Yang Tongyan, was a Chinese novelist, essayist, poet and best known as dissident for his criticism of the Chinese government.
Biography
Yang Tongyan graduated from Beijing Normal University with B.A. in History. He worked as teacher, also at civil service and as a freelance writer. His works were published in the internet. He was accused by Chinese government in actions against revolution after Tiananmen Square protests of 1989 and was imprisoned from 1990 to 2000. Then Tongyan wrote many of his works in prison. He was member of the Independent Chinese PEN Center. He was arrested and then held in a detention centre since December 2005. On May 2006, Tongyan was sentenced to 12 years of prison for publishing of criticism on the Chinese government, and sent in prison in the City of Nanjing. He had tuberculosis, peritonitis and was treated in hospital in 2010, but his application for medical parole was denied then. Tongyan was released on medical parole for treatment of aggressive form of brain cancer in hospital of Shanghai in August, 2017. He underwent brain surgery there on August 23, but his colleagues were unable to connect with him there while he was receiving treatment in the hospital. He was denied to travel abroad for treatment. Yang died in the hospital in Shanghai on November 7, 2017. Chinese authorities pressured Yang's relatives to cremate body and bury ashes in sea while keeping this information about the burial in sea in secret, but a Yang's friend had known about it and leaked this to a human rights group. Amnesty International considered Yang Tongyan as a prisoner of conscience who was persecuted by Chinese government for his fight for human rights.
Works
China permeated with fear - is a short essay about Chinese society that has tendency to jump in panic when some calamity happened instead to solve source of accident. This tendency can be seen also when Chinese officials are ready to give bribes to their bosses in order to secure their post, being suppressed by panic and fears of losing their job.
Awards
He was awarded with the PEN/Barbara Goldsmith Freedom to Write Award in 2008. Larry Siems, director of the award, said that jury chose Yang Tongyan, because He was one of 39 Chinese writers and journalists who were currently in prison. Also Yang was a member of the Independent Chinese PEN Center, said Larry Siems, that was organised by Chinese colleagues, and there are 5 members of the PEN centre currently imprisoned.
