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Arts

Beijing Spring - The Democracy Wall Movement in China

March 29, 2023

Mao's death was followed by a short period of freedom of expression in China known as the Beijing Spring.

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Dokumentation " Kommunismus & Kunst - China zwischen Zensur und Aufbruch"
Image: Limonero
Dokumentation " Kommunismus & Kunst - China zwischen Zensur und Aufbruch"
Image: Limonero

When Deng Xiaoping became the leader of China in 1978, he was keen to distance himself from the mistakes of the Cultural Revolution.

Two years after Mao's death, a wall near Tiananmen Square in Beijing briefly became the site of a democracy movement. People travelled from all over China to put up posters on what became known as Democracy Wall. They demanded accountability for the tens of thousands of people murdered and imprisoned during Mao's Cultural Revolution. 

Dokumentation " Kommunismus & Kunst - China zwischen Zensur und Aufbruch"
Image: Limonero

At the same time, a group of former factory workers founded the Stars Art Group, which later included the young Ai Weiwei. They exhibited critical works on the wall, including abstract paintings and sculptures in which they settled accounts with the Cultural Revolution. Wei Jingsheng was arrested for publishing an essay in which he called Deng Xiaoping a dictator. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison. The members of the Stars Art Group, however, succeeded in recording the secret trial on tape. They published the trial's transcript on Democracy Wall, garnering worldwide attention. Even the New York Times reported on it. 

Dokumentation " Kommunismus & Kunst - China zwischen Zensur und Aufbruch"
Image: Limonero

When the traditional National Day military parade was canceled because the country was still officially mourning Mao's death, The Stars decided to organize their own parade. Knowing they were risking their lives to fight for freedom of expression and art, they bid farewell to their families and friends. Deng Xiaoping cracked down on the protesters and increased censorship. Democracy Wall was taken down and many of the activists and artists were sentenced to prison or forced into exile. It was the end of the Beijing Spring.

Dokumentation " Kommunismus & Kunst - China zwischen Zensur und Aufbruch"
Image: Limonero

Filmmaker Chi Xiaoning documented this period of revolt on 16mm film. When he was arrested, he managed to save the material by instead destroying blank film in front of the police. Chi's family and friends hid the footage for decades. In this documentary, the footage is shown publicly for the first time. 




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