Book description
Liu Xiaobo (born 1955) is a pre-eminent Chinese literary critic,
professor and humanitarian activist. Since his hunger strike in
Tiananmen Square in June 1989 he has been a thorn in the side of the
Chinese government, helping to write the Charter 08 manifesto calling
for free speech, democratic elections and basic human rights. He was
arrested and convicted on charges of 'incitement to subversion', and
sentenced to eleven years in prison. The following year, 2010, during
this fourth prison term, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for 'his
prolonged non-violent struggle for fundamental human rights in China'.
Neither he nor his wife was allowed to travel to Oslo, and the Chinese
government blocked all news stories of the prize and intimidated Liu's
friends and family. He is the only Nobel Laureate in detention.
June Fourth Elegies is a collection of the poems Liu Xiaobo
has written each year on the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square
massacre in 1989. An extraordinarily moving testimony and an
historical document of singular importance, it is dedicated to 'the
Tiananmen Mothers and for those who can remember'. In this bilingual
volume, Liu's poetry is for the first time published freely in both
English translation and in the Chinese original.
Liu Xiaobo is a political activist, author, university professor
and writer. He was awarded the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize.
Jeffrey Yang is the author of two poetry collections and an editor
at New Directions Publishing.
