The Emperor is Afraid of Zhu Yufu

February 10, 2012--A Chinese court has sentenced dissident writer Zhu Yufu to seven years in prison,  the group Chinese Human Rights Defenders said this morning.

Zhu, a long-time human rights activist and democracy advocate, was detained in March of 2011 and charged with subversion in Hangzhou in January 2012 for acts including the composition and distribution of a poem urging citizens to create a freely chosen future for China.

The poem, titled “It’s Time” appears here and in translation by A. E. Clark:

是时候了，中国人！是时候了
广场是大家的
脚是自己的
是时候用脚去广场作出选择

是时候了，中国人！是时候了
歌曲是大家的
喉是自己的
是时候用喉唱出心底的歌曲

是时候了，中国人！是时候了
中国是大家的
选择是自己的
是时候用自己选择未来的中国

It’s time, people of China! It’s time.
The Square belongs to everyone.
With your own two feet
It’s time to head to the Square and make your choice.

It’s time, people of China! It’s time.
A song belongs to everyone.
From your own throat
It’s time to voice the song in your heart.

It’s time, people of China! It’s time.
China belongs to everyone.
Of your own will
It’s time to choose what China shall be.


This site urges all of its readers to resist the repression of Chinese poets and to sign the petition to free Zhu Yufu:  http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/free-zhu-yufu/