Chinese historian in Cape Cop sheds light on China's 20th Century
BREWSTER —
There are very few retired Chinese human rights activists in our vicinity, which makes 90-year-old Gu Chang-Sheng’s new memoir all the more interesting. He is the author of several histories and biographies in Chinese, but “Awaken: Memoirs of a Chinese Historian” is his first book in English. Half history of twentieth century China, and half personal journey, it’s a book as confounding as it is gripping.
Gu’s story begins and ends with the author’s censorship in China. In 2007, an article on Christianity he published was abruptly banned. Gu wrote: “Here we are in at the beginning of the 21st century with China supposedly emerging as a super power, so why are the authorities… afraid of me? I am a nonentity.”
The action confirmed Gu’s belief that not much has changed in China since the Tiananmen Square massacre. “Democracy and civil rights, despite current trends in China and among its relations, are a long way off,” he said.
Professor Gu is now settled into retirement on Cape Cod, “paradise” he says, astonished and grateful for all the freedoms we take for granted. He lives modestly and productively in senior housing at Tonset Woods in Orleans, befriended by members of his church and community. At age ninety, he is still in good health and feisty on behalf of his favorite cause, the pursuit of human rights in China - “fifty, maybe a hundred years off.” He keeps a sense of humor about everything, he says.
Gu loves the United States, has become a citizen and brought his daughter and grandson to live on the Cape. The coincidence of his visit to the United States, at the invitation of Congress, with the Tiananman Square revolt determined his choice to remain in this country...
Read entire article at Cape Cod Day (MA)
There are very few retired Chinese human rights activists in our vicinity, which makes 90-year-old Gu Chang-Sheng’s new memoir all the more interesting. He is the author of several histories and biographies in Chinese, but “Awaken: Memoirs of a Chinese Historian” is his first book in English. Half history of twentieth century China, and half personal journey, it’s a book as confounding as it is gripping.
Gu’s story begins and ends with the author’s censorship in China. In 2007, an article on Christianity he published was abruptly banned. Gu wrote: “Here we are in at the beginning of the 21st century with China supposedly emerging as a super power, so why are the authorities… afraid of me? I am a nonentity.”
The action confirmed Gu’s belief that not much has changed in China since the Tiananmen Square massacre. “Democracy and civil rights, despite current trends in China and among its relations, are a long way off,” he said.
Professor Gu is now settled into retirement on Cape Cod, “paradise” he says, astonished and grateful for all the freedoms we take for granted. He lives modestly and productively in senior housing at Tonset Woods in Orleans, befriended by members of his church and community. At age ninety, he is still in good health and feisty on behalf of his favorite cause, the pursuit of human rights in China - “fifty, maybe a hundred years off.” He keeps a sense of humor about everything, he says.
Gu loves the United States, has become a citizen and brought his daughter and grandson to live on the Cape. The coincidence of his visit to the United States, at the invitation of Congress, with the Tiananman Square revolt determined his choice to remain in this country...