chinese communist party, falun gong, little pink, persecution, police brutality, shanghai, shanghai public security bureau, shattered chinese dream, survivor, zhang yuxuan

Experiences in Shanghai Shatter Zhang Yuxuan’s Chinese Dream (Part 1)

One evening, around 9 o’clock, a young Taiwanese man named Zhang Yuxuan was scrolling through his mobile phone in his rented apartment in Shanghai when suddenly, he heard a crashing bang, and the front door was smashed open. Several public security officers of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) barged in, grabbed a hold of him, ...

Michael Segarty

Zhang Yuxuan, a young Taiwanese man who was persecuted by the Chinese Communist Party.

The Legendary Origin of the Violin Concerto ‘Butterfly Lovers’

One of the most famous Chinese works of orchestral music is the Butterfly Lovers Violin Concerto. It is based on the legendary tragic love story of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai and is also called “Liang Zhu” in Chinese, which is a combination of the family names of the central protagonists. This work has been ...

Michael Segarty

A monument to Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai, Asia's 'Romeo and Juliet.'

The ‘Theft of the Century’: Where Did China’s Gold Go?

The story of China and its obsession with gold is well documented as monthly data shows the phenomenal volumes imported through Hong Kong and traded on the Shanghai Gold Exchange. However, given how much commentators report on China’s interest in gold, it’s surprising that very few realize that in 12 months, the country lost thousands ...

Max Lu

The Bank of China.

A Kind-Hearted Deed Brings Unforeseen Blessings

An inexplicable kind-hearted deed occurred on December 31, 2014, when approximately 1 million people gathered for the New Year’s light show on the Bund in Shanghai. Tragically, that night, a stampede occurred that resulted in 49 people being injured and 36 being killed. Most of these were young students. A’s daughter was studying at the ...

Emma Lu

Close up of child's cupped hands holding a red heart.

Music Star Chen Gexin and His Fateful Encounter With the CCP (Part 2)

When he first returned to Shanghai full of hope and looking forward to a new life back home, Chen Gexin was highly regarded nationally. He came to work as a composer at the Shanghai Film Studio. He was employed by the Shanghai Conservatory of Music to teach composition and orchestration. However, at that time, like ...

Michael Segarty

Black and white photo of Chen Gexin.

Music Star Chen Gexin and His Fateful Encounter With the CCP (Part 1)

Popular singing star Chen Gexin was born in Shanghai. His original name was Chen Changshou. Shanghai in those days was renowned as the cultural capital of China and held center stage for artists. It was the epicenter of drama, movies, and song and dance. Chen Gexin was a musical genius. He never studied music professionally ...

Michael Segarty

Black and white photo of Chen Gexin.