The Epoch Times - Nine Commentaries

Nine Commentaries

Since November 2004, the Chinese version of The Epoch Times have published and heavily promoted a series of editorials and a booklet entitled "Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party" (traditional Chinese: 九評共產黨; simplified Chinese: 九评共产党). The editorials purport to give an alternate exposé of the CCP through its history, from its ascent to power under Mao Zedong to its present-day form, as well as a condemnation of communism in all of its forms. In it the CCP was criticized as an illegitimate institution who employed underhanded tactics to gain power. The commentaries allege that the CCP "destroyed traditional Chinese culture" and goes so far as to brand the CCP an "evil cult". According to Ownby, the Commentaries are a condemnation of Communism and direct indictment on the legitimacy of the Chinese Communist Party in ruling China. While acknowledging the "unnecessary violence" the Chinese Communist Party have inflicted, as a professional historian Ownby finds that the lack balance and nuance in tone and style makes the editorial resemble "anti-Communist propaganda written in Taiwan in the 1950s."

The Nine Commentaries won the “Asian American Issues – Online” category of the AAJA National Awards at the 2005 Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA) convention held in August 2005. The "Commentaries" were subsequently translated into more than 30 other languages.

The number of people who have renounced the Communist Party of China or its affiliate organizations, as tabulated by The Epoch Times, is usually published under the masthead of the Chinese editions of the newspaper. The counter stood at over 103 million as of October 10, 2011.