Han went through more than 10 publishers to try and save that content and may have planned to include in the second issue, the SMW added.

Wang Zi, the author of "Chorus," an article published in the first issue, speculated that a lack of funds may have been the main reason for the move.

"There were so many staff members in the office, but the second issue continued to be put off. The failure to publish the magazine monthly meant daily operations were not sustainable," he said.

Han caused an uproar last year when he raised his middle finger at a rostrum of high-ranking officials at a racetrack, although no action was subsequently taken against him, according to the FT.

"The government wants China to become a great cultural nation, but our leaders are so uncultured," he told The New York Times earlier this year.

"If things continue like this, China will only be known for tea and pandas," he added.

Asked what he will do if his writings are banned by the authorities, Han told the NYT, "I'll just become a better driver."

Xu Zhiyuan, a famed columnist in China, said in an article earlier this year that Han's criticisms and mockery of the government allow people to feel that, via reading his works, they can play a role in challenging and changing the society.

"In reality, though, the sarcasm Han uses is a sugar-coated form of criticism and serves only to anesthetize the readers," Xu said. However, he told the Global Times that no outside forces should restrain the existence of a magazine.

Zhang Xiaobo, a well-known publisher who published China Can Say No, told the Global Times that although he may not agree with many of Han's opinions, he felt sorry for the disappearance of the Party magazine, calling it a loss to China's publishing industry.