Liu Jingsheng is a political opposition activist and a former co-editor of Tansuo , a journal he founded in the late 1970s with Wei Jingsheng.
Liu played a leading role in the Democracy Wall and was arrested . Upon his release, Liu resumed his job as a bus driver. In 1992, he was arrested again for his associations with "counter-revolutionary organizations." Liu was released in November 2004.
Liu was awarded the PEN/Barbara Goldsmith Freedom to Write Award in 1998.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Lijun Jiang
Lijun Jiang is a freelance writer who has been detained by the since November 2002 for posting articles on the Internet which the government considered . He is a native of Tieling in Liaoning.
The articles written by Jiang included an to the of the Communist Party of China, which called for .
Jiang was detained on November 6, 2002 and formally arrested on December 14, 2003 for “Internet writing and publishing dissident articles”. He was charged with “Inciting subversion of the state power”. On November 28, 2003 the no.2 Intermediate People's Court of Beijing found Jiang guilty and sentenced him to imprisonment for four years, and deprivation of political rights for one year. Since this time Jiang has being held in Jinzhou Prison in Liaoning.
A draft email found on his Yahoo page containing proposals for a more democratic China was the principal evidence against him. Writing this draft was considered by the Government as taking part in “subversive activities that aim to undermine the authority of the Communist Party”.
In April 2006, Reporters Without Borders, which has been actively seeking Jiang's release, revealed that Yahoo! may have aided Chinese authorities in convicting Jiang by providing information about Jiang's email accounts on its in Hong Kong..
Other cases involving political prisoners in the People's Republic of China where information had been provided by Yahoo! are Shi Tao, , and Wang Xiaoning.
The articles written by Jiang included an to the of the Communist Party of China, which called for .
Jiang was detained on November 6, 2002 and formally arrested on December 14, 2003 for “Internet writing and publishing dissident articles”. He was charged with “Inciting subversion of the state power”. On November 28, 2003 the no.2 Intermediate People's Court of Beijing found Jiang guilty and sentenced him to imprisonment for four years, and deprivation of political rights for one year. Since this time Jiang has being held in Jinzhou Prison in Liaoning.
A draft email found on his Yahoo page containing proposals for a more democratic China was the principal evidence against him. Writing this draft was considered by the Government as taking part in “subversive activities that aim to undermine the authority of the Communist Party”.
In April 2006, Reporters Without Borders, which has been actively seeking Jiang's release, revealed that Yahoo! may have aided Chinese authorities in convicting Jiang by providing information about Jiang's email accounts on its in Hong Kong..
Other cases
Other cases involving political prisoners in the People's Republic of China where information had been provided by Yahoo! are Shi Tao, , and Wang Xiaoning.
Li Zhensheng (photojournalist)
Li Zhensheng is a Chinese who captured some of the most telling images from the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, better known as the Chinese Cultural Revolution.
His employment at the Heilongjiang Daily, a turned-propaganda newspaper during the revolution, and his decision to wear a red arm band indicating an alliance with Chairman Mao Zedong, allowed him a rare access to scenes which have since been only described in written and verbal accounts.
His recent publication of the book, "Red-Color News Soldier" exhibits in vivid detail both the prolific nature of revolutionary ideals in China and, more notably, many of the atrocities that occurred during the Cultural Revolution. The Heilongjiang Daily newspaper had a strict policy in accordance with a government dictate that only "positive" images could be published, which consisted mostly of smiling revolutionaries offering praise for Chairman . The "negative" images, which depicted the atrocities of the time, were hidden beneath a floorboard in his house where they sat for over 40-years before he would bring them to public light at a photo exhibit in 1988.
Li Zhensheng was born to a poor family in Dalian, which is located in the northeastern province of Liaoning, China. At the time of his birth this was Kwantung Leased Territory, where Japan occupied the tributary state Manchukuo. His mother died when he was three, and his older brother, who was a member of army, was killed during the Chinese Civil War. Zhensheng helped his father, who was a cook on a steamship and later as a farmer, until Zhensheng was 10-years-old.
Zhensheng quickly rose to the top of his class despite starting school late. He later earned a spot at the Changchun Film School, where he acquired much of his photographic knowledge. In 1963, he briefly achieved a job at the Heilongjiang Daily, however the Socialist Education Movement soon intervened and he ended up back in the countryside for nearly two years, living with peasants and studying the work of .
Zhensheng returned to Harbin just months before the outbreak of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution in the spring of 1966. A lack of photographic film, marauding , and a political dictate against photographing the negative aspects of the revolution, reduced Zhensheng to nothing more than a propaganda functionary. Although, he quickly realized that only people wearing the red-colored arm band of the could photograph without harassment. To achieve this, he founded his own small rebel group at the newspaper.
In his access, Zhensheng captured some of the most horrific acts of the . Among his collection include photos depicting several dehumanizing tactics used by the to humiliate or degrade alleged counterrevolutionaries. Some of the images depict public displays of "denunciations," where the hair of prominent individuals is shaved in a disheveled manner. Other images show people bearing "dunce" hats; people with black paint spread over their faces; others wearing signs around their necks with writings that criticize their profession or names; and probably most horrifying, Zhensheng captured scenes of public executions of counterrevolutionaries who were never given a trial for their alleged crimes.
At the height of the , Zhensheng was plotted against by rivals, publicly denounced, and once more sent back to the countryside in September 1969. He was sent to the May 7th Cadre School in Liuhe, a Chinese gulag where he and his wife, Zu Yingxia, spent two years performing hard labor.
Zhensheng had taken meticulous care of the documented "negative" images he captured while at the newspaper, hiding them beneath a floorboard of his one-room apartment. He attributes the dry atmosphere and mild temperatures of Harbin to the preservation of the photographic negatives. While he was sent away, Zhensheng entrusted a friend to care for the apartment, and instructed him to never reveal the secrets it contained. Zhensheng returned to the newspaper in 1972 as the head of the photography department, and later became a professor at the University of Beijing in 1982.
Red-Color News Soldier is a literal translation of the Chinese characters written on the armband Li Zhensheng wore during the Chinese . Although, he admits he never personally gave his alliance to , wearing the arm band gave him unprecedented access to historic events, which have since shaped Chinese culture.
The book generally covers an era just before the in 1964 to just after in 1976. It is separated into five chronological sections: 1964-1966 titled "It is right to rebel"; 1966 titled "Bombard the Headquarters"; 1966-1968 titled "The Red Sun in our hearts"; 1968-1972 titled "Revolution is not a dinner party"; and 1972-1974 titled "Die Fighting."
Zhensheng's "negative" pictures were first revealed publicly in March 1988 at a Chinese Press Association's photography competition in Beijing. The show, entitled "Let History Tell the Future" was comprised of twenty images from his collection, and were deemed "counterrevolutionary" under the political dictates of . Some of the images included the former governor of having his hair brutally torn out at a rally as a part of dehumanizing humiliation practice. Chinese Communist Party-controlled newspapers for the first time were seen to use term "shocked" in their headlines.
In December of that same year, Zhensheng met an instrumental figure in the creation of Red-Colored News Soldier: Robert Pledge, an American who was director of Contact Press Images, an international photo agency. When the two met they agreed to work together to someday bring out Zhensheng's photographic work, however they both agreed it would be in the best interest to wait until the political climate was right.
Seven months later, in June 1989, the brutal events of Tiananmen Square made world-wide headlines, and Zhensheng became determined to produce a book to show the world the images from the .
Work on the book officially began in 1999 and over the next four years a tedious process of editing had taken place. Robert Pledge did not speak Chinese, and Zhensheng did not speak English. So the two had to coordinate work through the use of translators — many of whom became integral parts of their relationship.
Zhensheng sent over 30,000 brown envelopes to Pledge's office in New York City, each containing photographic negatives from his time at the Heilongjiang Daily. The pair often engaged in heated discussions over the editing process of the photographs in the collection.
A number of the images contained self-portraits of Zhensheng. This was the result of always returning to the paper with one extra frame on the film roll; a photojournalism technique of always being prepared to cover a breaking news event at the last minute. Zhensheng would "burn off" the last image with a photo of himself shortly before developing the film. Often the poses were humorous and playful. One such image of Zhensheng exposing his bare chest was published in the book. He said he was attempting to recreate the old expression of "baring one's chest" in the face of adversity, or in his case, communism.
During book tours Zhensheng always makes a point to speak of his Chinese patriotism, or more specifically, his love for China. He says while he disagrees with the government, he still loves his country and hopes democracy will perhaps prevail in the long-term future. He does not believe his images or the book should be considered anti-Chinese, rather a reminder of the painful past which most countries endure during their evolution.
His employment at the Heilongjiang Daily, a turned-propaganda newspaper during the revolution, and his decision to wear a red arm band indicating an alliance with Chairman Mao Zedong, allowed him a rare access to scenes which have since been only described in written and verbal accounts.
His recent publication of the book, "Red-Color News Soldier" exhibits in vivid detail both the prolific nature of revolutionary ideals in China and, more notably, many of the atrocities that occurred during the Cultural Revolution. The Heilongjiang Daily newspaper had a strict policy in accordance with a government dictate that only "positive" images could be published, which consisted mostly of smiling revolutionaries offering praise for Chairman . The "negative" images, which depicted the atrocities of the time, were hidden beneath a floorboard in his house where they sat for over 40-years before he would bring them to public light at a photo exhibit in 1988.
Early life
Li Zhensheng was born to a poor family in Dalian, which is located in the northeastern province of Liaoning, China. At the time of his birth this was Kwantung Leased Territory, where Japan occupied the tributary state Manchukuo. His mother died when he was three, and his older brother, who was a member of army, was killed during the Chinese Civil War. Zhensheng helped his father, who was a cook on a steamship and later as a farmer, until Zhensheng was 10-years-old.
Zhensheng quickly rose to the top of his class despite starting school late. He later earned a spot at the Changchun Film School, where he acquired much of his photographic knowledge. In 1963, he briefly achieved a job at the Heilongjiang Daily, however the Socialist Education Movement soon intervened and he ended up back in the countryside for nearly two years, living with peasants and studying the work of .
Cultural Revolution
Zhensheng returned to Harbin just months before the outbreak of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution in the spring of 1966. A lack of photographic film, marauding , and a political dictate against photographing the negative aspects of the revolution, reduced Zhensheng to nothing more than a propaganda functionary. Although, he quickly realized that only people wearing the red-colored arm band of the could photograph without harassment. To achieve this, he founded his own small rebel group at the newspaper.
In his access, Zhensheng captured some of the most horrific acts of the . Among his collection include photos depicting several dehumanizing tactics used by the to humiliate or degrade alleged counterrevolutionaries. Some of the images depict public displays of "denunciations," where the hair of prominent individuals is shaved in a disheveled manner. Other images show people bearing "dunce" hats; people with black paint spread over their faces; others wearing signs around their necks with writings that criticize their profession or names; and probably most horrifying, Zhensheng captured scenes of public executions of counterrevolutionaries who were never given a trial for their alleged crimes.
At the height of the , Zhensheng was plotted against by rivals, publicly denounced, and once more sent back to the countryside in September 1969. He was sent to the May 7th Cadre School in Liuhe, a Chinese gulag where he and his wife, Zu Yingxia, spent two years performing hard labor.
Zhensheng had taken meticulous care of the documented "negative" images he captured while at the newspaper, hiding them beneath a floorboard of his one-room apartment. He attributes the dry atmosphere and mild temperatures of Harbin to the preservation of the photographic negatives. While he was sent away, Zhensheng entrusted a friend to care for the apartment, and instructed him to never reveal the secrets it contained. Zhensheng returned to the newspaper in 1972 as the head of the photography department, and later became a professor at the University of Beijing in 1982.
Red-Color News Soldier
Red-Color News Soldier is a literal translation of the Chinese characters written on the armband Li Zhensheng wore during the Chinese . Although, he admits he never personally gave his alliance to , wearing the arm band gave him unprecedented access to historic events, which have since shaped Chinese culture.
The book generally covers an era just before the in 1964 to just after in 1976. It is separated into five chronological sections: 1964-1966 titled "It is right to rebel"; 1966 titled "Bombard the Headquarters"; 1966-1968 titled "The Red Sun in our hearts"; 1968-1972 titled "Revolution is not a dinner party"; and 1972-1974 titled "Die Fighting."
Zhensheng's "negative" pictures were first revealed publicly in March 1988 at a Chinese Press Association's photography competition in Beijing. The show, entitled "Let History Tell the Future" was comprised of twenty images from his collection, and were deemed "counterrevolutionary" under the political dictates of . Some of the images included the former governor of having his hair brutally torn out at a rally as a part of dehumanizing humiliation practice. Chinese Communist Party-controlled newspapers for the first time were seen to use term "shocked" in their headlines.
In December of that same year, Zhensheng met an instrumental figure in the creation of Red-Colored News Soldier: Robert Pledge, an American who was director of Contact Press Images, an international photo agency. When the two met they agreed to work together to someday bring out Zhensheng's photographic work, however they both agreed it would be in the best interest to wait until the political climate was right.
Seven months later, in June 1989, the brutal events of Tiananmen Square made world-wide headlines, and Zhensheng became determined to produce a book to show the world the images from the .
Work on the book officially began in 1999 and over the next four years a tedious process of editing had taken place. Robert Pledge did not speak Chinese, and Zhensheng did not speak English. So the two had to coordinate work through the use of translators — many of whom became integral parts of their relationship.
Zhensheng sent over 30,000 brown envelopes to Pledge's office in New York City, each containing photographic negatives from his time at the Heilongjiang Daily. The pair often engaged in heated discussions over the editing process of the photographs in the collection.
A number of the images contained self-portraits of Zhensheng. This was the result of always returning to the paper with one extra frame on the film roll; a photojournalism technique of always being prepared to cover a breaking news event at the last minute. Zhensheng would "burn off" the last image with a photo of himself shortly before developing the film. Often the poses were humorous and playful. One such image of Zhensheng exposing his bare chest was published in the book. He said he was attempting to recreate the old expression of "baring one's chest" in the face of adversity, or in his case, communism.
During book tours Zhensheng always makes a point to speak of his Chinese patriotism, or more specifically, his love for China. He says while he disagrees with the government, he still loves his country and hopes democracy will perhaps prevail in the long-term future. He does not believe his images or the book should be considered anti-Chinese, rather a reminder of the painful past which most countries endure during their evolution.
Jiang Weiping
Jiang Weiping is a veteran journalist known internationally for his arrest by the Communist Party of China in 2001. During his career, he received several awards from local and provincial governments for his journalism and reporting. In 1999 he began publishing a series of articles about the corruptions in the Hong Kong magazine ''Frontline'' . He was subsequently arrested by the CCP, and sent to 8 years in prison.
Jiang was a reporter for Xinhua News Agency in the 1980s.
In 1999 Jiang began writing a series of articles about the corruption of the for the Hong Kong magazine ''Frontline''. By 2001 Jiang was a reporter working in mainland China for the Hong Kong magazine.
* Shenyang vice Mayor Ma Xiangdong lost nearly 30 million in public funds while gambling in Macau casinos.
* Daqing vice mayor Qian Dihua was also exposed to have illegally obtaining funds to buy cars and houses for each of his 29 mistresses.
* Bo Xilai later became China's trade minister, and in 2007 he aggressively defended Chinese toy products containing lead that were exported to the United States.
Jiang was detained on January 4, 2001 and subsequently convicted of illegally supplying State secrets and inciting the subversion of state power under the Dalian on January 21, 2002. He was given a combined sentence of 8 years and deprivation of political rights for 5 years. Jiang immediately filed an appeal. Journalists around the world overwhelmingly voiced their support for Jiang and his principled journalistic work.
* Jiang was awarded a CPJ International Press Freedom Award in 2001 by the Committee to Protect Journalists.
* He was also awarded the "One humanity award" in 2006 by PEN Canada, which included a 5000 cash prize.
Career
Jiang was a reporter for Xinhua News Agency in the 1980s.
In 1999 Jiang began writing a series of articles about the corruption of the for the Hong Kong magazine ''Frontline''. By 2001 Jiang was a reporter working in mainland China for the Hong Kong magazine.
The reports
* Shenyang vice Mayor Ma Xiangdong lost nearly 30 million in public funds while gambling in Macau casinos.
* Daqing vice mayor Qian Dihua was also exposed to have illegally obtaining funds to buy cars and houses for each of his 29 mistresses.
* Bo Xilai later became China's trade minister, and in 2007 he aggressively defended Chinese toy products containing lead that were exported to the United States.
The reporter
Jiang was detained on January 4, 2001 and subsequently convicted of illegally supplying State secrets and inciting the subversion of state power under the Dalian on January 21, 2002. He was given a combined sentence of 8 years and deprivation of political rights for 5 years. Jiang immediately filed an appeal. Journalists around the world overwhelmingly voiced their support for Jiang and his principled journalistic work.
Awards
* Jiang was awarded a CPJ International Press Freedom Award in 2001 by the Committee to Protect Journalists.
* He was also awarded the "One humanity award" in 2006 by PEN Canada, which included a 5000 cash prize.
Huang Yuanyong
Huang Yuanyong , was a renowned and journalist during the late Qing Dynasty and early .
Huang made significant contributions to journalism and literacy in China, particularly as an innovator in both journalistic methodology and writing style.
Huang Yuanyong was born to an educated family in Jiujiang , Jiangxi Province in China on 1885-01-15. His father was a scholar and an officer in charge of foreign affairs in Ningbo , and a number of his family members were government officials. Influenced by his family, Huang immersed himself in Chinese classics when he grew up. To improve his , his family hired a foreign tutor to teach him the language.
Huang completed secondary schooling in the Zhejiang province. During his studies at ''Zhejiang Huxing Nanxun Government School'' , he was involved in campaigns and became a member of the ''Progressive Party'' . In 1903, Huang came in seventh place in the regional examination in Jiangxi . Nevertheless, the 19-year-old Huang did not follow the custom of becoming a government official, instead continuing his legal study at Chuo University in Tokyo, Japan. Six years later, he returned to China and started working at the ''Civil Postal Department'' . Later on, he became a journalist and worked for several different papers and news agencies. Huang was particularly famous for his discussions of politics and social issues.
Following the collapse of the , Huang ceased his work as an officer in the new government of the Republic of China. Li Shengduo , one of the Beiyang five ministers , played an influential role for Huang. He advised Huang to enter journalism, saying that "In western countries, the majority of journalists are familiar with history and international affairs. If you choose to work in this field, there is no doubt you will become a famous reporter." After receiving Li's advice, Huang began his career as a journalist.
Huang soon won recognition for his abilities as a journalist. In 1912, the founding year of the Republic of China, Huang, Lan Gongwu and Zhang Junmai , who were known as "The trio of youth for modern China" , first published ''Shao Nian Zhong Guo Weekly'' 《少年中國周刊》 to criticise politics. Later on, Huang and two other young journalists, Liu Shaoshao and Ding Foyan , were entitled '"The outstanding trio of journalism" .
Huang was also regarded as "The first genuine reporter in the modern context in China" and his ''Yuansheng Tongxun'' , a special column of news dispatch, became the most popular and famous brand in Chinese journalism.
Huang's first job was to write articles for the ''Ya Shi Ya' Daily News'' in Shanghai. The positions at newspapers and magazines that he later served include:
* ''Shen Bao'' - newspaper reporter
* ''Shi Bao'' - newspaper reporter
*''Dong Fang'' Daily News - newspaper reporter
*''Shao Nian Zhong Guo ''Weekly - founder and magazine editor
*''Yong Yan'' - magazine editor
*''Dong Fang'' Magazine - writer
*''Lun Heng'' - writer
*''Guo Min Gong Bao'' - writer
With his academic background and working experiences, Huang took up a number of roles in the field. He worked as a chief editor , an appointed regional reporter in Beijing and Shanghai, and a freelance article writer . He was well-known for being diversified and productive. In 1915, Huang's clash with Yuan Shikai eventually cost him his job. The news of Huang being shot to death in the United States shortly after his arrival shocked the and literary circles of China.
Among Huang's publications,''Yuansheng yi zhu'' 《遠生遺著》 is a collection which consists of 239 pieces of his posthumous articles. It was published by Huang's friend, Lin Zhijun , after Huang's death in 1919. From 1920 to 1927, four editions of this book were published by the of Shanghai . It was the first collection of news articles in Chinese publishing history. Huang's articles included news reporting, political analysis, and the like. The majority of Huang's articles were reports of major events and influential people in the turbulent politics of China at the time.
His publications on political issues include:
*''A Warning to the Trio Superpower'' 《對於三大勢力之警告》
*''An Overview of Current Politics'' 《最近之大勢》
*''Astray Official'' 《官迷論》
*''Conflict between Traditional and Contemporary Thoughts'' 《新舊思想之衝突》
*''New Year in Beijing'' 《北京之新年》
*''Three Days' Astronomy'' 《三日觀天記》
*''The Chef of the Ambassador'' 《外交部之厨子》
His other publications include:
* ''My Confession'' 《懺悔錄》
* ''Introspection'' 《反省》
* ''Passive Optimism'' 《消極之樂觀》
As a journalist, he interviewed many important figures of the time, including:
*Sun Yat-sen
*Huang Xing
*Song Jiaoren
*Chang Taiyen
*Cai Yuanpei
*Yuan Shikai
*Li Yuanhong
*Tang Shaoyi
*Lu Zhengxiang
*Zhao Bingkwun
*Xiong Xiling
*Duan Qirui
Huang reported on many important events in China. For example:
*The assassination of Song Jiaoren
*The resignation of Yuan Shikai
*The signing of ''The Twenty-One Demands''
*The resignation of Tang Shaoyi
Huang initially supported the creation of the Republic of China under Yuan Shikai's leadership. However, the new government became a great disappointment to Huang. He felt that despite the Progressive Party's rhetoric it was still a corrupt organization.
In the articles entitled ''Big Loan Incident'' and ''The Twenty-One Demands'' , Huang described Yuan's alleged secret deals with foreign powers and betrayal of the nation’s interest for his own sake. Huang once described the status of the government as “idealess, dead-ended and hopeless" . However, what most upset Huang was the threat to the freedom of the press that he felt Yuan represented. Under Yuan, journalists were prohibited to attend political meetings and the censorship of newspapers also became the custody of the Police Authority .
Between 1912 and 1916 Yuan and his party extended their control over the news media, banning 71 newspapers and arresting more than 60 journalists. These events left Huang with a much more pessimistic view of the importance of journalism.
The incident which triggered the final clash of Huang and Yuan occurred in 1915. At that time, news media sympathetic to Yuan had been promoting his plan to revive the system in China. At first, he offered Liang Qichao two hundred thousand dollars to write an article in favor of him, but Liang refused. Then he approached Huang due to Huang’s reputation. Yuan offered him ten thousand dollars to become a and the chief of ''Ya Shi Ya Daily News'' , which was under his control. Still, Huang was unwilling to violate his principles as a journalist. Huang posted his announcement entitled ''My declaration of opposing the monarchic system and resignation from all positions of Yuan's group of publishers'' 《黃遠生反對帝制並辭去袁系報紙聘約啟事》 in most major newspapers in Shanghai, including ''Shen Bao'' . Huang published further similar announcements in several papers, including ''Shen Bao'' and ''Shi Shi Xin Bao'' to clarify his political break from Yuan.
Yuan maintained pressure on Huang by naming him chief editor of ''Ya Shi Ya Daily News'' against his will, a position which Huang rejected. Eventually, though, Huang tried to escape this political battle, devoting himself to further academic studies.
Huang's writings were an important element in transforming traditional China into its modern form. Huang and other famous journalists such as Kang Youwei and Liang Qichao formed the ''Group of Journalists'' , which played an important role in late Qing Dynasty. As the educated ones, the group's opinions towards the society would be released to the public so that the dark side of the nation could be disclosed, enhancing the public's awareness of social issues. The group was undeniably a major breakthrough in China's journalistic history.
Huang was most active before and after the Xinhai Revolution . That period was a dark age for cultural development in China, with the interference from the past and the present, China and the West. Huang showed his concern and worries in that period through his writings. Strictly speaking, there was nobody who would write so many articles as Huang did at that time.
Huang emphasized that a journalist should be equipped with four important abilities:
*The ability to think critically
*The ability to run - to develop and broaden interpersonal network to enrich news sources
*The ability to listen - to analyze and co-ordinate trivial pieces into consequence
*The ability to write directly, without distortion
Many intellectuals such as Chen Duxiu were influenced by Huang's ideas. They organized and published "New Youths" 《新青年》 and "New current of ideas" 《新潮》, which were largely promoted in Shanghai. More than thirty articles of the two publications mentioned Huang's name and his innovative ideas. One famous intellectual, Hu Shih , even considered Huang as the "First Voice" of promoting a new type of literature in his book ''Wu shi nian lai zhi wen xue'' 《五十年來之文學》.
Huang has been regarded as the pioneer of the May Fourth Movement . He advocated the ''Literary Enlightenment Movement'' by promoting modern Chinese literature and introducing Western ideas to China. In his article, ''My Confession'' 《懺悔錄》, he argued that a prerequisite for the betterment of the society is to improve the personality and quality of citizens. .
Although Huang achieved a good result in the Imperial Examination himself, he was highly critical of the system. Instead he stated that after the collapse of Qing Dynasty, the examination system should also eventually be removed. Although new examination systems and schools were immediately introduced to China following the collapse, there were still a large number of people who gained nothing in the old system and could not fit into the new one. Huang argued that these people would become a threat to the society.
Before becoming a journalist Huang immersed himself in writing literature, as classical Chinese literature was still popular in the late Qing dynasty. He was known for writing fluently, with major use of rhetoric and allusion.
However, Huang realized that news articles should be comprehensible enough to be read by many people and that the use of classical Chinese language might obstruct the flow of expression. He therefore decided to change his style of writing. By writing in simple and colloquial language, Huang's articles magnified his critical and satirical attitude.
Huang was assassinated while visiting San Francisco, United States on Christmas Day , 1915, at the age of 30.
The circumstances of Huang's death remain a mystery, not only because there was political instability in China, but also because he was assassinated in San Francisco, far from his home. As a result, there are several possible explanations for the incident.
There were two versions of the story of the murder of Huang. One possibility is that Huang was shot by a killer sent by Yuan Shikai as payback for Huang's opposition to Yuan's monarchic system. Another version was that he was mistakenly assassinated by Liu Beihai , a member of the Zhonghua Revolutionary Party , which was later known as the . The Party suspected that Huang was indeed working for Yuan, and his purpose for visiting the U.S. was to promote the monarchic system. However there is still not enough evidence to prove that Huang's death was related to Yuan, even today.
The date of Huang's assassination has also been called into some doubt. In the introduction of ''Yuansheng yi zhu'' 《遠生遺著》, a posthumous collection of Huang's articles, Lin Zhijun recalled that he had heard the news on the night of 27th December, 1915, and gives this date as the day of Huang's death. However, some scholars, including Li Shengduo , believed that Huang was indeed killed on 25th December, as the date the news came did not necessarily have to be the day of the assassination. Therefore, generally, it has been accepted that the date of Huang's death was 25th December, 1915.
Huang made significant contributions to journalism and literacy in China, particularly as an innovator in both journalistic methodology and writing style.
Early life
Huang Yuanyong was born to an educated family in Jiujiang , Jiangxi Province in China on 1885-01-15. His father was a scholar and an officer in charge of foreign affairs in Ningbo , and a number of his family members were government officials. Influenced by his family, Huang immersed himself in Chinese classics when he grew up. To improve his , his family hired a foreign tutor to teach him the language.
Huang completed secondary schooling in the Zhejiang province. During his studies at ''Zhejiang Huxing Nanxun Government School'' , he was involved in campaigns and became a member of the ''Progressive Party'' . In 1903, Huang came in seventh place in the regional examination in Jiangxi . Nevertheless, the 19-year-old Huang did not follow the custom of becoming a government official, instead continuing his legal study at Chuo University in Tokyo, Japan. Six years later, he returned to China and started working at the ''Civil Postal Department'' . Later on, he became a journalist and worked for several different papers and news agencies. Huang was particularly famous for his discussions of politics and social issues.
Life as a journalist
Background
Following the collapse of the , Huang ceased his work as an officer in the new government of the Republic of China. Li Shengduo , one of the Beiyang five ministers , played an influential role for Huang. He advised Huang to enter journalism, saying that "In western countries, the majority of journalists are familiar with history and international affairs. If you choose to work in this field, there is no doubt you will become a famous reporter." After receiving Li's advice, Huang began his career as a journalist.
Huang soon won recognition for his abilities as a journalist. In 1912, the founding year of the Republic of China, Huang, Lan Gongwu and Zhang Junmai , who were known as "The trio of youth for modern China" , first published ''Shao Nian Zhong Guo Weekly'' 《少年中國周刊》 to criticise politics. Later on, Huang and two other young journalists, Liu Shaoshao and Ding Foyan , were entitled '"The outstanding trio of journalism" .
Huang was also regarded as "The first genuine reporter in the modern context in China" and his ''Yuansheng Tongxun'' , a special column of news dispatch, became the most popular and famous brand in Chinese journalism.
Contribution to Newspapers and Magazines
Huang's first job was to write articles for the ''Ya Shi Ya' Daily News'' in Shanghai. The positions at newspapers and magazines that he later served include:
* ''Shen Bao'' - newspaper reporter
* ''Shi Bao'' - newspaper reporter
*''Dong Fang'' Daily News - newspaper reporter
*''Shao Nian Zhong Guo ''Weekly - founder and magazine editor
*''Yong Yan'' - magazine editor
*''Dong Fang'' Magazine - writer
*''Lun Heng'' - writer
*''Guo Min Gong Bao'' - writer
With his academic background and working experiences, Huang took up a number of roles in the field. He worked as a chief editor , an appointed regional reporter in Beijing and Shanghai, and a freelance article writer . He was well-known for being diversified and productive. In 1915, Huang's clash with Yuan Shikai eventually cost him his job. The news of Huang being shot to death in the United States shortly after his arrival shocked the and literary circles of China.
Publications
Among Huang's publications,''Yuansheng yi zhu'' 《遠生遺著》 is a collection which consists of 239 pieces of his posthumous articles. It was published by Huang's friend, Lin Zhijun , after Huang's death in 1919. From 1920 to 1927, four editions of this book were published by the of Shanghai . It was the first collection of news articles in Chinese publishing history. Huang's articles included news reporting, political analysis, and the like. The majority of Huang's articles were reports of major events and influential people in the turbulent politics of China at the time.
His publications on political issues include:
*''A Warning to the Trio Superpower'' 《對於三大勢力之警告》
*''An Overview of Current Politics'' 《最近之大勢》
*''Astray Official'' 《官迷論》
*''Conflict between Traditional and Contemporary Thoughts'' 《新舊思想之衝突》
*''New Year in Beijing'' 《北京之新年》
*''Three Days' Astronomy'' 《三日觀天記》
*''The Chef of the Ambassador'' 《外交部之厨子》
His other publications include:
* ''My Confession'' 《懺悔錄》
* ''Introspection'' 《反省》
* ''Passive Optimism'' 《消極之樂觀》
As a journalist, he interviewed many important figures of the time, including:
*Sun Yat-sen
*Huang Xing
*Song Jiaoren
*Chang Taiyen
*Cai Yuanpei
*Yuan Shikai
*Li Yuanhong
*Tang Shaoyi
*Lu Zhengxiang
*Zhao Bingkwun
*Xiong Xiling
*Duan Qirui
Huang reported on many important events in China. For example:
*The assassination of Song Jiaoren
*The resignation of Yuan Shikai
*The signing of ''The Twenty-One Demands''
*The resignation of Tang Shaoyi
Clash with Yuan Shikai
Huang initially supported the creation of the Republic of China under Yuan Shikai's leadership. However, the new government became a great disappointment to Huang. He felt that despite the Progressive Party's rhetoric it was still a corrupt organization.
In the articles entitled ''Big Loan Incident'' and ''The Twenty-One Demands'' , Huang described Yuan's alleged secret deals with foreign powers and betrayal of the nation’s interest for his own sake. Huang once described the status of the government as “idealess, dead-ended and hopeless" . However, what most upset Huang was the threat to the freedom of the press that he felt Yuan represented. Under Yuan, journalists were prohibited to attend political meetings and the censorship of newspapers also became the custody of the Police Authority .
Between 1912 and 1916 Yuan and his party extended their control over the news media, banning 71 newspapers and arresting more than 60 journalists. These events left Huang with a much more pessimistic view of the importance of journalism.
The incident which triggered the final clash of Huang and Yuan occurred in 1915. At that time, news media sympathetic to Yuan had been promoting his plan to revive the system in China. At first, he offered Liang Qichao two hundred thousand dollars to write an article in favor of him, but Liang refused. Then he approached Huang due to Huang’s reputation. Yuan offered him ten thousand dollars to become a and the chief of ''Ya Shi Ya Daily News'' , which was under his control. Still, Huang was unwilling to violate his principles as a journalist. Huang posted his announcement entitled ''My declaration of opposing the monarchic system and resignation from all positions of Yuan's group of publishers'' 《黃遠生反對帝制並辭去袁系報紙聘約啟事》 in most major newspapers in Shanghai, including ''Shen Bao'' . Huang published further similar announcements in several papers, including ''Shen Bao'' and ''Shi Shi Xin Bao'' to clarify his political break from Yuan.
Yuan maintained pressure on Huang by naming him chief editor of ''Ya Shi Ya Daily News'' against his will, a position which Huang rejected. Eventually, though, Huang tried to escape this political battle, devoting himself to further academic studies.
Influence on China
Journalism
Huang's writings were an important element in transforming traditional China into its modern form. Huang and other famous journalists such as Kang Youwei and Liang Qichao formed the ''Group of Journalists'' , which played an important role in late Qing Dynasty. As the educated ones, the group's opinions towards the society would be released to the public so that the dark side of the nation could be disclosed, enhancing the public's awareness of social issues. The group was undeniably a major breakthrough in China's journalistic history.
Huang was most active before and after the Xinhai Revolution . That period was a dark age for cultural development in China, with the interference from the past and the present, China and the West. Huang showed his concern and worries in that period through his writings. Strictly speaking, there was nobody who would write so many articles as Huang did at that time.
Huang emphasized that a journalist should be equipped with four important abilities:
*The ability to think critically
*The ability to run - to develop and broaden interpersonal network to enrich news sources
*The ability to listen - to analyze and co-ordinate trivial pieces into consequence
*The ability to write directly, without distortion
Literature
Many intellectuals such as Chen Duxiu were influenced by Huang's ideas. They organized and published "New Youths" 《新青年》 and "New current of ideas" 《新潮》, which were largely promoted in Shanghai. More than thirty articles of the two publications mentioned Huang's name and his innovative ideas. One famous intellectual, Hu Shih , even considered Huang as the "First Voice" of promoting a new type of literature in his book ''Wu shi nian lai zhi wen xue'' 《五十年來之文學》.
Huang has been regarded as the pioneer of the May Fourth Movement . He advocated the ''Literary Enlightenment Movement'' by promoting modern Chinese literature and introducing Western ideas to China. In his article, ''My Confession'' 《懺悔錄》, he argued that a prerequisite for the betterment of the society is to improve the personality and quality of citizens. .
Education
Although Huang achieved a good result in the Imperial Examination himself, he was highly critical of the system. Instead he stated that after the collapse of Qing Dynasty, the examination system should also eventually be removed. Although new examination systems and schools were immediately introduced to China following the collapse, there were still a large number of people who gained nothing in the old system and could not fit into the new one. Huang argued that these people would become a threat to the society.
Writing
Before becoming a journalist Huang immersed himself in writing literature, as classical Chinese literature was still popular in the late Qing dynasty. He was known for writing fluently, with major use of rhetoric and allusion.
However, Huang realized that news articles should be comprehensible enough to be read by many people and that the use of classical Chinese language might obstruct the flow of expression. He therefore decided to change his style of writing. By writing in simple and colloquial language, Huang's articles magnified his critical and satirical attitude.
Mystery of his death
Huang was assassinated while visiting San Francisco, United States on Christmas Day , 1915, at the age of 30.
The circumstances of Huang's death remain a mystery, not only because there was political instability in China, but also because he was assassinated in San Francisco, far from his home. As a result, there are several possible explanations for the incident.
There were two versions of the story of the murder of Huang. One possibility is that Huang was shot by a killer sent by Yuan Shikai as payback for Huang's opposition to Yuan's monarchic system. Another version was that he was mistakenly assassinated by Liu Beihai , a member of the Zhonghua Revolutionary Party , which was later known as the . The Party suspected that Huang was indeed working for Yuan, and his purpose for visiting the U.S. was to promote the monarchic system. However there is still not enough evidence to prove that Huang's death was related to Yuan, even today.
The date of Huang's assassination has also been called into some doubt. In the introduction of ''Yuansheng yi zhu'' 《遠生遺著》, a posthumous collection of Huang's articles, Lin Zhijun recalled that he had heard the news on the night of 27th December, 1915, and gives this date as the day of Huang's death. However, some scholars, including Li Shengduo , believed that Huang was indeed killed on 25th December, as the date the news came did not necessarily have to be the day of the assassination. Therefore, generally, it has been accepted that the date of Huang's death was 25th December, 1915.
Hu Shuli
Hu Shuli is managing of China's business and finance magazine, ''Caijing''. She is a former Chief reporter for the ''China Business Times''. She has been working on covering news events and providing analysis on world and China economic issues for 15 years.
She graduated in journalism in 1982 from the People's University of China. Before ''Caijing'', Ms. Hu was working as assistant editor, reporter and international editor at the ''Worker's Daily'', China's second largest newspaper. She joined ''China Business Times'' in 1992 as international editor and became chief reporter in 1995.
She is author of several books, including ''New Financial Time、 Reform Bears No Romance'' and ''The Scenes Behind American Newspapers''. In 2001, She was awarded "Star of Asia" by BusinessWeek magazine. In 2003, she was named ''World Press Review''’s 2003 International Editor of the Year.
The US magazine Foreign Policy named her as one of the top 100 public intellectuals in the world in May 2008.
She graduated in journalism in 1982 from the People's University of China. Before ''Caijing'', Ms. Hu was working as assistant editor, reporter and international editor at the ''Worker's Daily'', China's second largest newspaper. She joined ''China Business Times'' in 1992 as international editor and became chief reporter in 1995.
She is author of several books, including ''New Financial Time、 Reform Bears No Romance'' and ''The Scenes Behind American Newspapers''. In 2001, She was awarded "Star of Asia" by BusinessWeek magazine. In 2003, she was named ''World Press Review''’s 2003 International Editor of the Year.
The US magazine Foreign Policy named her as one of the top 100 public intellectuals in the world in May 2008.
He Depu
He Depu is a dissident in the People's Republic of China.
He was employed at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in Beijing. Political activist who took part in the Democracy Wall movement, he was founder of ''Beijing Youth'' magazine in 1979.
In 1998, he helped found the proscribed China Democracy Party, but lost his job at the after standing as a candidate in local elections in 1990.
He Depu was tried in a two-hour hearing on 14 October, 2002 for his links to the outlawed China Democracy Party, of which he is a member, and for posting essays on the Internet that "incited subversion."
He was one of the 192 signatories of an to the of the Communist Party of China in November 2002.
On November 4, 2002, he was arrested , and received an eight-year sentence for dissident activity on the Internet on November 6, 2003.
In 2008, he is still in prison and his health is deteriorating in Beijing No. 2 Prison. He suffers from high blood pressure and does not receive appropriate treatment. In August 2008 he sent a letter to International Olympic Committee head Jacques Rogge, decrying the conditions in Chinese prisons, which he claims to have worsened.
Biography
He was employed at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in Beijing. Political activist who took part in the Democracy Wall movement, he was founder of ''Beijing Youth'' magazine in 1979.
In 1998, he helped found the proscribed China Democracy Party, but lost his job at the after standing as a candidate in local elections in 1990.
He Depu was tried in a two-hour hearing on 14 October, 2002 for his links to the outlawed China Democracy Party, of which he is a member, and for posting essays on the Internet that "incited subversion."
He was one of the 192 signatories of an to the of the Communist Party of China in November 2002.
On November 4, 2002, he was arrested , and received an eight-year sentence for dissident activity on the Internet on November 6, 2003.
In 2008, he is still in prison and his health is deteriorating in Beijing No. 2 Prison. He suffers from high blood pressure and does not receive appropriate treatment. In August 2008 he sent a letter to International Olympic Committee head Jacques Rogge, decrying the conditions in Chinese prisons, which he claims to have worsened.
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