Huang Xiang

...was born in 1941 in Hunan Province. His father was a Guomindang general, who was executed by the Communists briefly after the founding of the People's Republic. In 1956 his Family moved to Guizhou, Huang became an apprentice and factory worker. 1958 he wrote his first poems, some were selected for a national poetry competition. He became member of the provincial writers' association, but was excluded again in 1959.

In October 1978 he traveled to Beijing together with some friends to post his poems and political texts in Wangfujing street and at the Democracy Wall. On Tiananmen Square they founded an "Enlightenment Society" and also created an independent journal called "Enlightenment" ("Qimeng"). In 1980 he co-founded another literary magzine in Guizhou.

Between 1959 and 1990 Huang Xiang, under various accusations that were mostly politically motivated, spent several times in prisons and "re-education camps". After his final release in 1990, he continued his literary work, he was briefly allowed to publish and present some of his poems in China. In 1997 he received permission to move to the United States together with his wife. He was then regularly invited to recite his poetry in the US, in Europe and in Australia, only once he was allowed a brief visit to China. Huang Xiang now lives in Queens, New York City.

Interview with Huang Xiang (on May 27 in his apartment in Queens/New York)

Here you find the Chinese text of the interview (an English translation will be provided later).