The Daily The Sunday Read: ‘The Art of Telling Forbidden Stories in China’
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Oct 1, 2023 
Murong Xuecun, a best-selling Chinese novelist in exile, discusses the harsh realities faced by writers in contemporary China. He shares his experiences of navigating censorship while documenting taboo subjects like corruption and gender roles. The conversation highlights the evolution of Chinese literature against political repression and the internet's impact on self-expression. Murong reveals the challenges of critiquing the government and the resilience required to tell forbidden stories, shedding light on the precarious balance between creativity and control.
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Hao Chun's Exile
- Hao Chun, known as Murong Xuecun, wrote Deadly Quiet City about Wuhan's COVID lockdown.
- Facing potential repercussions, his editors urged him to leave China, leading to his exile in Australia.
Literary Boom in China
- The internet and relaxed political environment in early 2000s China spurred self-expression.
- Writers explored taboo subjects, changing Chinese literary culture forever.
Whack-A-Mole Censorship
- Free expression in China now resembles "a high-stakes game of whack-a-mole."
- Writers, editors, and publishers try to outmaneuver the CCP's control.
