Originally published on January 2, 2019 (Episode 92)
Introduction
In 1960, Lin Zhao—a poet and journalist who had once embraced both Christianity and Maoism—was arrested by the Communist Party of China and imprisoned for “re-education.” In prison, she abandoned Maoism but clung to her Christian faith. From her cell, she composed long poems and essays, some written in her own blood, condemning Mao’s regime and exposing its lies.
Deemed incapable of re-education, she was executed, and her family was billed for the bullet. Yet her writings survived in state archives, where they became an enduring testament against tyranny. In twenty-first-century China, Lin Zhao’s words continue to inspire and provoke, making her as much a dissident today as in the 1960s.
In this conversation, Professor Xi Lian and I discuss Lin Zhao’s extraordinary life, the preservation of her blood-written manuscripts, and her continuing influence as a prophet of resistance.
About the Guest
Xi Lian is David C. Steinmetz Distinguished Professor of World Christianity at Duke Divinity School. His research focuses on the intersection of religion, politics, and modern China. He is the author of Redeemed by Fire: The Rise of Popular Christianity in Modern China (Yale, 2010) and Blood Letters: The Untold Story of Lin Zhao, a Martyr in Mao’s China (Basic Books, 2018).
For Further Investigation
Lian Xi, Blood Letters: The Untold Story of Lin Zhao, a Martyr in Mao’s China (Basic Books, 2018)
—, Redeemed by Fire: The Rise of Popular Christianity in Modern China (Yale, 2010)
Listen & Discuss
What does Lin Zhao’s story reveal about dissent under totalitarian regimes?
How does her embrace of Christianity shape her resistance to Maoism?
Why do her writings remain threatening to China’s rulers today?
If Lin Zhao’s story moves you, share this conversation with someone who cares about human rights, faith, or freedom.
