The Max Planck Institute in Germany printed a lovely poem in Chinese characters on the front of their latest journal issue. At least they thought so. They had consulted an expert on China to find the right poem, but the expert was German, not Chinese. After publication, it turns out the poem is actually an ad for a brothel!

The use of traditional Chinese characters and references to "the northern mainland" seem to indicate the text comes from Hong Kong or Macau, and it promises burlesque acts by pretty-as-jade housewives with hot bodies for the daytime visitor.

The cover has since been changed, and the institute has issued an apology. Link -Thanks, Daniel Kim!