Liu Xiaobo

Liu Xiaobo
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Name	Liu Xiaobo
Birth date	December 28, 1955
Birth place	Changchun, Jilin, China
Death date	July 13, 2017
Death place	Shenyang, Liaoning, China
Occupation	Writer, Human Rights Activist, Nobel Laureate

Liu Xiaobo was a prominent Chinese Dissident and Human Rights Activist who played a crucial role in the Tiananmen Square Protests of 1989, alongside other notable figures such as Wang Dan and Chai Ling. He was a key figure in the Charter 08 movement, which called for Democracy and Human Rights in China, and was supported by Ding Zilin and Fang Lizhi. Liu Xiaobo's activism and writings were heavily influenced by Western Philosophy, particularly the ideas of John Stuart Mill and Jean-Paul Sartre, and he was also inspired by the works of Vaclav Havel and Adam Michnik.

● Early Life and Education

Liu Xiaobo was born in Changchun, Jilin Province, China, to a family of Intellectuals. His father, Liu Xiaoyan, was a professor of Chinese Literature at Jilin University, and his mother, Xu Anyuan, was a nurse at a local Hospital. Liu Xiaobo's early education took place at Jilin University, where he studied Chinese Literature and was influenced by the works of Mao Zedong and Lu Xun. He later moved to Beijing to pursue his graduate studies at Peking University, where he earned his Master's Degree in Chinese Literature and was exposed to the ideas of Western Philosophy, including those of Immanuel Kant and Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel.

● Career and Activism

Liu Xiaobo's career as a writer and activist began in the 1980s, when he became involved in the Chinese Democracy Movement, alongside other notable figures such as Wei Jingsheng and Fang Lizhi. He was a key figure in the Tiananmen Square Protests of 1989, where he, along with Wang Dan and Chai Ling, called for Democracy and Human Rights in China. Liu Xiaobo's activism was also influenced by the Solidarity Movement in Poland, led by Lech Walesa, and the Velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia, led by Vaclav Havel. He was a strong supporter of Taiwanese Independence and was friends with Lee Teng-hui, the former President of Taiwan.

● Imprisonment and Later Life

Liu Xiaobo was imprisoned several times for his activism, including in 1989, 1995, and 2009, when he was sentenced to 11 years in prison for his involvement in the Charter 08 movement, which was supported by Ding Zilin and Fang Lizhi. During his imprisonment, Liu Xiaobo was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2010, which was seen as a major embarrassment for the Chinese Government, led by Hu Jintao and Wen Jiabao. Liu Xiaobo's health deteriorated significantly during his imprisonment, and he was eventually released on medical parole in 2017, when he was diagnosed with Liver Cancer and received treatment at a Hospital in Shenyang, under the supervision of Chinese Authorities.

● Nobel Peace Prize

The Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Liu Xiaobo in 2010 for his "long and non-violent struggle for fundamental Human Rights in China", as recognized by the Nobel Committee, which has also awarded the prize to other notable figures such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Nelson Mandela. The award was seen as a major recognition of Liu Xiaobo's contributions to the Chinese Democracy Movement, and was supported by International Organizations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, which have also recognized the work of Aung San Suu Kyi and Malala Yousafzai. The Chinese Government, however, was strongly opposed to the award, and Diplomatic Relations between China and Norway were strained as a result, with Jens Stoltenberg and Hu Jintao exchanging criticism.

● Legacy and Impact

Liu Xiaobo's legacy as a Human Rights Activist and Democracy Advocate continues to inspire people around the world, including in Hong Kong, where he was a strong supporter of the Umbrella Movement, led by Joshua Wong and Alex Chow. His writings and ideas have been widely read and studied, and he is seen as a key figure in the Chinese Democracy Movement, alongside other notable figures such as Wei Jingsheng and Fang Lizhi. Liu Xiaobo's impact on Chinese Politics and Society is still being felt, and his legacy continues to be celebrated by International Organizations such as the United Nations and the European Union, which have also recognized the work of Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu.

● Personal Life

Liu Xiaobo was married to Liu Xia, a Chinese Artist and Poet, who was also a strong supporter of his activism, and was friends with Ai Weiwei and Mo Yan. He had a son, Liu Tao, from a previous marriage, and was a close friend of Wang Dan and Chai Ling, with whom he shared a strong commitment to Democracy and Human Rights in China. Liu Xiaobo's personal life was marked by his strong commitment to his activism, and he was willing to make significant sacrifices for his beliefs, including his Freedom and his Health, as recognized by International Human Rights Law and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Category:Chinese Dissidents