Made in Censorship: The Tiananmen Movement in Chinese Literature and Film

The book "Made in Censorship" explores the rich corpus of Tiananmen literature and film produced in mainland China since 1989, both officially sanctioned and unauthorized, contending that censorship shapes what is created. It explores the effects of state intervention on artistic production and consumption, including state propaganda, underground films, and controversial best-sellers. It also connects Tiananmen with the story of COVID-19 in China and considers the implications for debates about the reach and power of the Chinese state in the public realm.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 248 pages
Publication date: 24 May 2022
Publisher: Columbia University Press

The violent suppression of the 1989 Tiananmen Square demonstrations remains a highly taboo subject in contemporary China. Despite stringent censorship measures, Chinese culture continues to engage with the history, meaning, and memory of the Tiananmen movement.
In his book, Made in Censorship, Thomas Chen delves into the surprisingly rich corpus of Tiananmen literature and film produced in mainland China since 1989, both officially sanctioned and unauthorized. Chen argues that censorship not only forbids certain works but also shapes the creative process, influencing what is produced.
Through his exploration of a wide range of works, including state propaganda, underground films, and controversial best-sellers, Chen demonstrates the effects of state intervention on artistic production and consumption. He examines how artists navigate the constraints of censorship and find ways to express their ideas and emotions despite the limitations imposed upon them.
Chen's analysis spans various media, from print to the internet, television to DVD, fiction to documentary. He highlights works that were made despite censorship, such as a queer love story shot without permission that found official release on DVD, an officially sanctioned film that was ultimately not permitted to be released, a novel built on orthographic elisions that was banned and later reissued, and an internet narrative set during the SARS epidemic that was later published with alterations.
Furthermore, Chen connects Tiananmen with the story of COVID-19 in China and considers the implications for debates about the reach and power of the Chinese state in the public realm, both domestically and abroad. He challenges traditional understandings of censorship by unveiling not just what it suppresses but also what it produces.
Made in Censorship is a bold rethinking of contemporary Chinese literature and film that upends our understanding of censorship. It provides a comprehensive analysis of the ways in which censorship shapes artistic production and consumption in China and sheds light on the complex dynamics between the state, art, and society.

Weight: 360g
Dimension: 227 x 152 x 18 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780231204019