Shenzhen During Its Heydays

According to Chinese writer Liu Yong (刘勇), Shenzhen had lost the magical glow it used to exude in the 1980s.

Then, the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) was "so excitable that it could make anyone jump."

In his book 媒体中国 (Media China), Liu noted that apart from being a "special economic zone", Shenzhen was also a "special political zone."

Liu wrote: "At that time, those living in the SEZ dared to say whatever they wish to say, and those working in the media dared to publish whatever they wished to publish. Many still remember those days with fond memories."

Liu added: "Then, Shenzhen was like a young man with no hair growing above his upper lip."

But this bravado on the part of the media had also led to its downfall, according to Liu.

For instance, in 1987, the Shenzhen Youth Daily (深圳青年报) published an article titled 劝邓小平同志退休 (or Advising Comrade Deng Xiaoping to Retire).

Needless to say, the paper was subsequently shut down.