Losing Freedom for the sake of Freedom——Dr. Xu Zhiyong’s Self-defense on Charge of Subversion

[Teng Biao’s note: Two of my close friends, Xu Zhiyong and Ding Jiaxi, well-known Chinese human rights lawyers, were sentenced to 14 and 12 years respectively by the authorities for the crime of “subversion of state power”. This is Xu Zhiyong's self-defense written in 2022 that I just obtained. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Sun Zhigang incident, and it is also recognized as the 20th anniversary of the rise of the Chinese rights defense movement. In this self-defense, we can see Xu Zhiyong's arduous exploration and deep thinking about China's political future. 】

1. Civic Movement

You accused me of subverting state power, the so-called criminal facts: advocating citizen movements, writing "A Beautiful China", exchanging non-violent ideas, and gathering citizens offline. I have no intention of defending myself, because it is not your judgment but Haotian's will that determines when we will be free and when China will be free. However, the dawn is approaching, and for the better future of China, it is necessary to explain the civil movement again.

The citizen movement is an action that advocates citizens to be real citizens, take their identity, rights, and responsibilities seriously, rationally promote the progress of the country and society, and ultimately realize a beautiful China of democracy, rule of law, freedom, justice, and love. Take the identity of citizens seriously. We are citizens, not subjects who bow their knees in front of power, or silent ants in the cycle of dynasties. Citizens are the masters of the country, and vote regularly to decide which party is in power and who is in power. We take citizens' rights seriously, and we take the rights of freedom of election, speech, association, assembly, procession, demonstration, etc. written in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and in the Chinese Constitution, seriously. We have freedom of speech, which cannot be deprived of it under the pretext of being sensitive or harmful. We have the right to vote, and deprivation cannot be manipulated through indirect elections, designation of candidates to suppress competition, and so on. Take the responsibilities of citizens seriously. China is the China of the people and all citizens, not of any family or political party. As citizens, we pursue democracy, defend freedom, and uphold fairness and justice.

Take democracy seriously, take freedom seriously, take seriously the core values you hang on the wall, and take seriously the banner of democracy and freedom held high by people with lofty ideals for a century. Seriously. Is this subverting your regime? !

The citizen movement advocates a modern and civilized public lifestyle. We believe that politics is not about taking advantage of power and selfish desires, but a beautiful cause for the benefit of the public. The citizenship logo we set up, the blue background color of the Republic of China, and the handwriting of Mr. Sun Yat-sen "citizen", and made citizen badges, cultural shirts, umbrellas, water cups, etc., to spread the concept of citizenship. We actively participate in public affairs, promote the abolition of detention and deportation, stand for election to the National People's Congress, and express opinions and suggestions on major public events. We are enthusiastic about public welfare undertakings, helping earthquake victims, helping primary school students in Tibetan areas, and preventing forced relocation of Beijing Zoo. We are public interest lawyers, independent candidates for NPC deputies, members of community business committees, environmental protection volunteers, opinion leaders, and Chinese people who pursue freedom and love democracy. Be a citizen yourself, be a citizen together, serve the society, cultivate civil society, and connect the whole country to become a community of citizens.

The goal of the citizens' movement is a beautiful China of freedom, justice, and love. Freedom is the nature of human beings and the eternal purpose of a country and society. Do not hinder others, follow one's inclinations, hinder others, balance each other. There are no restricted areas for ideology and speech, and power and responsibility are commensurate. Justice is the reasonable boundary of freedom, it is the fairness and justice in the world, the strong is restricted, the weak is guaranteed, each performs his duties, each does his best, and each gets what he deserves.

Love is the most beautiful emotion in the world, love yourself, practice in this world, and perfect your soul; love relatives and friends, the love of life is also grateful; love strangers, smile warmly at each other; love enemies, sympathize with those who are bound by hatred and hostility Soul; love all living beings, the spirit of all things, love the endless world. Freedom, justice, and love are our core values, the banner of this era, and the new Chinese national spirit.

Being a true citizen is not only a strategy, but also a belief. The totalitarian system is extremely unconfident, so it uses modern concepts such as democracy and freedom to pack itself, just like a villain puts on a cassock, and the onlookers take it seriously, and can force him to accept some clear rules and regulations. Being a true citizen is more about faith. On the road of greatness, the world is for the public. What I want in my life is to become a real citizen and enjoy universal freedom rights such as freedom of speech and the right to vote. When that day comes, my country must have changed too.

Citizens' Movement is not the name of an organization. Citizen groups are not yet an organization. One day when China needs them, citizens will become an organization. It is not a gangster organization with strict personal attachment and hierarchy, but a modern civilized political organization based on the rules of individual freedom and democracy. . Its name is Citizens Union.

2. Beautiful China

The first draft of "A Beautiful China" was written in 1993, when it was called "Free China". In October 2020, the last revision was completed in the detention center without paper and pen. There are 24 articles in total, divided into 3 parts. The first part is 10 articles. The theme is the civil rights protection movement, including the 20th century, life is a dream, in the name of citizens . The second part has 9 articles, the theme is citizen movement, including Chinese road, citizen movement, non-violence, etc. The third part has 5 articles, the theme is the future China, including constitutional China, beautiful politics, beautiful China, rebirth of civilization, and my beliefs.

In the spring of 2003, we put forward a citizen proposal to the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, requesting a constitutional review of the detention and repatriation system. The proposal was signed by adding the word "citizen" before my name. Everyone worked together, causing a sensation in the government and the opposition, and quickly abolished it. Repatriation. Since then, a group of professional lawyers have entered the public eye, using the law as a weapon to defend civil rights and promote the process of democracy and the rule of law.

In the past ten years, we have fought for innocent cases sentenced to death, fought for compensation for children with stones and slave labor in black brick kilns, watched black prisons, rescued petitioners who were illegally detained, and fought for tens of millions of left-behind children to go to school and take the college entrance examination beside their parents. Rights, running for election to the National People's Congress, promoting the improvement of the electoral system, and providing many suggestions to the National People's Congress, including abolishing reeducation through labor and changing the family planning policy. We once expected that grassroots democracy would gradually advance, the rule of law would gradually improve, and that China would realize a modern civilization of democracy and the rule of law through gradual improvement.

In a long-standing society of subjects, we burn our own weak light, and strive to awaken the people, to be citizens together, and to change China by working together. In May 2012, we launched the New Citizens Movement, which was later renamed the Citizens Movement.

Autocracy will end and democracy will come. I hope that the transformation of China's constitutional civilization will go its own way, and the people will pay the least price to reform the old economic system, grow a market economy, change the old political system, and grow a community of citizens; will not fall into turmoil, but will have a better future. This is the Chinese path and the original intention of the citizen movement.

The political transformation of Soviet Russia, the economy and society were not ready, turmoil and disorder, and authority returned. China is different. We have had a market economy for 40 years and a civil society that has initially developed. China has prepared for 40 years. We will continue to work hard to grow a strong and rational modern civilization outside the old system. The Chinese revolution will not follow the old path of the Soviet Union, because our citizens are here.

We know that China must have a bright future. That is a democratic China, a free China, a just China, a China full of love, a reborn China, and a China admired by the world.

3. Rebirth of Civilization

The mission of the sons and daughters of China is not national rejuvenation but the rebirth of civilization. National rejuvenation, as the name suggests, reproduces a certain prosperous era. What era? The Western Han Dynasty can be described as strong and prosperous, but at the same time, the Roman Empire's military, technological, and cultural influences on later generations were more far-reaching. The culture of the Tang Dynasty was prosperous, but at the same time the Islamic Empire rose, and the "Arabian Nights" and Arabic numerals spread more widely. The Qin Dynasty was short-lived, the Song Dynasty's army was weak, the Mongols, Yuan, Han, and Southerners could not bear to look back, and the Ming and Qing Dynasties' science and technology culture went from bad to worse.

For more than 2,000 years, the Qin system has shrouded China. Although there is a revival in the Tang and Song Dynasties, modern backwardness is inevitable. The Qin system was barbaric and domineering, taking the world as its own selfishness, conquering the country and sitting in the cycle of dynasties. The tree of Chinese civilization has never been able to grow, but gradually withered. Our modern ancestors have introduced science, and tried to introduce democracy, but finally communism was introduced, and the evil fire of Marxist-Leninist fetishism raged, leaving this spiritual wilderness.

Combating Western communist totalitarianism against Western democracy and freedom, Western Marxist-Leninist fetishism against Western Christian civilization, and Western dross against Western essence, how can we be undefeated? The true self-confidence of a nation is not digging its own ancestral graves and recognizing Marxism-Leninism as its ancestors, or the oracle bones and bamboo slips in the ancestral cemetery, and it is not the uniformity of speech on the crater, whitewashing the peace, and forging a prosperous age. True self-confidence is rooted in the beliefs and cultures of our ancestors, and based on contemporary democracy and freedom. 1.4 billion people have created the most advanced technology, the most prosperous economy, and the most splendid culture in the world with passion and vitality. Rebirth of civilization, beautiful China.

The Sanxingdui golden mask reappeared in the sky, and I saw the glory that once shone on China. Our nation also had such a pious history. Like the major civilizations at the same time, sacrifices played an important role. Shang Tang opened three sides, morality and beasts, and swore in Mingtiao: "Xia is guilty, I fear God and dare not be wrong." That is China with soul, China with faith.

Integrating into the trend of modern science and democracy, Japanese civilization has been reborn, Indian civilization is being reborn, and Chinese civilization will also be reborn. The spiritual wilderness left by the heavens has not grown a new civilization. Know nature, yourself, and God in a higher place. New philosophies, new religions, new technologies, and new cultures dissolve the conflicts of civilizations and lead a new era of human civilization.

The root of the rebirth of Chinese civilization stands in ancient times, where there is the Haotian God, the rich spiritual world of the ancestors, and the China with the warmth of spring and the blossoming of flowers. The majestic power of the rebirth of Chinese civilization is blooming in this world. If everyone is free from autocratic oppression and everyone can create freely, China will surely regain its glory.

Staring at the ancient moonlight outside the iron window, my ancestors and I prayed to Haotian, you created life and human beings in the universe, galaxies, enlightened wisdom, science, major religions, and led major civilizations, just like your children, one of them is lost, lonely for three thousand years Suffering, spiritual wilderness, now you are going home. You are watching our generation of Chinese children end the long night of autocracy with struggle and responsibility, and usher in the glorious rebirth of Eastern civilization. Freedom, justice, love, China with soul, has faith of China.

4. Dawn is coming

A century ago, the Qing Dynasty was overthrown and the Republic of China was established, but the specter of autocracy was unwilling to withdraw from the stage of history. After decades of internal and external troubles, the Republic of China fell and autocracy returned.

In the name of communism, the millennium autocracy has been revived, and the sound of long live has been shouted, and the immature democracy, rule of law, and market economy of the Republic of China have been blown away by the wind. Just standing up, the Chinese people, whose heels were not steady, completely knelt down again. This is a historical countercurrent, extremely low self-confidence, so lies are full of lies. Under the guise of the people, under the banner of democracy and freedom, the lies are maintained through violence and terror. At the beginning of the establishment of the government, there was a massive suppression, and the anti-rightist movement broke the backbone of the scholars. During the Great Leap Forward, tens of millions of people starved to death. The Cultural Revolution went crazy, destroying Emperor Yan's Mausoleum, digging the tomb of Confucius, and digging up the tombs of Chinese ancestors. In the troubled China, the Mongols, the Manchus, and the Japanese have come, and the foreign occupiers can still respect Confucius and ancestors. Only the specter of Soviet-Russian communism has ruined our Chinese culture to an unprecedented degree, with countless crimes and countless crimes.

Extremes must be reversed. The totalitarian madness has gradually dissipated, and the people have enjoyed a little bit of free sunshine and breathed a little bit of free air, and have enjoyed prosperity and progress for more than 30 years. However, the nature of the totalitarian ghost is hard to change. When it is dying, there is the sound of reversing cars, and it is running against the current. Looking at China today, there are already "four comprehensive":

A full-blown economic crisis. The totalitarian system may be able to promote economic development in the short term, but it distorts the market, exhausts people's power, suppresses society, and eventually becomes an obstacle to economic development. High oil prices, high housing prices, high taxes and fees, the national economy and the people's livelihood are all monopolized and become blood-sucking tools. The people are heavily indebted and unable to consume. The people are poor and the country is also poor, swarms of rats steal and store wealth abroad, scattered money and invested indiscriminately to empty the national treasury, and the expansion of the stability maintenance system exhausted the national strength. After the epidemic, when the world economy is booming, only China's industries are withering, and the people are in dire straits. In response to the debilitating economic crisis, they worked harder to suck blood and throw money, drinking poison to quench their thirst.

Politics across the board. In the 1980s, the separation of the party and the government was proposed. Now the party should lead everything, including the economy, private enterprises, primary and secondary schools, football, and churches, temples, and yin and yang. The cross on the top of the church was burned, and the monks lined up to raise the national flag, which can be called a "prosperous" spectacle. Village-level democracy has not advanced but retreated for forty years, Hong Kong's century-old freedom and the rule of law have been destroyed, and the crime of "arrogant discussion" has been invented within the party, and it is almost impossible to see. Even brazenly tampering with the constitution in the face of the disgrace of the world, and vainly plotting to be buried for life, is it tolerable or unbearable for the sons and daughters of China?

The culture is completely withered. With a population of 1.4 billion, its cultural influence is far less than that of Japan and South Korea. Confucius Institutes have run into walls all over the world, and the once grandest Spring Festival has also become dull due to the incomplete soul. Layers upon layers of censorship and castration have left the Internet in a state of desperation, leaving only one theme in movies, TV, literature, and art. Since the Cultural Revolution revolutionized Chinese culture, the spiritual world of Chinese people has been deserted. How could a western evil spirit digging up the graves of Chinese ancestors lead the revival of China?

Diplomacy has failed all over the place. After World War II, the Olympic Games have never encountered such a large-scale boycott, and the Chinese have never encountered such widespread discrimination. The Belt and Road Initiative has sown money but not reaped. , Why did the dignified China fall to this point?

Tens of millions of people live below the international poverty line, but they claim to be well-off in an all-round way; In the most gorgeous new clothes in the world.

Conquer all forces, worry about the world, disharmony of the six qi, irregular seasons, epidemics of the century, floods in the Central Plains, Haotian alarm bells, mountains and rivers thunder, and the emperor's old son can't wake up the dream of Jiangshan. Two years ago, I made a letter of persuasion to withdraw, but now I no longer persuade. The sun and the moon have risen, and the energy is exhausted. Heaven wants to destroy it. Who can stop it from going crazy?

5. We Citizens

Citizens, the dawn is coming. The long night of 3,000 years of dictatorship began in 1840, and the darkness before the dawn of the last 70 years will also come to an end. Communist totalitarianism is a dead end, perverting it will not last long, the fall of autocracy, and the rebirth of China are changes in a hundred years and a great change in three thousand years. This is the final battle between freedom and slavery, democracy and tyranny, and light and darkness. We are so lucky to be born at the right time.

We are the future of China. What kind of China we want for future generations depends on our beliefs and actions. In this land of thousand-year autocracy and poisonous pollution, the national beliefs are lost, the spirit is sluggish, the conscience is corrupted, and the culture is withered, which makes people sad. A new civilization needs cornerstones, and we citizens are the cornerstones. A new civilization needs soil, and we citizens are duty bound.

It has been twenty years since I visited AIDS villages in Hubei and Henan in the summer after I graduated with a Ph. He was beaten to the ground in front of the State Letters and Calls Bureau. He was beaten and kicked in the youth hotel black prison and in Yinan County. I was illegally detained in many places, arrested on charges of tax evasion, and imprisoned as a thief. As a prisoner, I went to Tianhe Prison, Liulin Prison, and Kenhua Prison. Who can have more than enough to serve the world? Think of Paul's letter: I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. What an age this is, I still have the opportunity to share in the glory of the Lord.

Never feel that the world is desolate. There is a starry sky above the ruins, and above the starry sky is Haotian's love. And never complain about the people, the silence before dawn is only because our singing is not loud enough. Because of freedom, burn passion; because of public welfare, fight everywhere; because of love, be merciful to all beings.

I love this world so much. I love every shy flower, every innocent bud in this spring. I love freedom so much. But in order to fight for the freedom of more people and the freedom of China, I have been deprived of my freedom time and time again.

Born in the old course of the Yellow River in the hinterland of the Central Plains. Three thousand years ago it was called China. There happened to be a twentieth-century name, civil rights. I love the Republic of China so much. Love the flickering light of hope for our nation. I was a latecomer and fought for civil rights all my life. I know that the great era has begun, and I hear the footsteps of history rolling in, and I hear it say, go, walk through this last valley of the shadow of death. Because of faith, I carried the cross; because of faith, I passed through the long dark years; because of faith, I embraced the rising sun of the rebirth of Eastern civilization with my life.

For ten years, the civic movement. How many standing citizens are there in the land of China? This nation has kneeled too long. We have a long way to go. But not pessimistic. Democracy and freedom do not come from the awakening of everyone. As long as 1% of the citizens are awakened, more than 10 million brave citizens are enough to change China. Don't think that the night is so strong that the unstoppable dawn has nowhere to hide. Don't think that silence is so terrible, a word of truth makes it go away. Don't think that we are desperate because they have guns. Once the consciousness of freedom awakens, the ghosts and demons will disappear, and the guns and armor will return to the people. Our strength is not guns, but human hearts; not lies, but truth; not tricks, but piety; not hatred, but love.

Remember to tell the truth. The truth is powerful. Even if there is no echo at the time, the seeds of the truth are planted and will germinate at some point. Telling the truth may be banned and detained, which just reflects the value of the truth. Tell the truth bravely, tell the truth wisely, say that I am a "citizen", say "beautiful China", and say "get up, people who do not want to be slaves". Tell the truth on the Internet, tell the truth on cultural shirts, tell the truth in the bus and subway, tell the truth in the mountains, rivers, land and rivers, and tell the truth in Chinese places.

Remember fast days. Fast for one day every year on June 4th and express it openly on the Internet. This is an irresistible commemoration that can be persisted even if freedom is lost. This is a more powerful memorial, where the body is weak and the spirit is stronger. This is a commemoration of an open future. We commemorate the sacrifices of our ancestors with small sacrifices, and build a new Chinese national spirit with our piety and humility.

Remember Citizenship Day. Every Sunday is Citizens' Day, and citizens from all over the world can also choose their own days. On this day, citizens gather to care about the country, exchange ideas, and serve the society. On this day, citizens wear their badges, use their civic logos, and spread their civic ideas.

Remember "Good China". This is the ideal struggle and responsibility of a group of citizens. There is China's future, and there is a road. When ten million citizens read it carefully, democracy will come to this magical land.

Remember love. Courage is most valuable before the dawn. Brave citizens are to be cherished. Do not attack maliciously on the Internet, speak without love, and have kind thoughts when criticizing. Intense and gentle mutual understanding, pioneers and latecomers encourage each other, different organizations and different religions tolerate each other, and different social status and different interests appeal to each other. I love this vast vicissitudes of land, long-standing civilization, and industrious people. It is our common destiny to end the long night of autocracy and usher in the glorious rebirth of Eastern civilization. Don't be blinded by hatred at any time, only with love in your heart can you have the strength to move forward bravely.

When that day comes, the people take to the streets, and citizens are the ones leading the way. We already have a strong civic community. We know how to resolve border ethnic issues and dissolve historical grievances. We know how to get out of the economic crisis and give confidence and hope to the people. We know how to heal the wounds of history, where there is truth and justice. We know the future of China, scientific constitutional government, rebirth of civilization, and a beautiful China. We're ready.

You say that we are subverting your regime and it is really unbearable. Because it is the people who will overthrow you. Since the glory must be attributed to us, I accept it calmly, and then return it to the motherland and the people, to history, and finally to Haotian, because he arranged all this.

Citizen Xu Zhiyong, April 2022