Ai Qing

Ai Qing (1910-1996), also spelled Ai Ching, a pseudonym of Jiang Haicheng, was a Chinese poet. He was famous for socially conscious works. His first collection of poetry was Ta-yen- ho. This collection of poetry gave him fame. He joined communist movement at Yenan in 1941. He became associate editor of the Communist People’s Literature Journal. He campaigned for communist control of literature. He was Mao’s Anti-Rightist Campaigner during the “Hundred Flowers” in the year of 1956-1957.He was accused of being a revisionist and sent to state farm in desert area of Zinjiang for “rehabilitation.” He returns to Beijing in 1975. His works were published again in 1978.

Wisdom & Quotes

• I love the sound of the distant bugle call in the countryside in the morning

I love to be pushed in busy crowds
I love the sound of gongs and trumpets along the streets
I love circus performances
I even wish to die in this moment of glorious encounter.
- "Jintian" (Today)

• Often my creative life has seemed like a long tunnel

dark and damp. And sometimes I wondered whether I could
live through it.
But I did.

Bian Zhilin