Editing Graffiti (section)

=== Asia ===

In China, [[Mao Zedong]] in the 1920s used revolutionary slogans and paintings in public places to galvanize the country's communist movement.<ref name=bbc>{{cite web |url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/picture_gallery/07/asia_pac_graffiti_artists_in_beijing/html/1.stm |title=In pictures: Graffiti artists in Beijing, Graffiti tradition |publisher=BBC News }}</ref>

Based on different national conditions, many people believe that China's attitude towards Graffiti is fierce, but in fact, according to Lance Crayon in his film ''Spray Paint Beijing: Graffiti in the Capital of China'', Graffiti is generally accepted in [[Beijing]], with artists not seeing much police interference. Political and religiously sensitive graffiti, however, is not allowed.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pri.org/stories/2014-04-21/beijings-thriving-graffiti-culture-may-surprise-you|title=Beijing's thriving graffiti culture may surprise you|website=Public Radio International|date=21 April 2014 |language=en|access-date=24 April 2019}}</ref>

In Hong Kong, [[Tsang Tsou Choi]] was known as the ''King of Kowloon'' for his [[calligraphy]] graffiti over many years, in which he claimed ownership of the area. Now some of his work is preserved officially.

In [[Taiwan]], the government has made some concessions to graffitists. Since 2005 they have been allowed to freely display their work along some sections of riverside retaining walls in designated "Graffiti Zones".<ref name=taitimes>{{cite news|title=FEATURE: Taipei's graffiti artists strive for greater acceptance |newspaper=Taipei Times |date=13 August 2007 |url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2007/08/13/2003373905 | first=Yan-chih | last=Mo | access-date=16 January 2011}}</ref> From 2007, Taipei's department of cultural affairs also began permitting graffiti on fences around major public construction sites. Department head Yong-ping Lee (李永萍) stated, "We will promote graffiti starting with the public sector, and then later in the private sector too. It's our goal to beautify the city with graffiti". The government later helped organize a graffiti contest in [[Ximending]], a popular shopping district. Graffitists caught working outside of these designated areas still face fines up to [[NT$]]6,000 under a department of environmental protection regulation.<ref name=taitimes2>{{cite news|title=Taipei targets graffiti |newspaper=Taipei Times |date=8 June 2009 |url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2009/06/08/2003445640/2 | access-date=16 January 2011}}</ref> However, Taiwanese authorities can be relatively lenient, one veteran police officer stating anonymously, "Unless someone complains about vandalism, we won't get involved. We don't go after it proactively."<ref name=reuters>{{cite news |title=Taiwan graffiti artist colors in legal gray area |work=Reuters |date=25 September 2008 |url=http://in.reuters.com/article/idINTRE48O0YC20080925 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120711182718/http://in.reuters.com/article/idINTRE48O0YC20080925 |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 11, 2012 |first=Ralph |last=Jennings |access-date=16 January 2011 }}</ref>

In 1993, after several expensive cars in [[Singapore]] were spray-painted, the police arrested a student from the [[Singapore American School]], [[Michael P. Fay]], questioned him, and subsequently charged him with vandalism. Fay pleaded guilty to vandalizing a car in addition to stealing road signs. Under the 1966 [[Vandalism Act (Singapore)|Vandalism Act of Singapore]], originally passed to curb the spread of communist graffiti in Singapore, the court sentenced him to four months in jail, a fine of S$3,500 (US$2,233), and a [[caning]]. ''[[The New York Times]]'' ran several editorials and op-eds that condemned the punishment and called on the American public to flood the Singaporean embassy with protests. Although the Singapore government received many calls for [[pardon|clemency]], Fay's caning took place in Singapore on 5 May 1994. Fay had originally received a sentence of six strokes of the cane, but the presiding [[president of Singapore]], [[Ong Teng Cheong]], agreed to reduce his caning sentence to four lashes.<ref name=nyt>{{cite news|title=Singapore Swings; Michael Fay's Torture's Over; Watch for the Docudrama |newspaper=New York Times |date=8 May 1994 |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=940DE1DA1539F93BA35756C0A962958260 | first=Philip | last=Shenon | access-date=2 April 2010}}</ref>

In [[Republic of Korea|South Korea]], Park Jung-soo was fined two million [[South Korean won]] by the [[Seoul]] Central District Court for spray-painting a rat on posters of the [[G-20]] Summit a few days before the event in November 2011. Park alleged that the initial in "G-20" sounds like the Korean word for "rat", but Korean government prosecutors alleged that Park was making a derogatory statement about the president of South Korea, [[Lee Myung-bak]], the host of the summit. This case led to public outcry and debate on the lack of government tolerance and in support of freedom of expression. The court ruled that the painting, "an ominous creature like a rat" amounts to "an organized criminal activity" and upheld the fine while denying the prosecution's request for imprisonment for Park.<ref name=wsj>{{cite web |url= https://blogs.wsj.com/korearealtime/2011/05/31/rat-graffiti-becomes-a-political-stew/ |title=Rat Graffiti Becomes a Political Stew|first=Jaeyeon|last=Woo|date=31 May 2011 |work=Korea Real Time (Wall Street Journal) |publisher=Dow Jones & Company, Inc |access-date=6 June 2011}}</ref>

<gallery mode="packed" caption="Graffiti in Asia">
File:Tsang graffiti.jpg|Street [[graffiti in Hong Kong]]
File:201712 Graffiti on a building of Shentangqiao1.jpg|The Graffiti Piece "Tante" (by Chen Dongfan) on the surface wall of an old residential building in [[Hangzhou]], [[Zhejiang]], China
</gallery>