The Wall Dancers Quotes

“Literally translated as “Little Red Book,” the app’s name was not a wink at Chairman Mao’s compendium of Communist aphorisms, as many outsiders were led to believe; it was, instead, reportedly inspired by the signature color of cofounder Mao Wenchao’s alma mater and his previous workplace, Stanford Business School and Bain Capital, respectively.”
― Yi-Ling Liu, The Wall Dancers: Searching for Freedom and Connection on the Chinese Internet

“When asked to share the secrets of his success, Xiaomi founder Lei Jun declared, “Every pig can fly, as long as it stands in the middle of the whirlwind.”
― Yi-Ling Liu, The Wall Dancers: Searching for Freedom and Connection on the Chinese Internet

“In contrast to activists like Lü Pin, who believed they could move forward only by unbinding themselves from the shackles of the state, entrepreneurs like Ma Baoli realized that they could achieve their goals only by collaborating with it. The state wanted to address a public health issue; Ma provided the tools to do so. Ma Baoli wanted official recognition; the Party gave him their endorsement. Once spurned by authority, Ma now found himself wrapped up in its embrace.”
― Yi-Ling Liu, The Wall Dancers: Searching for Freedom and Connection on the Chinese Internet

“They thought of themselves as beipiao, Beijing drifters, unmoored and unwelcome, part of the influx of migrant workers who arrived in the city only to realize that they did not belong.”
― Yi-Ling Liu, The Wall Dancers: Searching for Freedom and Connection on the Chinese Internet

“In many ways, the activists had built upon years of efforts—from behind-the-scenes petitions to legal work—by the women’s rights advocates who preceded them. The Anti–Domestic Violence Network, a coalition of NGOs formed in the wake of the 1995 World Conference on Women, in Beijing, had been spearheading anti–domestic violence initiatives for over two decades.”
― Yi-Ling Liu, The Wall Dancers: Searching for Freedom and Connection on the Chinese Internet

“As new posts continued to pour into their backends, so did new censorship directives. They were meticulous and precise. Regarding the 7.23 Wenzhou high-speed train incident. 1. Release death toll only according to figures from authorities. 2. Do not report on a frequent basis. 3. More heartwarming stories are to be reported instead, i.e., blood donation, free taxi services, etc. 4. Do not investigate the causes of the accident; use information released from authorities as standard. 5. Do not reflect or comment.”
― Yi-Ling Liu, The Wall Dancers: Searching for Freedom and Connection on the Chinese Internet

“In the face of such a terrible event and its incompetent handling by the Ministry of Railways,” the piece began, “we can only express our views by asking—what the fuck?”
― Yi-Ling Liu, The Wall Dancers: Searching for Freedom and Connection on the Chinese Internet

“A myth circulated among Weibo users that posts made between 3:00 and 4:00 a.m. would remain untouched.”
― Yi-Ling Liu, The Wall Dancers: Searching for Freedom and Connection on the Chinese Internet