The Audio Long Read
Two poems, four years in detention: the Chinese dissident who smuggled his writing out of prison
Jun 24, 2024
Chinese dissident Liao Yiwu shares his experience of writing and smuggling poems out of prison, highlighting the challenges faced in detention. He reflects on the importance of documenting history through his writings and the struggles of life after prison, including multiple confiscations of his works. The podcast explores his journey of surviving detention, escaping to freedom, and continuing his writing journey despite the Communist regime's attempts to silence him.
32:49
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Quick takeaways
- Prison writing stems from fear of forgetting post-Tiananmen, despite imposed restrictions on expression.
- Liao Yiwu's perseverance in sharing his stories reveals ongoing battle for freedom of expression against oppressive forces.
Deep dives
Smuggling Writing in Prison
The Chinese dissident, Liao Iwo, spent four years in prison for writing two poems critical of the Tiananmen massacre. He smuggled his writing out by hiding manuscripts in the spine of a novel. The convoluted process involved passing manuscripts to an acquaintance over several years, eventually leading to the publication of a four-volume book after his release. Despite challenges and risks, Liao persisted in documenting his experiences and preserving his writings for posterity.
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