Is this the Chinese version of AKB? This idol group is called 56 Flowers, and is even promoted by the government.
An idol group of 56 young women just debuted in China: its name is, “56 Rin no Hana,” which literally translates to “56 Circle of Flowers”, although English translations seem to go with just. “56 Flowers”.
And the group is gathering attention for possibly antagonizing AKB48. However, the group appears heavily influenced by government propaganda, as they perform enthusiastic songs such as The China Dream is the Most Beautiful, which align with President Xi Jinping’s “Chinese Dream” slogan. The question is: will this take off?
The “56” in the title is in reference to the 56 official ethnic groups in China. It looks like the group aims to promote unity and patriotism among the 56 ethnicities. The group’s exact structure and development are unclear, but we wondering just how seriously we should take this.
According to the local media, 56 Flowers is comprised of performers who specialize in various ethnic songs and dances and range in age from 16 to 23.
At a Beijing concert in June, they wore white polo shirts and dark mini shirts and performed in front of images of the Chinese flag and Mao Zedung. A person affiliated with the group reported, “Unlike idol groups in Japan and South Korea, these girls are not going to sell their sexuality or good looks.”
On the internet, we have seen comments such as “They look like they are from North Korea” and “This stinks of the Cultural Revolution.”
There are no mentions of SNH48!
