Suffering and Resistance under the Shadow of China

This English-language edition presents Kin-man Chan’s personal experience as a prisoner against the backdrop of a major shift in Hong Kong’s political climate. Kin-man Chan was a key participant in Hong Kong’s Occupy Central Movement, which aimed to pressure Beijing to implement the universal suffrage promised under the Basic Law, Hong Kong’s constitution, following the former British colony’s handover to Chinese sovereignty in 1997. The crackdown on the Occupy Central campaign ignited the massive student-led Umbrella Movement—a peaceful occupation of three zones in the city that lasted 79 days in 2014. Ultimately, this led to Chan and others being imprisoned. Translated into English for the first time, Chan’s letters provide firsthand insight into this critical juncture in Hong Kong’s history. Alongside the letters, the author presents detailed accounts of his daily life in prison, analysis of Hong Kong’s political situation, and reflections on responsibility, commitment, perseveration, sacrifice, and human dignity. This book sheds light on Hong Kong’s resistance movement as part of a broader struggle against tyranny throughout the world. It is a must-read for scholars and readers interested in Hong Kong and Chinese politics.