University art school drops name of controversial Chinese comedian

Popular mainland comedian Zhao Benshan’s name has been dropped from a university’s art school originally named after him – after controversy surrounding his links to disgraced officials.

A statement on the website of Liaoning University said on Tuesday that the university’s Benshan School of Art had been renamed Liaoning University School of Art. It said an agreement of cooperation had expired and both sides agreed it would not be renewed “after friendly negotiation”. A staff member at the art school who answered the phone refused to comment further.

The website of Zhao’s company, Benshan Media, carried a similar statement saying its collaboration with the art school, which was founded in 2004, had come to an end on May 31. It added that both sides would be seeking other “friendly cooperations” to cultivate talents.

Known for his showy personality, Zhao had in recent months kept an unusually low profile, fuelling rumours that he may have been under investigation for graft. But he showed up at this year’s Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference in March.

Zhao, a household name and prominent figure in entertainment, has seen a number of television programmes and dramas he participated in suspended from broadcast by the state censorship organ in recent months, without specific reasons being given.

A club in Beijing that Zhao had run since 2011 closed earlier this year, with staff telling state media that President Xi Jinping’s austerity drive had brought hard times on the trade.