Censure and Censorship: Prohibition and presence of Yan Lianke's writings in China

Much attention has been paid to the censorship Yan Lianke has faced in China. Close observation of the censure against his works shows that it operates in three forms: book bans, netizen censure, and transformation of public censure into pressure exerted on the novelist in the private domain. Compared with other critical writers and artists who have either left China or are inconsistent in their critique of the state of affairs in the country, Yan's consistent critique and continuous presence in China have highlighted a “structure of presence” of the critical subject who relies on networks of support to continue his presence in the country. On the one hand, these networks have enabled Yan's presence as a voice and a person in China; on the other hand, Yan's critical writings also transform these infrastructural entities into a field of empowerment. Censorship, therefore, instead of being a one-dimensional imposition of power, could be viewed as a structure in which restrictions and resistance play out.