Wei Jingsheng

Chinese democracy activist and dissident · China · Writers · Born 1950 · age 76

Wei Jingsheng is read about 198 times a day, in 29 languages.

A typical day, 30 days to 5 October 2026

The middle day of the days counted, so one week of news cannot move it. The line under it is the last 78 days, one point a day.

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A life in dates

2020“When I talk with American politicians, and they ask me if they should begin talking about human rights again, I reply: if you want to talk then do it, I don’t care.”In their wordsInterview (2020)Read the whole statement

2009“If there were normal relationships between the two partners, there would be no problem. But China is a dysfunctional country.”In their words4 March 2009"Rozmowy z laureatami Nagrody imienia Sacharowa" (4 March 2009)Read the whole statement

2000Truman-Reagan Medal of FreedomAward1998Amnesty International MenschenrechtspreisAward1997“I have waited decades for this chance to exercise my right to free speech, but the Chinese people have been waiting for centuries.”In their words22 November 1997"In Exile, Free Speech at Last in The Washington Post (22 November 1997)Read the whole statement

“I consider my release to be only a small victory for human rights and democracy.”In their words22 November 1997"In Exile, Free Speech at Last in The Washington Post (22 November 1997)Read the whole statement

1996Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights AwardAwardSakharov PrizeAward1994Olof Palme PrizeAward1978“People should have democracy. When they ask for democracy, they are only demanding what is rightfully theirs.”In their wordsThe Fifth Modernization (1978) (excerpts)Read the whole statement

“What is democracy? True democracy means the holding of power by the laboring masses. Are laborers unqualified to hold power?”In their wordsThe Fifth Modernization (1978) (excerpts)Read the whole statement

1950Born20 May 1950

Also in Deutsch

Photos 1

In their own words 10

Wei Jingsheng

10 statements, newest first

My overall impression is that politicians really like to change their positions and really like to forget about some things. But ordinary people have better memories.
2020, Interview (2020), Own words
When I talk with American politicians, and they ask me if they should begin talking about human rights again, I reply: if you want to talk then do it, I don’t care.
2020, Interview (2020), Own words
If there were normal relationships between the two partners, there would be no problem. But China is a dysfunctional country.
Mar 4, 2009, "Rozmowy z laureatami Nagrody imienia Sacharowa" (4 March 2009), Own words

Wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0

Awards

Truman-Reagan Medal of Freedom2000

Amnesty International Menschenrechtspreis1998

Sakharov Prize1996

Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award1996

Olof Palme Prize1994

About this person

Wei Jingsheng is a Chinese human rights activist and dissident. He is best known for his involvement in the Chinese democracy movement. He is most prominent for having authored the essay "The Fifth Modernization", which was posted on the Democracy Wall in Beijing in 1978. As punishment from the government for writing his manifesto, Wei was arrested and convicted of "counter-revolutionary" activities, and was detained as a political prisoner from 1979 to 1993. Briefly released in 1993, Wei continued to engage in his dissident activities by speaking to visiting journalists, and as punishment, he was imprisoned again from 1994 to 1997, making it a total of 18 years he has spent in various prisons. He was deported to the United States of America on 16 November 1997, on medical parole. Still a Chinese citizen, in 1998 Wei established the Wei Jingsheng Foundation in New York City whose stated aim is to work to improve human rights and advocate democratisation in China.

Country

China

Writers from China 6

Chiung Yao53.8

Lu Yu53.8

Cao Yu53.8 Zhang Wei53.7

Han Han53.9

Ding Ling53.6

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