Sanlian Life Week editor and blogger Wang Xiaofeng wrote a post a few days ago about the difficulties of writing about certain subjects in China, titled 'Sensitive'. Below is a rough translation:

In 2005, I made plans for 2006 to write something connected with human affairs, for example, something about the Cultural Revolution, about the Tangshan earthquake, because this year is a round number anniverary of both those events.

In the end I could not do those things.

So what can I do in 2007? The 50th anniversary of the Anti-Rightist Movement — nah, probably too sensitive.

What about 2008? The 50th anniversary of the Great Leap Forward, definitely won't be able to do that. To celebrate that anniversary, we'll hold the Olympic Games.

2009? The first year of the Three Years of Natural Disasters — also too sensitive.
2010? The second year of the Three Years of Natural Disasters.
2011? The third year of the Three Years of Natural Disasters.

As teacher Zhao Benshan (赵本山 - popular comic actor) would say: "Whack me with a bamboo pole to the year 3000."*

* In one his comic skits, Zhao Benshan, he proposes marriage to a woman. The woman says "Let's get married in our next lives." Zhao Benshan retorts "Whack me with a bamboo pole to the year 3000," in other words, fat chance!