Featuring : Outside the Great Wall

Writer, born in 1947. Early in the Cultural Revolution, joined the Red Guards in high school. Debuted with the story, “Maple,” in 1979, followed by the novel Old Well. Wanted after Tiananmen in 1989, he went underground and escaped to the US in 1993. Lives near Washington with his wife, the journalist Bei Ming. Former chair, Independent Chinese PEN Center.

Playwright, painter, born in 1940. Entered Beijing Foreign Studies University in 1957, Where he studied French literature. His plays were repeatedly banned in the 1980s. He was in Europe when the Tiananmen massacre occurred, and he chose to remain in exile. Nobel Prize in literature in 2000.

Historian, born in 1969. Wanted as a student leader of the Tiananmen democracy movement, he was arrested on July 2, 1989 and spent 6 years in prison. He went into exile in the US. in 1998 and entered Harvard University. Received a PhD in history in 2008.

Political activist, born in 1963. Came to the US to study in the 1980s, and earned a PhD in political science from Harvard University and a PhD in mathematics from UC-Berkeley. He entered China illegally in 2002 to research the labor movement, was arrested and imprisoned 5 years. Returned to the US in 2007. President of Initiatives for China.

Minister, born in 1959. Published a newspaper on the square during the Tiananmen protests. Placed on the wanted list, he escaped to the Soviet Union, where the KGB seized him and returned him to China. Went underground for 2 years, then fled to the US via Hong Kong in 1991. Pastor of the Harvest Chinese Christian Church near Washington.

Political theorist, born in 1947. During the 1979 Democracy Wall movement, published a book on freedom of speech Came to the US as a foreign student in 1987, and chose exile after Tiananmen. Editor of the Chinese magazine,“Beijing Spring,” published in New York.

Poet, born in 1941. Published his first poems at age 16. Enraged Deng Xiaoping by sending a human rights appeal to US President Carter, leading to his arrest in 1979. Arrested again in 1995 for protesting a ban on publication of his books. After 6 terms of confinement, he fled to the US in 1997.

Politician, born in 1943. Imprisoned in 1981 for forming an opposition group, he was released in 1993 During negotiations when the US to renew China’s most-favored nation status. Arrested again for forming a political party, he went into exile in the US in 2002.

Painter, born in1959. A core member of the Stars Artist Group. Left China for Switzerland in 1985 and settled in Paris.

Sculptor, born in 1949. A core member of the Stars artists group. Married a French woman and left China for France in 1984.

Writer, playwright, born in 1952. Come to Scandinavia to study in 1986.