Authorities Fear 'Midsummer Snow in Beijing' Video Being Circulated Online

On July 28, a hot summer day, snow suddenly fell in Beijing and lasted about six minutes. Soon after local residents posted the unusual scene online, Chinese authorities invited their mouthpiece experts to discredit these snow videos, saying it was hail instead. Why is midsummer snow treated as a sensitive issue? In ancient China, people believed that unusual weather and natural disasters were an indication of punishment from heaven. Specifically, “snow in June” is a severe warning signaling that the authorities have committed serious injustices. Although many Chinese are atheists, when snow fell on June 8 of the lunar calendar, right in China’s capital city, this unexplainable phenomenon would certainly prompt many to mull over it.