I arrived in New York yesterday morning. My adventures in Beijing have come to an end, but people have convinced me that this blog should continue. I’m overwhelmed by the interest many have shown in hearing my thoughts about the upcoming Olympics. So I’m honored and happy to keep at it.
Above: Ai Wei Wei flips Mao the bird at Tiananmen Square.
And there’s no shortage of information to share and talk about. The most amazing development since my last post is that Ai Wei Wei, one of China’s most celebrated artists and the designer of the Bird’s Nest, has come out against Beijing’s Olympics. In this unbelievably damning report from Al Jazeera posted on YouTube, Ai Wei Wei says that the Olympics don’t represent the true face of China and he wants nothing more to do with them anymore.
I guess it’s not suprising that Ai Wei Wei has spoken out. Not only is he a brilliant independent artist, but he grew up watching his father - the famous modern Chinese poet, Ai Qin - and family suffering in a labor camp in East Turkestan (Xinjiang) after his father was exiled there during the Anti-Rightist Movement under Mao.
In “Olympic artist attacks China’s pomp and propaganda” by Jonathan Watts of The Guardian, Ai also attacks Steven Spielberg and the other directors involved in the opening and closing ceremonies:
“All the shitty directors in the world are involved. It’s disgusting,” said Ai. “I don’t like anyone who shamelessly abuses their profession, who makes no moral judgment. It is mindless.”
I admire Ai for his courage and not just for speaking out but for being so direct and harsh in his criticism. I wonder what the authorities will do to him now? Will they leave him be because of the Olympics spotlight? Or will they just wait until the Games are over and then go after him? Apparently, Ai doesn’t care:
Ai dismissed concerns about repercussions from expressing his views, adding: “It is not opposition to the state, but rather in fighting for individualism and freedom of expression, freedom of human rights and justice … If you read newspapers today you see the problems created by this structure and by the effort to maintain power. It is against everything that human society should be fighting for.”
Finally, someone taking a stand on the right side of history. Go Ai!
Here’s another article I found regarding Ai Wei Wei on the cnn website.
http://edition.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/08/13/china.olympics.reut/?iref=mpstoryview
I admire Ai Wei Wei for his tremendous courage and truthfulness.. Go ahead Ai and our prayers and besties are always with you…………….AND U TOO LHADON LA!!!
Thank you to the people who convinced you to keep this blog going!
Related, Wired magazine has a great article on Beijing’s preparations for the Olympics, worth a read:
http://www.wired.com/science/planetearth/magazine/15-08/ff_pollution
[...] for a start, Lhadon writes about how the Chinese co-designer of the Birds Nest stadium has come out against the Beijing Olympics! Ai Wei Wei, one of China’s most celebrated artists and the designer of the Bird’s Nest, has [...]
You are the rising star of new generation of Tibetan leaders who will soon be the torch bearer of Tibet Freedom struggle. We applaud you for your courage, inspiration and you knowledge of Sino-Tibetan political reality, and the Chinese policy of gencide to erdicate distinct Tibetan identity. We also thank and congratulate your parents for making who you’r now. We wish you the best and help Tibetans to the next phase of their Freedom Movement.
I was there at Harvard University to represent my college SSFC when SFT was first launched more than a decade ago, in the presence of HHDL. To all the former and current members of SFT, I salute you and thank you on behalf of 6 million Tibetans inside Tibet for helping to keep their hopes alive.
Bod Rangzen ! Next year in Lhasa ..
Hey, I’m glad you’ll keep the blog going. I have a question though…you went all the way to Beijing…you were so close! Why didn’t you go to Tibet? I don’t understand why you haven’t been there (I’m not trying to be rude, it is a genuine curiosity). I was there while you were in China, and I found out about you through the grapevine while there (you know how we can’t read anything on the Internet in Tibet or China), and I was happy to hear of the protests. I’m happy to be able to read what I want now. Do you want me to email you a picture or two of your homeland? It’s changed my life and the course of my future studies, I’m happy to say. Keep up your hard work!!!
To Anna –
Just to answer your question about why Lhadon didn’t go to Tibet… I can’t speak for her, but as a Tibetan with a Western passport, I find it quite onerous to go to Tibet.
A special permit is needed in addition to the Chinese visa. And Tibetans must go through a special office at their local Chinese embassy or consulate, for additional background checks. Upon arrival in Tibet, they have to register with the “Overseas Tibetan Office,” which is supposed to keep an eye on their movements. And generally if they are visiting relatives, the relatives have to sign an undertaking, saying they take responsibility for the guest’s actions.
Lhadon being Lhadon, I imagine it’s even harder. Tibetans can’t even go to their own homeland without jumping through the Chinese government’s hoops.
the blog updated on regular basis. so kill the forgetry and visit it over and over:
http://boycottbeijingolympics.blogspot.com
[...] Link to full text of her post. [...]
[...] Link to full text of her post. [...]
[...] On August 10 blogger “Tiger Temple” set out from the Beijing Olympics‘ “bird’s nest” on his bike and began his “grassroots reporting trip” which will take him [...]
Thanks Ketsun! I do appreciate it…it’s a real shame Tibetans are given such a hard time to go back to their homeland. I can’t even imagine it. I found the Chinese rules annoying enough for us Westerners; it makes me more angry that they are so harsh with you.
I admire your courage and I fully support your action, therefore I deal with your action on my blog, even if I am rather far from your country, here in Luxembourg.
But Europe like all Occidentk now very well the problem of Tibet and your activities, and I am sure than none of us do appreciate the invasion of Tibet by China. But as long as the communist Party is in place, I am afraid there is not a chance that Tibet becomes a free nation and that DalaI Lama return in his country.
Well thats the good news how much longer will the communist regime be in power?
Read this link
http://ninecommentaries.com/ 25 million people have already quit the CCP in their hearts..
read their stories at
http://www.theepochtimes.com/211,95,,1.html
the time is close…
[...] writing a post about this entry https://beijingwideopen.org/2007/08/14/birds-nest-designer-comes-out-against-the-games/ Stay [...]
i don’t think this has been much circulated. perhaps to protect the architect? l would not want him hurt, but this should be all over the net. i just stumbled upon it, march 2008…
[...] since he came out against the Bird’s Nest stadium that he designed, Ai Weiwei has been increasingly seen as a unique voice, unafraid to speak his [...]