Syracuse and Plato in China

About This Book

Core Themes

Exploring the phenomena of Mao, Deng, and Bo and the essence of China's problems, the untold stories behind the disillusionment of reform fantasies, Zhao Ziyang's reading of "Yellow Peril," China's destiny trilogy, and Liu Xiaobo's poem "To Lixiong."

Author's Perspective

This book comprehensively presents the profound reflections and intellectual journey of Wang Lixiong, a contemporary Chinese thinker who combines literary writing, political research and practice, and explores the path of ethnic reconciliation and coexistence between humanity and nature.

Preface When Political Activists Encounter Politics
Chapter 1 Maoism and Earthly Paradise
Chapter 2 "Deng Xiaoping Theory" and Grassroots Maoism
Chapter 3 Bo Xilai and the "N Series"
Chapter 4 Breaking Elite Alliance with Transcendent Alliance
Chapter 5 Refining National Rationality through Progressive Organization
Chapter 6 The Dalai Lama's Death and Rebirth
Chapter 7 When Collapse Becomes Mechanism, It Becomes Destiny
Chapter 8 China's Destiny Trilogy: The Grand Ceremony, Yellow Peril, Reincarnation
Chapter 9 The World Needs Methods
Chapter 10 Seeking New Democracy for Martian Humanity
Epilogue Liu Xiaobo: "Political Fantasy Maniac—To Lixiong"

About the Author

Wang Lixiong is a renowned Chinese writer, born in 1953 in Shandong Province, currently residing in Beijing.

In 1991, under the pseudonym "Confidential," he simultaneously published the political novel "Yellow Peril" in Taiwan and Canada, pioneering a new form of fiction that combines contemporary technological backgrounds to analyze China's current political processes and prospects. With its grand vision, profound social concern, and scientific analysis, it influenced a generation of Chinese people and was selected as one of Asia Weekly's top 100 Chinese novels of the 20th century.

Wang Lixiong has long studied how China can achieve political system reform, avoiding intense large-scale social conflicts and peacefully transitioning to a modern state that recognizes universal values and brings true freedom and happiness to the people—this is the starting point of his political fiction writing.

Major Works:

"Dissolving Power: Layer-by-Layer Election System" (Mirror Books, 1998)
"Sky Burial: The Fate of Tibet" (Mirror Books, 1998)
"Progressive Democracy" (Commonwealth Publishing, Taiwan, 2006)
"My West China, Your East Turkestan" (Commonwealth Publishing, 2007)
"Theory of Unity Between Power and People" (Commonwealth Publishing, Taiwan, 2016)
"The Grand Ceremony" (Commonwealth Publishing, Taiwan, 2017)
"Reincarnation" (Snowland Publications, Taiwan, 2020)

Awards:

2002 Chinese Independent PEN Freedom to Write Award
2003 Hellman-Hammett Award
2009 Light of Truth Award from the Dalai Lama

Expert Recommendation

"In contemporary Chinese thought, Mr. Wang Lixiong has been a unique and profound voice for more than 30 years, continuing the tradition of modern Chinese literary writers who simultaneously uphold the mission of political thinkers. His concern and insights into ethnic issues are particularly noteworthy. This book records the author's own 'encounter with politics' and attempts to 'change tyranny' at the beginning of Xi Jinping's rise to power, which can perhaps be seen as the final manifestation of post-Mao Chinese society's 'reform complex,' holding special value for understanding China's future direction."

—Wu Guoguang (Senior Fellow, Stanford Center for China's Economy and Institutions)

Preface Excerpt

When Political Activists Encounter Politics

My journey to Syracuse was caused by various coincidences and specific circumstances, but there was indeed this underlying driving force—expectations for the new CCP leadership. At the 2012 18th Party Congress, Xi Jinping became General Secretary and joined forces with Wang Qishan, then Secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, to launch large-scale anti-corruption campaigns that were deeply popular at the time, leading to their collaboration being called the "Xi-Wang System."

In China, we are not "intellectuals encountering politics," but "political activists encountering politics." In Syracuse's eyes, we have always been "dissidents," "reactionaries," "separatists," "agitators," "hostile elements"... In short, all elements related to politics. Rather than calling us intellectuals, it's more accurate to call us political activists. And for political activists, politics is not a temptation but a calling.

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Related Works

"Yellow Peril"

Prophetic political novel, selected as one of Asia Weekly's top 100 Chinese novels of the 20th century

Classic Work

"Sky Burial: The Fate of Tibet"

The most influential work on Tibet written by a Han Chinese

Award-winning