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Made in Censorship: The Tiananmen Movement in Chinese Literature and Film
The violent suppression of the 1989 Tiananmen Square demonstrations is thought to be contemporary China’s most taboo subject. Yet despite sweeping censorship, Chinese culture continues to engage with the history, meaning, and memory of the Tiananmen movement. Made in Censorship examines the surprisingly rich corpus of Tiananmen literature and film produced in mainland China since 1989, both officially sanctioned and unauthorized, contending that censorship does not simply forbid―it also shapes what is created.
Thomas Chen explores a wide range of works made despite and through censorship, including state propaganda, underground films, and controversial best-sellers. Moving across media, from print to the internet, TV to DVD, fiction to documentary, he shows the effects of state intervention on artistic production and consumption. Chen considers art at the edge of censorship, reading such disparate works as a queer love story shot without permission that found official release on DVD, an officially sanctioned film that was ultimately not permitted to be released, a novel built on orthographic elisions that was banned and eventually reissued, and an internet narrative set during the SARS epidemic later published with alterations. He also connects Tiananmen with the story of COVID-19 in China and considers the implications for debates about the reach and power of the Chinese state in the public realm, both domestic and abroad. A bold rethinking of contemporary Chinese literature and film, this book upends understandings of censorship, uncovering not just what it suppresses but also what it produces.
Thomas Chen explores a wide range of works made despite and through censorship, including state propaganda, underground films, and controversial best-sellers. Moving across media, from print to the internet, TV to DVD, fiction to documentary, he shows the effects of state intervention on artistic production and consumption. Chen considers art at the edge of censorship, reading such disparate works as a queer love story shot without permission that found official release on DVD, an officially sanctioned film that was ultimately not permitted to be released, a novel built on orthographic elisions that was banned and eventually reissued, and an internet narrative set during the SARS epidemic later published with alterations. He also connects Tiananmen with the story of COVID-19 in China and considers the implications for debates about the reach and power of the Chinese state in the public realm, both domestic and abroad. A bold rethinking of contemporary Chinese literature and film, this book upends understandings of censorship, uncovering not just what it suppresses but also what it produces.
- GenresChina
248 pages, Paperback
Published May 24, 2022
22 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
April 18, 2023
Nothing To See Here
This book was a fascinating and eye-opening read about the censorship and suppression of the Tiananmen Movement in Chinese literature and film.
The author, Thomas Chen, provides insightful analysis and thought-provoking commentary on the lasting impact of this tragic event on Chinese society and culture.
The book not only explores the political and social ramifications of censorship, but also delves into the human cost of such actions.
It sheds light on the difficult and often heartbreaking experiences of those who lived through the event, and how their stories were either silenced or distorted by the government.
In today's world, where similar patterns of censorship and suppression are being played out in Hong Kong, Xinjiang, Tibet, and Taiwan (to name a few), this book is more relevant than ever.
It forces us to question what we know and what we don't know, and to reflect on the importance of free speech and access to information.
Overall, "Made in Censorship" is an important and timely read, and a valuable addition to any library or bookshelf. Highly recommended.
4.8/5
This book was a fascinating and eye-opening read about the censorship and suppression of the Tiananmen Movement in Chinese literature and film.
The author, Thomas Chen, provides insightful analysis and thought-provoking commentary on the lasting impact of this tragic event on Chinese society and culture.
The book not only explores the political and social ramifications of censorship, but also delves into the human cost of such actions.
It sheds light on the difficult and often heartbreaking experiences of those who lived through the event, and how their stories were either silenced or distorted by the government.
In today's world, where similar patterns of censorship and suppression are being played out in Hong Kong, Xinjiang, Tibet, and Taiwan (to name a few), this book is more relevant than ever.
It forces us to question what we know and what we don't know, and to reflect on the importance of free speech and access to information.
Overall, "Made in Censorship" is an important and timely read, and a valuable addition to any library or bookshelf. Highly recommended.
4.8/5
August 3, 2025
Insightful
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews