Introduction to Pu Zhiqiang

This post is a short introduction to Pu Zhiqiang (浦志强), an attorney who has become quite well known in China for his pungent prose and willingness to take tough cases. His most famous case, at least abroad, is the defense of Chen Guidi (陈桂棣) and Wu Chuntao (吴春桃), the husband-and-wife authors of "An Investigation of China's Peasantry" (中国农民调查) who were sued for libel by one of the officials about whom they had said unflattering things in the book. Although the hearings in the case have now concluded, the court has yet to pronounce its judgment. It's a no-win situation for the court, but perhaps as long as they don't pronounce judgment nobody will complain too much -- it amounts to a win for the defendants, and the plaintiff may feel he's made his point just by suing and be unwilling to press for a decision just in case it's against him.

For a sample of Pu's prose style, check out this remarkable essay, which I have translated: Download pu_zhiqiang_absurd_decision.pdf

Web references:

• Text of "Investigation" (Chinese)
• Report on the publication and eventual banning of "Investigation", as well as the libel suit
• Later report on the libel suit and Pu's role in the defense (includes photo)
• Brief bio of Pu, from the Yale Law School's China Law Center
• Pu's blog, with essays and courtroom presentations (Chinese)