Outspoken Critic’s Silence at Book Launch Echoes Across China · Global Voices
Abby Liu

Outspoken social critic and blogger Li Chengpeng recently released a new book: the Whole World Knows [zh]. Also known as an eloquent public speaker, Li delivered a bold speech on freedom of speech at China’s elite Beijing University last November. While the audience expected another speech at Li’s book signing event in his hometown of Chengdu in China’s Sichuan province on Jan 12 2013, what they saw was a silent Li with a mask on his face. His speech was censored.
Just the night before the event, Li tweeted [zh] to his 6.6million followers on Weibo:
A silent book signing event. Image posted by a Weibo user.
深夜有人匆忙传达上峰死命令：12日成都签售，不准读者向我提问、不准我说话，不准我致开场白，连“新年好，谢谢你们”也不准说，不准介绍流沙河、冉云飞及所有嘉宾名字，不准向他们提问，也不准他们说话，连“新年好”也不准说。他们只能坐在角落…我深觉这这违背了我对尊严的理解。他们疯了。
Someone just delivered a strict order: at my book signing event, I’m not allowed to talk; the readers are not allowed to ask me any questions; I can’t even introduce myself or say “ Happy New Year, Thank you”. I’m not even allowed to introduce the names of other guests at my event; they are not allowed to talk or answer any questions. They can only sit in the corner. I deeply feel it’s against my understanding of dignity. They are crazy.
People who attended the event on Jan 12 tweeted on Sina Weibo:
方塘方糖：来了好多读者也来了好多警察。嘉宾和作者都没给发言的机会。大眼红着眼睛戴上黑色口罩向读者展示了写在T恤上的四个大字“我爱你们”……大眼，不哭！大眼，加油！
方塘方糖[zh]：Many readers have come; many policemen have come as well. The guests and the author didn’t have a chance to speak. Li wore a black mask and had tears in his eyes. His T-shirt said: “I love you all.” Li, please don’t cry. Keep going!
王金明小伙: 这是我经历过的最压抑的签售会，会场人很多但是却几乎没有什么声音，国保在各个角落蹲守，大眼带着口罩还签错了一个日期，于建嵘等嘉宾只在台上晃了一下就被请下台躲在旁边的水吧里，大眼开始还流泪了。
王金明小伙[zh]: It’s the most depressing signing event I’ve ever experienced. There were many people on the spot but no sound. The policemen were guarding each corner. Li wore a mask and signed his book with the wrong date. His guests only appeared very shortly before being asked to step down. There were tears on Li’s face.
西藏王洪: 排队购书的，80后90后为主。被洗脑式教育10几年，可能一本书就治好了。
西藏王洪[zh]: Those who bought the book were mostly born in the 80’s or 90’s. After over 10 years’ of brainwashing, perhaps the book can cure them.
While most Weibo users think it’s ridiculous to control a small signing event, they believe the silent signing itself shows how nervous the government is.
我叫饭某某：不允许李承鹏说话，是害怕有越来越多的人醒过来。可是这般风声鹤唳草木皆兵是不是也太二了点？不过一场签售会。
我叫饭某某[zh]: They don’t allow Li Chengpeng to speak, because they are afraid more people will be awakened. However, their nervousness has showed their stupidity. It’s just a book signing event after all.
酝七：被禁言的签售会，讽刺。拖时间，禁言，撤音响……所幸，思想可以发言。全世界人民都知道。
酝七[zh]：A silent signing, how ironic. They delayed the time, forbade speaking, got rid of the speaker….however, thoughts can speak. The whole world knows.
One netizen commented [zh] sarcastically on twitter:
突然发现最有艺术炒作能力的还是中共。李承鹏本来很一般的售书活动，被中共一加工，就成了全世界都知道的行为艺术了。
I suddenly discovered that the Communist Party has made creating a buzz into an art. Li Chengpeng’s book signing was just a small ordinary event, but after the Communist Party's handling of it, it became a work of performance art that has spread throughout the world.