Zhang Liang (author)
Encyclopedia
Zhang Liang is the pseudonym
of the compiler of the controversial book The Tiananmen Papers
. Zhang has refused to reveal his true identity for fear of repression and retaliation by the Chinese Communist Party
against him, his family, and his friends. Moreover, Zhang contends that he wants to remain anonymous to avoid being seen as a figurehead
or a saviour. He believes that the Chinese government is the only entity which can reverse the damaged system One of the only known facts about Zhang is that he is a former high-ranking cadre
within the Chinese Communist Party. Some people within China and abroad believe that his unwillingness to reveal his identity immediately discredits the documents and accusations presented in The Tiananmen Papers.
for an interview where he divulged that he felt it was his national duty to publish the secret documents and that “what I did, I did for history and for the people." Andrew Nathan and Perry Link
, The Tiananmen Papers editors, write that Zhang had further hopes when publishing the material: In 2002, China had its 16th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. At this Congress, China would experience a political leadership overhaul and Zhang hoped that more progressive future leaders would lead China to a more democratic future. By publishing the book a year in advance of the Congress, Zhang wanted to spark the memories of the Chinese public as well as other international support groups; and restore the spirit of the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989
.
, to help assemble the book. In order to authenticate the documents, Nathan, Link, and Schell all describe meeting with Zhang on multiple occasions and corroborating his accounts with documents and other historical interpretations of events around the time of the protests. They also offer detailed arguments about why they consider Zhang’s research and collection methods as correct and fair. Perhaps the most convincing reason that supporters of The Tiananmen Papers point to is the Chinese government’s reaction to the release of the documents. After the release of the book, the Chinese Communist Party heightened its security by “[cracking down] on dissent,” and “[tightening its] surveillance on liberal
intellectuals as well as Chinese-American scholars doing research on China." Further, the government began censoring all forms of media
(print, internet, audio, etc.) related to the book. Another government reaction was President Jiang Zemin
reportedly stating “that [The Tiananmen Papers] amounted to ‘the worse case ever of the leakage of state secrets.'" This purported admittance and search for the leak only corroborates Zhang’s argument.
Due to the contentious nature of the material in The Tiananmen Papers, many have refuted its claims and the authenticity of the documents presented. As could be expected, the main opposition comes from the Chinese Communist Party. It claims to have knowledge of one of Zhang’s colleagues, who alleges that he and Zhang collected some readily accessible materials from a news agency; followed by Zhang fleeing with the documents, incorrectly labelling them as Party reports, and finally fabricating further materials culminating in the book, The Tiananmen Papers. Further, the government accuses Zhang and his colleagues as being under foreign influence and aiming to extinguish the economic progress China has made over the past decade. Not only the government is contesting the accuracy of the book, but prominent China experts, as well as citizens who had been present during the protests of 1989, feel the documents and conversations discussed in The Tiananmen Papers are factually erroneous and “[overly]-dramatic.” Also, critics argue that some expressions used in discussions between elders and other political players are inconsistent with the language of the elders, and more relative to Hong Kong
and Taiwan
.
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
of the compiler of the controversial book The Tiananmen Papers
Tiananmen Papers
The Tiananmen Papers was first published in English in January 2001 by PublicAffairs. The extended Chinese version of this book was published in April that same year under the title 中國六四真相 by Mirror Books in Hong Kong...
. Zhang has refused to reveal his true identity for fear of repression and retaliation by the Chinese Communist Party
Communist Party of China
The Communist Party of China , also known as the Chinese Communist Party , is the founding and ruling political party of the People's Republic of China...
against him, his family, and his friends. Moreover, Zhang contends that he wants to remain anonymous to avoid being seen as a figurehead
Figurehead
A figurehead is a carved wooden decoration found at the prow of ships largely made between the 16th and 19th century.-History:Although earlier ships had often had some form of bow ornamentation A figurehead is a carved wooden decoration found at the prow of ships largely made between the 16th and...
or a saviour. He believes that the Chinese government is the only entity which can reverse the damaged system One of the only known facts about Zhang is that he is a former high-ranking cadre
Cadre (disambiguation)
Cadre principally refers to committed people within an organization that form, or have the capacity to form, the backbone of that organization...
within the Chinese Communist Party. Some people within China and abroad believe that his unwillingness to reveal his identity immediately discredits the documents and accusations presented in The Tiananmen Papers.
Motivations for Writing
Zhang and some of his pro-reform colleagues had petitioned the Chinese Communist Party to own up to, what they viewed as, its mistakes on June 4, 1989. However, because of the government’s unwillingness to change its position regarding its actions during the protests, Zhang felt he had no option but to collect the documents and release them publicly. Following the publishing of his book, Zhang met with CNNCNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
for an interview where he divulged that he felt it was his national duty to publish the secret documents and that “what I did, I did for history and for the people." Andrew Nathan and Perry Link
Perry Link
Perry Link is Chancellorial Chair Professor for Innovative TeachingComparative Literature & Foreign Languages in College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences at University of California, Riverside and Emeritus Professor of East Asian Studies at Princeton University. He specializes in modern...
, The Tiananmen Papers editors, write that Zhang had further hopes when publishing the material: In 2002, China had its 16th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. At this Congress, China would experience a political leadership overhaul and Zhang hoped that more progressive future leaders would lead China to a more democratic future. By publishing the book a year in advance of the Congress, Zhang wanted to spark the memories of the Chinese public as well as other international support groups; and restore the spirit of the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989
Tiananmen Square protests of 1989
The Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, also known as the June Fourth Incident in Chinese , were a series of demonstrations in and near Tiananmen Square in Beijing in the People's Republic of China beginning on 15 April 1989...
.
Authenticity
After arriving in the U.S., Zhang began looking for the most strategic way to publish the documents. He contacted Andrew Nathan and Perry Link, who later brought in Orville SchellOrville Schell
Orville Hickock Schell III is an activist and writer working on China, and is the Arthus Ross Director of the Center on U.S.-China Relations at the Asia Society in New York...
, to help assemble the book. In order to authenticate the documents, Nathan, Link, and Schell all describe meeting with Zhang on multiple occasions and corroborating his accounts with documents and other historical interpretations of events around the time of the protests. They also offer detailed arguments about why they consider Zhang’s research and collection methods as correct and fair. Perhaps the most convincing reason that supporters of The Tiananmen Papers point to is the Chinese government’s reaction to the release of the documents. After the release of the book, the Chinese Communist Party heightened its security by “[cracking down] on dissent,” and “[tightening its] surveillance on liberal
Classical liberalism
Classical liberalism is the philosophy committed to the ideal of limited government, constitutionalism, rule of law, due process, and liberty of individuals including freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and free markets....
intellectuals as well as Chinese-American scholars doing research on China." Further, the government began censoring all forms of media
Media (communication)
In communications, media are the storage and transmission channels or tools used to store and deliver information or data...
(print, internet, audio, etc.) related to the book. Another government reaction was President Jiang Zemin
Jiang Zemin
Jiang Zemin is a former Chinese politician, who served as General Secretary of the Communist Party of China from 1989 to 2002, as President of the People's Republic of China from 1993 to 2003, and as Chairman of the Central Military Commission from 1989 to 2005...
reportedly stating “that [The Tiananmen Papers] amounted to ‘the worse case ever of the leakage of state secrets.'" This purported admittance and search for the leak only corroborates Zhang’s argument.
Due to the contentious nature of the material in The Tiananmen Papers, many have refuted its claims and the authenticity of the documents presented. As could be expected, the main opposition comes from the Chinese Communist Party. It claims to have knowledge of one of Zhang’s colleagues, who alleges that he and Zhang collected some readily accessible materials from a news agency; followed by Zhang fleeing with the documents, incorrectly labelling them as Party reports, and finally fabricating further materials culminating in the book, The Tiananmen Papers. Further, the government accuses Zhang and his colleagues as being under foreign influence and aiming to extinguish the economic progress China has made over the past decade. Not only the government is contesting the accuracy of the book, but prominent China experts, as well as citizens who had been present during the protests of 1989, feel the documents and conversations discussed in The Tiananmen Papers are factually erroneous and “[overly]-dramatic.” Also, critics argue that some expressions used in discussions between elders and other political players are inconsistent with the language of the elders, and more relative to Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
and Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
.
Since Tiananmen Papers
After the book’s success, Zhang published several articles on current affairs in China for the Hong Kong Chinese press. During the publication of The Tiananmen Papers in 2001, Zhang resided in the U.S. Since then, his whereabouts are unknown.External links
- Zhang Liang interview with CNN
- Are the Tiananmen Papers real or Fake?
- Chinese government claims Tiananmen Papers is fake
- The Tiananmen Papers could stimulate reform in China
- PBS article discusses The Tiananmen Papers
- Zhang Liang optimistic about China's future
- Interview with Orville Schell
- Interview with Orville Schell
- Interview with Perry Link