their jobs. Sometimes well, sometimes badly. In fact, at one point the drama became so bland with the normalness towards the end, that I longed for a martial arts warrior to just burst through the screen at one point.

I've visited China a few times, the last time being around 2010 or so, and I have always marvelled at how very much they were like us. The people of Beijing and Shanghai live no differently from the people in Tokyo and Seoul. These days I'd say they have advanced a lot more than them.

I think dramas like Draw the Line not only enlighten us about how other countries live. We don't have to accept that their way of life is right or wrong, but it is so important not to judge their lives through our preconceived biases or cultural lenses and start comparing their values with ours.

I always find it a little disturbing that people would not watch or read something because it clashes with their values. Don't they have any curiosity about a world beyond theirs? Are they afraid that they'll be brainwashed the moment they read it? Have they so little faith in their own values and mental faculties that they think they'll just capitulate immediately? Or do they want to hang on to their hatred of a people/political party/nation so much that any little hint that their enemy is human and just like them, is intolerable?

Questions for another day, perhaps.

Other related information

I wrote a review of Draw the Line in my Chinese and Korean drama blog, so do have a read to get more of my thoughts about the drama.

Also, you can watch Draw the Line 100% free on Youtube. I know, I have no idea why they do this (whispers: propaganda) but I adore that I can access dramas like these easily.

But they are most likely thinking like the Chinese they are and have published it on Youtube to enjoy the yummy ad dollars and free promotion they get.

Main image is “Chairman Mao is the Red Sun in Our Hearts, People's Republic of China, 1968, lithograph - Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art, University of Oregon - Eugene, Oregon - DSC09554” from Picryl.

PS: This issue is also published on my website. Tai Tales is mirrored there, to cater to those who prefer not to use Substack and also - we writers need to own our content, you know?.