Source: Taipei Representative Office in the UK Published: July 28, 2005
Does cannibalism exist in Taiwan? Of course it doesn't, yet recently rumors have spread about "baked infant" being served in Taiwanese restaurants. Thanks to ill-intentioned pranksters, these rumors have once again caught fire on the Internet in the United Kingdom. An investigation confirmed that the rumor is based on a photo of mainland Chinese performer Zhu Yu pretending to eat a fetus in his performance piece "Obsession with Suffering" in Beijing 2000. The Taipei Representative Office in the UK urges Internet users to help distribute the correct information to extinguish rumors that maliciously damage Taiwan's national image. The first sensational report on this subject appeared in March 2001 in a Malaysian magazine with circulation of less than 10,000 copies. Without checking into the facts, the magazine quoted email letters and published pictures taken off the Internet in a story alleging that "baked baby" was being served in Taiwanese restaurants. Following immediate investigation, Taiwan Government traced the story to a groundless email message and lodged a protest with the magazine. In response, the contrite magazine ran a correction of the same length as the original story together with a formal apology. At this, members of the Taiwanese media immediately pursued the story, uncovering the truth that the man in the photo appearing to nibble on an infant's hand is mainland Chinese actor Zhu Yu. In a phone interview from Beijing with Taiwanese media, Zhu Yu admitted that the picture posted on the Internet showing him eating an infant's flesh was taken from a performance of "Obsession with Suffering" on April 20, 2000 in Beijing. Zhu said that he vomited several times during the sensational performance, which also included the performance of "caroled brains." Zhu Yu, who hails from Sichuan province, revealed to friends that he staged the "Obsession with Suffering" performance in an effort to gain the chance to perform abroad. However, his performance failed to elicit the desired response, and the performance ended after less than three hours. Internet users in UK and Europe have noted that even before this past years two pictures of a man "eating" an infant had circulated on the Internet for quite some time under the original descriptions as "shocking" or "inhuman." As many Internet users viewed these pictures and captions, it was not difficult for Taiwanese reporters to trace the pictures to the source. In the effort to prevent the continuous circulation of this rumor and subsequent further damage to Taiwan's image, in addition to enlisting the assistance of investigation units to help find the instigator behind the rumors, Taipei Representative Office appeals to the good sense of UK Internet users, remind them that "rumors end with the wise." In addition to refraining from circulating the malicious email letter, the TRO calls on Internet users to forward this official news release to friends in Taiwan and abroad.
Last Update: July 28, 2005
