If I ran the circus

So far schools like my own are exempt from Taiwan's mask mandate, imposed on December 1 to protect the people from the raging pandemic that has claimed an unprecedented seven lives all year. (We wouldn't want to overwhelm the hospital system, after all!) But I naturally have a contingency plan ready just in case that changes.

Here, ready to be printed and posted should the need arise, is my "please wear a mask" sign.

For those of my readers who don't read Chinese (which, I realize, is basically all of you), this literally says, "The Taiwan government doesn't want [your] face. Please wear a mask." However, as most people know, face also has another meaning in Chinese culture, only partially captured by such English translations as "lose face," "save face," etc. The sign actually says something like "The Taiwan government has no shame," but even stronger than that -- one of the most severe moral accusations in the language.

Not severe enough, though. Break their teeth, O God, in their mouth! Break out the great teeth of the young lions!