China bans 'Memoirs of a Geisha'

China has banned Memoirs of a Geisha, due to fears it could aggravate anti-Japanese views.

The adaptation of Arthur Golden's bestselling book stars three of China's leading female actresses, but censors fear that its sensitive content is unsuitable. Japanese geishas are courtesans and entertainers, but with many Chinese people the practise strikes a raw nerve.

Geisha are considered by many Chinese people as little more than prostitutes and many Chinese women suffered horrific sexual abuse at the hands of Japanese troops during the second world war. Memories of this are still fresh within the social consciousness and this sensitivity has led to the censoring of this film.

The State Administration of Radio, Film and Television's decision to ban the film came only a week before its scheduled Chinese premiere on February 9 - the government body cited the film as "too sensitive" and overturned a November decision to approve the film for screening.

Nevertheless, film fans in Beijing and Shanghai would face few problems in getting their hands on the film in spite of the official ban: pirated DVDs of the film are widely available on the streets of the major conurbations for as little as $1. And many Chinese websites are now offering free downloads of the movie with Chinese subtitles.