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The Barefoot Lawyer: A Blind Man's Fight for Justice and Freedom in China
An electrifying memoir by the blind Chinese activist who inspired millions with the story of his fight for justice and his belief in the cause of freedom
It was like a scene out of a thriller: one morning in April 2012, China's most famous political activist—a blind, self-taught lawyer—climbed over the wall of his heavily guarded home and escaped. Days later, he turned up at the American embassy in Beijing, and only a furious round of high-level negotiations made it possible for him to leave China and begin a new life in the United States.
Chen Guangcheng is a unique figure on the world stage, but his story is even more remarkable than anyone knew. The son of a poor farmer in rural China, blinded by illness when he was an infant, Chen was fortunate to survive a difficult childhood. But despite his disability, he was determined to educate himself and fight for the rights of his country's poor, especially a legion of women who had endured forced sterilizations and abortions under the hated "one child" policy. Repeatedly harassed, beaten, and imprisoned by Chinese authorities, Chen was ultimately placed under house arrest. After nearly two years of increasing danger, he evaded his captors and fled to freedom.
Both a riveting memoir and a revealing portrait of modern China, The Barefoot Lawyer tells the story of a man who has never accepted limits and always believed in the power of the human spirit to overcome any obstacle.
It was like a scene out of a thriller: one morning in April 2012, China's most famous political activist—a blind, self-taught lawyer—climbed over the wall of his heavily guarded home and escaped. Days later, he turned up at the American embassy in Beijing, and only a furious round of high-level negotiations made it possible for him to leave China and begin a new life in the United States.
Chen Guangcheng is a unique figure on the world stage, but his story is even more remarkable than anyone knew. The son of a poor farmer in rural China, blinded by illness when he was an infant, Chen was fortunate to survive a difficult childhood. But despite his disability, he was determined to educate himself and fight for the rights of his country's poor, especially a legion of women who had endured forced sterilizations and abortions under the hated "one child" policy. Repeatedly harassed, beaten, and imprisoned by Chinese authorities, Chen was ultimately placed under house arrest. After nearly two years of increasing danger, he evaded his captors and fled to freedom.
Both a riveting memoir and a revealing portrait of modern China, The Barefoot Lawyer tells the story of a man who has never accepted limits and always believed in the power of the human spirit to overcome any obstacle.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published October 15, 2013
38 people are currently reading
1067 people want to read
About the author
Chen Guangcheng
4 books13 followersChen Guangcheng, known to many as "the barefoot lawyer," was born in the village of Dongshigu in 1971. Blind since infancy, illiterate until his late teens, he nonetheless taught himself law and became a fiery advocate for tens of thousands of Chinese who had no voice. His escape from brutal house arrest in China made headlines around the world, and he remains uncompromising in his commitment to democracy and human rights. He now lives with his wife and two children near Washington, DC.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews
July 20, 2016
Chen Guangcheng is a man full of drive, determination, fighting for the basic human rights of others, he is quite an inspiration, an unsung hero. Undeterred by the consequences of his government or politicians he takes on hard-hitting issues – rights for the disabled, polluted water, forced sterilization and abortions.
Chen Guangcheng provides the reader with his challenging background, despite his blindness he finds a way to compensate and make use of his other gifts with steely determination and grit to fight for justice. Suffering prison for four torturous years for his activism accompanied by beatings, unimaginable conditions and general cruelty he survives. His mettle tested once again as he endures years of house arrest where he makes a heroic escape ready to continue his battle for justice to all.
An enthralling read from the first page. One man’s story of a successful fight for justice no matter the trials and tribulations faced proving your voice can make a huge difference in improving issues along with your quality of life.
Chen Guangcheng provides the reader with his challenging background, despite his blindness he finds a way to compensate and make use of his other gifts with steely determination and grit to fight for justice. Suffering prison for four torturous years for his activism accompanied by beatings, unimaginable conditions and general cruelty he survives. His mettle tested once again as he endures years of house arrest where he makes a heroic escape ready to continue his battle for justice to all.
An enthralling read from the first page. One man’s story of a successful fight for justice no matter the trials and tribulations faced proving your voice can make a huge difference in improving issues along with your quality of life.
July 19, 2015
I started this book earlier this week thinking I'd read it off and on over the next couple of weeks when I had time as I usually do... but I couldn't do it. I basically tore through it in a weekend perhaps the to point of irresponsibly neglecting to do other things this weekend because it's such an engrossing read.
It kind of makes me feel like an asshole for not having the strength of character to go out and do good instead of frittering away my days chiefly worrying about my own little life. Nonetheless the book is a fascinating read. The escape stuff reads like a thriller, there's lots of amusing anecdotes to keep it from being one horror story after another. I found the part where he macguyvers a phone charger together out of trash to be especially fun.
It kind of makes me feel like an asshole for not having the strength of character to go out and do good instead of frittering away my days chiefly worrying about my own little life. Nonetheless the book is a fascinating read. The escape stuff reads like a thriller, there's lots of amusing anecdotes to keep it from being one horror story after another. I found the part where he macguyvers a phone charger together out of trash to be especially fun.
December 10, 2017
I am a fan of Chinese culture and history so I know all about the atrocities of the cultural revolution and the one child policy.
What really spooked me was that from this book, I learnt similar atrocities were still happening as late as 2006 - personally of importance to me as I stayed in China from 2006 to 2007, unaware to all these of course. All those slogans that I saw on the villages walls as I sped past on trains were not of a distant past but happening at this period.
The fact that I stood reading the first chapter in a bookshop says a lot about how amazing it is is for a blind person to escape rings and rings of security guards. If nothing, this first chapter is reason enough for you pick up the book as an action movie.
The rest of the chapters simply serve as a teacher to the abuses by the China Communist Party and the dogged persistence of Chen guang cheng to not bow down to any of his circumstances.
I wonder at how he pays his bills though, especially his early days before he get his funding and when both husband and wife are involved in lawsuits for the unrepresented.
Perhaps, the ending makes the entire tale more believable was that Chen Guang Cheng was critical of the U.S. Government that took him in. How the U.S. Government gave in to practical trade pressures, and forced chen Guang cheng to leave the U.S. Embassy.
Read the first chapter to be entertained by adrenaline, read the rest of the book to be inspired.
What really spooked me was that from this book, I learnt similar atrocities were still happening as late as 2006 - personally of importance to me as I stayed in China from 2006 to 2007, unaware to all these of course. All those slogans that I saw on the villages walls as I sped past on trains were not of a distant past but happening at this period.
The fact that I stood reading the first chapter in a bookshop says a lot about how amazing it is is for a blind person to escape rings and rings of security guards. If nothing, this first chapter is reason enough for you pick up the book as an action movie.
The rest of the chapters simply serve as a teacher to the abuses by the China Communist Party and the dogged persistence of Chen guang cheng to not bow down to any of his circumstances.
I wonder at how he pays his bills though, especially his early days before he get his funding and when both husband and wife are involved in lawsuits for the unrepresented.
Perhaps, the ending makes the entire tale more believable was that Chen Guang Cheng was critical of the U.S. Government that took him in. How the U.S. Government gave in to practical trade pressures, and forced chen Guang cheng to leave the U.S. Embassy.
Read the first chapter to be entertained by adrenaline, read the rest of the book to be inspired.
June 26, 2015
This was INCREDIBLE. Which was a complete surprise for me! I got this mostly out of a vague sense of moral obligation, and assumed that it would be really didactic and polemical. I also assumed it wouldn't be very well written, I think because I've read a bunch of mediocre ghostwritten memoirs by famous people or their relatives, & was stereotyping based on that. But I ended up reading this in, like, two breathless days with my mouth hanging open the entire time. The jacket describes it as "electrifying" and that's a really accurate word for it. The writing is really good, from just a straight-up storytelling perspective it's told incredibly well, and it's incredibly tense and suspenseful, like the best of any fictional spy or crime thriller.
It opens in the middle of Chen's escape from house arrest, shifts backwards to his childhood, and then moves forward linearly from there. It's PACKED with all sorts of amazing, vivid, sometimes very strange and gothic details. For example, not only was Chen under house arrest with all these thugs guarding his house, but when he escaped, he had to avoid attracting the attention of...his neighbor's mentally disabled son who the family kept locked behind a barred window, who would stand at the window yelling for his mother all day. What?! There's even a photo of the man in the book, looking out from behind bars into a dirt yard with a goat pen to the side. The descriptions of village politics are reminiscent of so many Chinese novels set in the countryside during the Cultural Revolution, only it's REAL, and still happening in the late 90s and well into the 2000s, so scenes where, like, a village party secretary curses out a blind man for 27 straight days through the village loudspeaker for refusing to pay illegal taxes, are almost even more unbelievable than when when you read those kind of things in fiction. It's a real reminder of how reality can be so much stranger than fiction.
There are also lots of wonderful visceral details that succinctly show China's development through the narrow lens of this one village. For example, Chen remembers when his village first got electricity, and how that changed village life; the first time a neighbor got a TV (Chen would get yelled at for joining the crowd of people watching TV because other villagers would complain he couldn't even see it anyway); the first time Chen took a bus; and the first time he tasted a banana, and couldn't help eating two at once. His father brought the remaining two bananas back to his mother who had never seen one before.
And finally, I thought I knew a lot about Chen Guangcheng, but I came away from this having discovered that he is a million times more of a badass than I realized. The book gave me a real sense of how full of fight he is, almost seemingly by nature, even when in reality he was ill or malnourished or injured. You really see how his sense of outrage and obstinateness in the face of situations where, like, 99% of people would have backed down was there from the very beginning in him, from childhood on up. The book draws a strong line of connection from him being a blind child who other kids would try to trip because they found it funny, with all the adults standing around not saying anything; to him going to a college for the blind and finding that they were supposed to just accept mistreatment because they were disabled (Chen quickly attracts the ire of the school for calling media attention to the beating of a classmate by a drunk teacher); to proactively going out and finding funding and resources to build a well in his village, where people were getting sick due to polluted water from a nearby factory; to defending disabled people in court; and finally to trying to defend victims of forced sterilization and getting put in prison for 4-5 years and then being brought straight from there to house arrest, and fighting back every step of the way. There are a lot of moments where he says things like, "I decided to go on a hunger strike" as if that's the most natural thing in the world to do, and so many moments where he shows his total willingness to be in harm's way. Sometimes these lead to wonderful moments of deadpan comedy, like this one passage that made me laugh:
"We didn't go out again to test whether Linyi's transportation system was supporting the Protection Law. For one thing, it was extremely uncomfortable to be yelled at in front of other passengers, even with the law on our side. For another..."
Which reminds me of the final thing I loved about this book - despite being such a grim story in so many ways, it's full of humor. Though sometimes, because the telling is so deadpan, it's hard to tell whether it's intentional. A few standouts:
- A total aside when Chen goes to a courthouse to force them to give administrative acknowledgment that they had received his complaint, where he says, "oddly, the lounge was decorated with handcuffs and police truncheons."
- A description of how the men assigned to abuse him would sometimes get bored and fall into conversation amongst themselves about their insurance policies and whether they should boycott Japanese products.
- Chen's daughter telling him that "Batman" had tried to visit him (Christian Bale)
- The several times when he points out in a bemused tone how all these dangerous people seemed to be so worked up about one simple blind man.
And also, I really loved this one total moment of badassery when the local authorities have beaten him and his wife while he's under house arrest (while the official news is that he's been freed from prison), and they take away all his electronics so he can't communicate with the outside world, and he STILL manages to record a video about his condition and put it online by MacGyvering an old AA battery charger that he finds in, like, a mulch pile or something, and using that with some scrap metal his mom finds, and some 20-year-old keyrings, to charge an old cell phone that he had hidden somewhere in the outhouse or yard or something.
Anyway this is way too long now so in conclusion: this was amazing and everyone should read it!
It opens in the middle of Chen's escape from house arrest, shifts backwards to his childhood, and then moves forward linearly from there. It's PACKED with all sorts of amazing, vivid, sometimes very strange and gothic details. For example, not only was Chen under house arrest with all these thugs guarding his house, but when he escaped, he had to avoid attracting the attention of...his neighbor's mentally disabled son who the family kept locked behind a barred window, who would stand at the window yelling for his mother all day. What?! There's even a photo of the man in the book, looking out from behind bars into a dirt yard with a goat pen to the side. The descriptions of village politics are reminiscent of so many Chinese novels set in the countryside during the Cultural Revolution, only it's REAL, and still happening in the late 90s and well into the 2000s, so scenes where, like, a village party secretary curses out a blind man for 27 straight days through the village loudspeaker for refusing to pay illegal taxes, are almost even more unbelievable than when when you read those kind of things in fiction. It's a real reminder of how reality can be so much stranger than fiction.
There are also lots of wonderful visceral details that succinctly show China's development through the narrow lens of this one village. For example, Chen remembers when his village first got electricity, and how that changed village life; the first time a neighbor got a TV (Chen would get yelled at for joining the crowd of people watching TV because other villagers would complain he couldn't even see it anyway); the first time Chen took a bus; and the first time he tasted a banana, and couldn't help eating two at once. His father brought the remaining two bananas back to his mother who had never seen one before.
And finally, I thought I knew a lot about Chen Guangcheng, but I came away from this having discovered that he is a million times more of a badass than I realized. The book gave me a real sense of how full of fight he is, almost seemingly by nature, even when in reality he was ill or malnourished or injured. You really see how his sense of outrage and obstinateness in the face of situations where, like, 99% of people would have backed down was there from the very beginning in him, from childhood on up. The book draws a strong line of connection from him being a blind child who other kids would try to trip because they found it funny, with all the adults standing around not saying anything; to him going to a college for the blind and finding that they were supposed to just accept mistreatment because they were disabled (Chen quickly attracts the ire of the school for calling media attention to the beating of a classmate by a drunk teacher); to proactively going out and finding funding and resources to build a well in his village, where people were getting sick due to polluted water from a nearby factory; to defending disabled people in court; and finally to trying to defend victims of forced sterilization and getting put in prison for 4-5 years and then being brought straight from there to house arrest, and fighting back every step of the way. There are a lot of moments where he says things like, "I decided to go on a hunger strike" as if that's the most natural thing in the world to do, and so many moments where he shows his total willingness to be in harm's way. Sometimes these lead to wonderful moments of deadpan comedy, like this one passage that made me laugh:
"We didn't go out again to test whether Linyi's transportation system was supporting the Protection Law. For one thing, it was extremely uncomfortable to be yelled at in front of other passengers, even with the law on our side. For another..."
Which reminds me of the final thing I loved about this book - despite being such a grim story in so many ways, it's full of humor. Though sometimes, because the telling is so deadpan, it's hard to tell whether it's intentional. A few standouts:
- A total aside when Chen goes to a courthouse to force them to give administrative acknowledgment that they had received his complaint, where he says, "oddly, the lounge was decorated with handcuffs and police truncheons."
- A description of how the men assigned to abuse him would sometimes get bored and fall into conversation amongst themselves about their insurance policies and whether they should boycott Japanese products.
- Chen's daughter telling him that "Batman" had tried to visit him (Christian Bale)
- The several times when he points out in a bemused tone how all these dangerous people seemed to be so worked up about one simple blind man.
And also, I really loved this one total moment of badassery when the local authorities have beaten him and his wife while he's under house arrest (while the official news is that he's been freed from prison), and they take away all his electronics so he can't communicate with the outside world, and he STILL manages to record a video about his condition and put it online by MacGyvering an old AA battery charger that he finds in, like, a mulch pile or something, and using that with some scrap metal his mom finds, and some 20-year-old keyrings, to charge an old cell phone that he had hidden somewhere in the outhouse or yard or something.
Anyway this is way too long now so in conclusion: this was amazing and everyone should read it!
October 9, 2015
The Barefoot Lawyer tells the story of Chen Guancheng, the Chinese human rights lawyer who made headlines in April 2012. I remember hearing about his story at the time but I didn't follow it closely. In his memoir, Chen tells the heart wrenching story of his childhood struggles with poverty and blindness. He worked hard to overcome the prejudice that Chinese society has against the disabled. He campaigned for better rights for the disabled with some success. But it was his campaign against forced abortions and sterilizations that made him a thorn in the side of the Communist Party. He was sent to prison for four years on false charges. Upon his release he was put under house arrest with his family. After years of torment and abuse he finally made the daring escape that eventually led him to the United States.
I was appalled but the way Chinese government treats its people. But even more upsetting was how he was treated at the American Embassy. It seemed like the officials didn't realize how dangerous it was for him anywhere in China. I was glad to hear that he was able to move to America and start a new life for himself and his family. I hope that he will be able to continue his work on human rights.
I recommend this book to anyone with an interest in China, human rights, or world affairs. It's not an easy book to read, I had to put it aside several times because the things he talks about are so upsetting. But people need to know what goes on in China.
I was appalled but the way Chinese government treats its people. But even more upsetting was how he was treated at the American Embassy. It seemed like the officials didn't realize how dangerous it was for him anywhere in China. I was glad to hear that he was able to move to America and start a new life for himself and his family. I hope that he will be able to continue his work on human rights.
I recommend this book to anyone with an interest in China, human rights, or world affairs. It's not an easy book to read, I had to put it aside several times because the things he talks about are so upsetting. But people need to know what goes on in China.
January 19, 2021
The Barefoot Lawyer is the compelling story of a blind, self-taught lawyer to free his beloved China from the corruption of prolonged one-party rule.
Chen grew up blind from early childhood within a loving family in a rural Chinese village. People like Chen’s father had supported the communist movement in its early days, believing it would bring a more people-centered government. As Chen began to see, throughout the period of his education in schools for the blind, party officials were becoming increasingly corrupt and dictatorial.
His campaign for a responsible government began as he fought to obtain rights for the disabled that had been promised in government law. He was thwarted at every turn, suffering imprisonment, beatings, and finally restriction to his small home with his wife and family. He witnessed persecution of family and friends. Yet he continued, his desire for democracy for his country growing into a widening struggle for all rights, including those for the disabled that had begun his journey.
Ultimately, the authoritarian brick wall against which he struggled led him to seek asylum in the U.S. embassy in Beijing. Chen’s great wish was to stay safely in his own country and fight for democracy. Unfortunately, big power relationships could not bring this to pass. Chen and his wife and children live today in the U.S. This book is one effort in Chen’s campaign to continue the fight.
Chen grew up blind from early childhood within a loving family in a rural Chinese village. People like Chen’s father had supported the communist movement in its early days, believing it would bring a more people-centered government. As Chen began to see, throughout the period of his education in schools for the blind, party officials were becoming increasingly corrupt and dictatorial.
His campaign for a responsible government began as he fought to obtain rights for the disabled that had been promised in government law. He was thwarted at every turn, suffering imprisonment, beatings, and finally restriction to his small home with his wife and family. He witnessed persecution of family and friends. Yet he continued, his desire for democracy for his country growing into a widening struggle for all rights, including those for the disabled that had begun his journey.
Ultimately, the authoritarian brick wall against which he struggled led him to seek asylum in the U.S. embassy in Beijing. Chen’s great wish was to stay safely in his own country and fight for democracy. Unfortunately, big power relationships could not bring this to pass. Chen and his wife and children live today in the U.S. This book is one effort in Chen’s campaign to continue the fight.
October 5, 2015
Remember the blind political activist who escaped from China a few years ago? If you casually heard the story on the news at the time, you probably thought Hillary Clinton and the State Dept heroically rescued him. But according to Chen Guancheng's own words, his real journey was much more complicated and even more odds-defying. That a blind boy from poor, rural Shangdong overcame his condition and circumstances to get a college degree is remarkable. That he challenged the corrupt Chinese legal and political system, repeatedly and successfully, and survived years of prison and house arrest is astonishing. And that he escaped his village and his country, while still blind, hunted by soldiers, and without an organized support network other than a few people with which to exchange text message, is nothing short of miraculous. Forget Matt Murdock. Chen Guancheng is the true Daredevil.
January 1, 2017
"ทนายตีนเปล่า" ในที่นี้ไม่ได้หมายถึงทนายความที่เรียนจบกฎหมายและมีใบอนุญาตว่าความ แต่หมายถึงคนธรรมดาที่สนใจศึกษากฎหมายด้วยตัวเอง ไม่สามารถประกอบอาชีพเป็นทนายความได้ เฉินเป็นหนึ่งในคนเหล่านั้น เขาตาบอดเมื่ออายุน้อย ได้เรียนหนังสือ(อักษรเบลล์)เมื่อย่างเข้าวัยรุ่นแล้ว ก่อนหน้านั้นเขาศึกษาด้วยตัวเองด้วยประสาทสัมผัสอื่นและจากการไหว้วานให้คนที่สามารถอ่านหนังสือได้อ่านให้เขาฟังในเรื่องที่สนใจ เขาเริ่มจากการต่อสู้เพื่อสิทธิของผู้พิการไปสู่การต่อสู้เพื่อสิทธิมนุษยชน และมันทำให้เขากลายเป็นปฏิปักษ์กับฝ่ายรัฐ (ในที่นี้ไม่ได้หมายความถึงพรรคคอมมิวนิสต์จีน อาจใช้/แต่ไม่สามารถบอกได้) ถูกจับกุมอย่างผิดกฎหมาย ถูกตัดสินจำคุกและถูกกักบริเวณต่อเนื่องหลังพ้นโทษ ในเล่มนี้กล่าวถึงประวัติชีวิตและการต่อสู้ของเขา เนื้อหาเรียบเรียงได้น่าสนใจ มีข้อมูลหลายเรื่องที่ไม่เคยรู้มาก่อนว่าเคยเกิดขึ้น(และยังคงเกิดขึ้นต่อไป)ในประเทศจีน
February 11, 2024
One man’s true story of his fight for justice against a political system which wields absolute power, without being subject to its own laws or constitution. This [brilliant, kind, and blind] man and his family was subject to prison, beatings, harassment, house arrest, a complete stripping of all personal property, and his rights to speech and movement were completely restricted as a punishment. Punishment for what? Trying to defend the disabled in receiving their basic rights and lawful accommodations. But like many other “puppet” laws and policies, they are for show and are not enforced by any officials. Instead officials at every level are subject to party control. There is no way to win.
Chen Guangcheng’s daring escape finally led to freedom in the US where he continues to spread awareness about realities in China and call for the democratic world to do everything they can to influence pressure Chinese leaders to do as they should. He has seen it in his own life that this outside pressure from other countries makes a big difference. When President Bush considered not attending the Olympics in Beijing, for example, common prisoners for a short time, received adequate food and water. But when the US decided to attend things when back to the way they were. Opinions in the US matter greatly!
The book is written in first person perspective, and includes great detail about every encounter, conversation, and major event in Chen‘s life. It does not read like an action novel, a political thriller, or a court drama, because it is the true story of one man’s relentless battle against injustice in China. And it’s real.
Chen Guangcheng’s daring escape finally led to freedom in the US where he continues to spread awareness about realities in China and call for the democratic world to do everything they can to influence pressure Chinese leaders to do as they should. He has seen it in his own life that this outside pressure from other countries makes a big difference. When President Bush considered not attending the Olympics in Beijing, for example, common prisoners for a short time, received adequate food and water. But when the US decided to attend things when back to the way they were. Opinions in the US matter greatly!
The book is written in first person perspective, and includes great detail about every encounter, conversation, and major event in Chen‘s life. It does not read like an action novel, a political thriller, or a court drama, because it is the true story of one man’s relentless battle against injustice in China. And it’s real.
December 9, 2020
Difficult to believe this has happened. Horrendous to think it isn't even history, but current time.
May 27, 2019
This is such an interesting read, albeit horrific! Chen is a truly amazing human being who deserves to have his story heard. Highly recommended.
November 26, 2024
The author's tenacity is undeniably inspiring, and his passion shines through. However, the story didn’t fully resonate with me. While he zeroes in on faults with a single issue, I find it a lil oversimplified given the broader challenges governing a country as big as China. Came across also quite pro West
April 18, 2015
The unbelievable story of Chen Guangcheng, the blind legal activist whose flight from house arrest to the US Embassy in 2012 briefly captured the world's attention.
This guy's story is simply incredible. Blind from childhood in a rural society that largely writes off the disabled; self-taught until 18; ceaseless advocate for human welfare despite the devastating mental and physical toll on himself and his family.
He started as an advocate for the rights of the disabled before turning his attention to the abuses of the one child policy (forced abortions, etc). Throughout his life, he has maintained a ceaseless devotion to focusing on the rule of law in a country where the party is not beholden to its own laws. Imprisoned for years, subject to brutal house arrest after - the story of his one-man escape from his village (alone, blind, crawling with a broken foot, past a heavy guard presence) is in itself an incredible story. Truly inspirational.
Two things stick with me:
1) Behind the facade of its incredible growth and it's unarguable recent economic success , it's important to remember that China is a brutal dictatorship. The routine corruption and abuse that Mr. Chen documents is stunning, and continues to this day with recent crackdowns on activists under the Xi Jinping presidency. Let us not be fooled: the veneer of government civility is very thin in China, to this day, especially in rural areas.
2) The attention of the free people of the world, however fleeting, has real impact. Several times in the Chen saga, outside attention on his plight made a difference even deep inside China. Even at the end, the US was ready to compromise its principles and turn Chen back over to the Chinese government (indeed had done so), but grassroots pressure kept the political attention very high, and in the end Chen and his family were allowed out.
Overall, an outstanding read and an awe-inspiring story. The human spirit runs incredibly strong in some people. Mr. Chen continues to be a tireless advocate for freedoms in China, and after reading his story, one concludes that the leaders in China must truly quiver at this prospect.
This guy's story is simply incredible. Blind from childhood in a rural society that largely writes off the disabled; self-taught until 18; ceaseless advocate for human welfare despite the devastating mental and physical toll on himself and his family.
He started as an advocate for the rights of the disabled before turning his attention to the abuses of the one child policy (forced abortions, etc). Throughout his life, he has maintained a ceaseless devotion to focusing on the rule of law in a country where the party is not beholden to its own laws. Imprisoned for years, subject to brutal house arrest after - the story of his one-man escape from his village (alone, blind, crawling with a broken foot, past a heavy guard presence) is in itself an incredible story. Truly inspirational.
Two things stick with me:
1) Behind the facade of its incredible growth and it's unarguable recent economic success , it's important to remember that China is a brutal dictatorship. The routine corruption and abuse that Mr. Chen documents is stunning, and continues to this day with recent crackdowns on activists under the Xi Jinping presidency. Let us not be fooled: the veneer of government civility is very thin in China, to this day, especially in rural areas.
2) The attention of the free people of the world, however fleeting, has real impact. Several times in the Chen saga, outside attention on his plight made a difference even deep inside China. Even at the end, the US was ready to compromise its principles and turn Chen back over to the Chinese government (indeed had done so), but grassroots pressure kept the political attention very high, and in the end Chen and his family were allowed out.
Overall, an outstanding read and an awe-inspiring story. The human spirit runs incredibly strong in some people. Mr. Chen continues to be a tireless advocate for freedoms in China, and after reading his story, one concludes that the leaders in China must truly quiver at this prospect.
November 10, 2015
This is Outstanding.
Few books keep my monkeybrain glued. This one most certainly did. Guangcheng's sensitivity translates into his writing style and how he discovered and perceives the world. Quite a clash, when his life of pursuing the rule of law, respect and empathy clashes with a reality of modern China.
This book is beautiful, brutal yet invigorating and should be read by anyone with an interest in adding an important aspect to the understanding of modern China.
America: small government, big society impression. Cash-poor. Caijing, the pusher. Communism aka unrealistic, empty propaganda. Context, the fertilizer or killer. Economy rights, the utilitarian beast. Face, to melt foreigners. Feel to be real. #Going into the light. Guakao danwei for NGO.. Insist on dignity in prison, Mandela style. Media, the lifeline. Metastazising Cultural Revolution. Monopolistic, collectivist landlord. Ms Wilson and personal autonomy. Natural understanding via experiences. Neighbour instrumentalized against Neighbour. Netizen vocabulary. Party of hooligans. Petty petition system. PR laws. Propaganda and education. Radio Free Asia. Resist and persist. Shandong. Shotgun Mr Gadget. Smoke screen of economic triumph. Stone colliding with egg. US wavers but holds. Two Whatever policies after 1976. Village slogans. Weiquan, we can. Wei renmin, fuxx you.
Few books keep my monkeybrain glued. This one most certainly did. Guangcheng's sensitivity translates into his writing style and how he discovered and perceives the world. Quite a clash, when his life of pursuing the rule of law, respect and empathy clashes with a reality of modern China.
This book is beautiful, brutal yet invigorating and should be read by anyone with an interest in adding an important aspect to the understanding of modern China.
America: small government, big society impression. Cash-poor. Caijing, the pusher. Communism aka unrealistic, empty propaganda. Context, the fertilizer or killer. Economy rights, the utilitarian beast. Face, to melt foreigners. Feel to be real. #Going into the light. Guakao danwei for NGO.. Insist on dignity in prison, Mandela style. Media, the lifeline. Metastazising Cultural Revolution. Monopolistic, collectivist landlord. Ms Wilson and personal autonomy. Natural understanding via experiences. Neighbour instrumentalized against Neighbour. Netizen vocabulary. Party of hooligans. Petty petition system. PR laws. Propaganda and education. Radio Free Asia. Resist and persist. Shandong. Shotgun Mr Gadget. Smoke screen of economic triumph. Stone colliding with egg. US wavers but holds. Two Whatever policies after 1976. Village slogans. Weiquan, we can. Wei renmin, fuxx you.
January 28, 2020
Chen's story is amazing. I was riveted throughout the entire book, and grateful for his first hand account of the injustice he (and countless others) experience(d) in China.
My kids saw the book and asked about the guy wearing sunglasses. I described him to them as a man like Martin Luther King, Jr. And I think that is kind of fitting. Chen championed for the rights of the disabled and those who were subjugated. He did so even at the expense of his well-being.
It's one thing to "know" there are injustices transpiring in the world, but it's another to hear the first hand stories of brutality and injustice. I am grateful to Chen for telling his story so that more can be enlightened as to how people are still being oppressed for speaking out on behalf of those who have no voice.
I would consider this book a must-read. My review feels like it falls short, and doesn't do the author justice...but I will wrap things up by saying Chen's story is compelling, and leaves me feeling like "we" need to do more...but also wondering what can we can do from a continent away. Maybe the first step is just opening the dialogue.
My kids saw the book and asked about the guy wearing sunglasses. I described him to them as a man like Martin Luther King, Jr. And I think that is kind of fitting. Chen championed for the rights of the disabled and those who were subjugated. He did so even at the expense of his well-being.
It's one thing to "know" there are injustices transpiring in the world, but it's another to hear the first hand stories of brutality and injustice. I am grateful to Chen for telling his story so that more can be enlightened as to how people are still being oppressed for speaking out on behalf of those who have no voice.
I would consider this book a must-read. My review feels like it falls short, and doesn't do the author justice...but I will wrap things up by saying Chen's story is compelling, and leaves me feeling like "we" need to do more...but also wondering what can we can do from a continent away. Maybe the first step is just opening the dialogue.
October 17, 2019
This was an excellent book. This activist/amateur lawyer really starts life out with obstacles since he is blind in China. However, when he decides to pursue an education, the real barriers in China start to appear, and he slowly begins to fight for his rights and the rights of others. He learns that China's laws look good on paper, but that the Communist Party controls all aspects of life in China, and that he has to use the media and the internet to shame people and the party into granting concessions. He eventually begins to fight the one-child policy and other rights abuses, all before he gets into trouble and then thrown in prison. Eventually he is "released" but ends up in a house arrest in his home. He manages to escape to the United States, but it's a nail-biting attempt as he bravely leaves his home while it is under close watch.
July 8, 2019
I picked this up because I'm thinking of becoming a lawyer and am also at high-ish risk for various conditions that can lead to blindness; I wanted to be encouraged by reading about a blind lawyer (not realizing that he's not technically a lawyer). But my takeaways from this book have very little to do with Chen's blindness: I'm struck more by his audacity and tenacity in demanding that the Chinese government behave itself. Of course, there is only so much one man can do, and this man- more to the point, he and a community of brave, like-minded activists- has not yet managed to make China into a democratic and just country (or even a semblance of one, like the US). But if everyone shared his idealism and persistence we'd live in a much better world. Inspiring stuff.
October 12, 2016
Absolutely, without a doubt, one of the most important books on China to come out in a decade. I'm a Sinophile, and I love reading about China. I have actually visited there many times as well, so when I read a good book on China, I want everyone to know about it. Chen is to be considered a hero by the Chinese people, but not the communist government of China. This book really helps you understand how China works, and that the Party is all-powerful, all-knowing, and ruthless in its crackdown of it's own citizens to keep itself in power. It reads like a novel, but it is startling truth!
October 12, 2015
I found Chen Guangcheng's story a few year back absolutely riveting. When I saw he had a memoir out, I thought it would be interesting to skim this book about his story, but I can't skim it--it is so well done. I am reading it slowly and savoring a fascinating look at China in the late 20th and early 21st century. In some ways it reminds me of Red Scarf Girl, but happening in almost real time. Fascinating. I'm especially drawn to his perseverance.
December 20, 2015
Anyone who has any misconceptions that the communist government of China is a warm and fuzzy appealing leadership will learn the truth from this book. The "constitutional" government is only a sham for the brutal totalitarian party dictatorship that has no boundaries in their mistreatment of its citizens; the goal always to make sure they stay in power. The people of China are victimized to no end and have always been under successions of communist leaders.
May 13, 2015
Thoroughly enjoyed this book! Exposes the brutality of the Chinese government towards their people as seen through this man's experience and that of his family's. Also gives more detail about the brutal way the one child policy is enforced. It's an amazing exploration of how he dealt with his blindness and empowered himself and others with his strength and determination. Don't miss this one.
August 29, 2016
I really loved this biography! He overcame so much adversity and is still struggling today because of the Chinese government. He has a unique story that can not be ignored or forgotten.
I hope he enjoys his time in the United States now, but I'm sure it's nothing like China. I'm also curious about little details, like I wish I know what Hillary Clinton said to him in the car.
I hope he enjoys his time in the United States now, but I'm sure it's nothing like China. I'm also curious about little details, like I wish I know what Hillary Clinton said to him in the car.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 23, 2023
Geez I can’t believe how rough things in China were/still are (idk how much things have changed since Chen Guangcheng escaped). It was cool seeing my friend (Kesi) being mentioned in the story and seeing her impact. This book is super inspiring and I’m amazed by the bravery of everyone in it!!! And the fact that it’s 100% real!!! Wowza
January 3, 2026
PROs
The whole book is written and organised well. I was a little confused about the sequencing at the start, but quickly came to appreciate the way it starts with a small teaser, but otherwise traces his life story chronologically. That is, it starts off with the beginning of his escape, then jumps back to his early childhood and stays chronological from that point onwards.
For someone who lived in China for well over a decade, and frequently visited rural areas, the descriptions seemed spot on. From the buildings and furnishings to the farmland, from the (positive and negative) ways people treat each other to the foods (especially jianbing!), and from the access to transport to the major events of the times, it painted such a clear picture.
And, the book essentially tells of two important human struggles for rights, dignity, and respect: one regarding disabilities, the other regarding the one-child policy. It offers a better understanding of what people went through, and the risks of giving some people too much power over others, while also highlighting the important role the author himself and many family members, friends, lawyers, journalists, and some politicians played in trying to improve the conditions. All in all, a powerful and important story.
CONs
As a personal memoir, it is just the author’s perspective. There are aspects that seem biased, details left out or exaggerated, unreasonable demands, and unfair assumptions about other people’s motives. When these are taken together, it hints at an emotional bitterness that may distract from the principles. More-so, the likelihood of such a bitterness is suggested by a post-publication endorsement that goes against everything the author seems to stand for.
Consider these extracts from his closing lines:
“…nothing short of your democracies and way of life are at stake…”
“Beyond the luxury hotels and showcase projects… sits a barbaric dictatorship masquerading as a government.”
“Intoxicated by its own brawn, the [ruling party] brazenly violates the constitution and the law daily, throwing up a smokescreen of economic triumph… gagging domestic opposition in the process.”
“No matter what the crime, the [ruling party] and its representatives cannot be held liable in lawsuits of any kind.”
After that, he made a public endorsement of Trump’s second term, out of what appears to be spite towards Democrats for not helping him to the full extent that he expected.
OVERALL
A very well-written and engaging book, with an important message, valuable cultural insights, and humanisation of people suffering unjustly.
The whole book is written and organised well. I was a little confused about the sequencing at the start, but quickly came to appreciate the way it starts with a small teaser, but otherwise traces his life story chronologically. That is, it starts off with the beginning of his escape, then jumps back to his early childhood and stays chronological from that point onwards.
For someone who lived in China for well over a decade, and frequently visited rural areas, the descriptions seemed spot on. From the buildings and furnishings to the farmland, from the (positive and negative) ways people treat each other to the foods (especially jianbing!), and from the access to transport to the major events of the times, it painted such a clear picture.
And, the book essentially tells of two important human struggles for rights, dignity, and respect: one regarding disabilities, the other regarding the one-child policy. It offers a better understanding of what people went through, and the risks of giving some people too much power over others, while also highlighting the important role the author himself and many family members, friends, lawyers, journalists, and some politicians played in trying to improve the conditions. All in all, a powerful and important story.
CONs
As a personal memoir, it is just the author’s perspective. There are aspects that seem biased, details left out or exaggerated, unreasonable demands, and unfair assumptions about other people’s motives. When these are taken together, it hints at an emotional bitterness that may distract from the principles. More-so, the likelihood of such a bitterness is suggested by a post-publication endorsement that goes against everything the author seems to stand for.
Consider these extracts from his closing lines:
“…nothing short of your democracies and way of life are at stake…”
“Beyond the luxury hotels and showcase projects… sits a barbaric dictatorship masquerading as a government.”
“Intoxicated by its own brawn, the [ruling party] brazenly violates the constitution and the law daily, throwing up a smokescreen of economic triumph… gagging domestic opposition in the process.”
“No matter what the crime, the [ruling party] and its representatives cannot be held liable in lawsuits of any kind.”
After that, he made a public endorsement of Trump’s second term, out of what appears to be spite towards Democrats for not helping him to the full extent that he expected.
OVERALL
A very well-written and engaging book, with an important message, valuable cultural insights, and humanisation of people suffering unjustly.
December 29, 2020
An illness in infancy with lack of proper medical care left Chen Gaungcheng blind. He didn’t let that stop him from exploring the world around him. As a young adult, he learned about laws for the rights of those with disabilities. When he attempted to claim those rights, he was harassed. Taking legal action, he fought it and actually won but soon found that little changed. Because of the victory, others began approaching him for aid in their rights and Chen took an interest in their causes and did what he could. It was when he began advocating for citizens against the One Child policy that the abuse became more extreme. He spent 4 years in prison on fabricated charges followed by over a year of house arrest which became more and more extreme as time went on. Ultimately he was able to get away and seek shelter at the U.S. Embassy.
The term Barefoot Lawyer is defined on page 121 "to refer to those who had gained some knowledge of the law and served themselves and others in a legal capacity." Unfortunately, it is a position which is not supported by the government and is actively persecuted. So this is the account of a man who knew that what he was doing was against the Communist government and yet he continued to speak out for his rights, the rights of his family and the rights of the citizens. At times I found myself frustrated by his anger. It seemed as if he was surprised at the reaction that his actions were generating and yet he had to know. Perhaps it is the difference between the mindsets of the Western world vs the Eastern world that is why I found this difficult.
The term Barefoot Lawyer is defined on page 121 "to refer to those who had gained some knowledge of the law and served themselves and others in a legal capacity." Unfortunately, it is a position which is not supported by the government and is actively persecuted. So this is the account of a man who knew that what he was doing was against the Communist government and yet he continued to speak out for his rights, the rights of his family and the rights of the citizens. At times I found myself frustrated by his anger. It seemed as if he was surprised at the reaction that his actions were generating and yet he had to know. Perhaps it is the difference between the mindsets of the Western world vs the Eastern world that is why I found this difficult.
November 14, 2017
I lived in China for 10 months and have read many similar books about how the people of China were treated so I thought this would be more of the same—the difference is that the story does not take place during the Cultural Revolution or the Great Leap Forward—this takes place during the 21st century! The story begins a little awkwardly with the narrating and time switching back and forth but once into the story it is fairly well-written. I would say this is an important story for everyone to read in order to be informed of what is going on in other parts of the world (China) and how we can be involved in encouraging a change in human rights.
May 21, 2024
An absolutely harrowing account of a man who was blinded by an illness when an infant. He went on to challenge the communist party officials who ignore the laws set up to protect the working class and impoverished getting himself into all sorts of trouble as a result. He was beaten, imprisoned and then put under house arrest, which is where the book opens. Eventually he and his family do make it to the USA. However the book is really all about him, whereas his seldom mentioned wife and relatives were often beaten and tortured in an attempt to stop his activities. 3.5/5
September 5, 2020
Wow, just wow. What a phenomenal book! Truly amazing what one man must go to in order to fight for basic human rights for the sake of the greater community. At times it's unbelievable that this is a true story, and the atrocities that one must suffer when fighting for justice. At times this book really reads like a thriller and some parts such as his escape is just insane given that Chen is blind. Reads really well and gives you great insight into oppressive regime. Highly recommend this book.
February 7, 2019
Chinese dissident Chen Guancheng's determination to change his life's course despite his physical disability, grinding poverty, and the cultural stigma against differently-abled persons is inspiring in itself but what makes his personal story shine is his capacity to extend himself to commit to social causes even while grappling with his own extreme challenges.
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