The Wall Dancers

The Wall Dancers is a deeply reported narrative tracing the evolution of China's internet over the last three decades, from its emancipatory promise in the 1990s to the present era of intensified control behind the Great Firewall.

Through intimate stories of entrepreneurs, activists, artists, and ordinary citizens—known as 'wall dancers'—Yi-Ling Liu examines how individuals navigate surveillance, censorship, and opportunity, grappling with universal themes of dignity, resilience, connection, and hope amid technological and authoritarian constraints.