Sheng Xue

Sheng Xue or Reimonna Sheng (Chinese: 盛雪; pinyin: Shèng Xuě; born 1962), is the pen name of Zang Xihong (simplified Chinese: 臧锡红; traditional Chinese: 臧錫紅; pinyin: Zāng Xīhóng), a Chinese-Canadian journalist and writer, and human rights activist.

In this Chinese name, the family name is Sheng.

Background

Sheng Xue grew up in Beijing, and moved to Canada soon after the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989.

Xue is a member of PEN Canada, and also a member of The Independent Chinese PEN Center (ICPC), both of which belong to International PEN. She is a member of the Writers in Prison Committee of ICPC.

Xue is the Canadian correspondent of Radio Free Asia and the North American correspondent of Deutsche Welle (Voice of Germany). She is also a regular commentator or columnist for a couple of media.

In 2001, she received the Canadian Association for Journalists Award for Investigative Journalism, and the Canada's National Magazine Award, for an investigative report, "The Smuggler's Slaves", on the lives of Chinese boat refugees published in the Canadian magazine Maclean's.[1][2][3] She is the first Chinese Canadian to win such prestigious awards.

In 2005, Sheng won the Journalism and Media Award from the National Ethnic Press and Media Council of Canada,[4] for her outstanding achievements, contributions, and community service and in recognition of her efforts in promoting understanding the traditions and the interests of Chinese-Canadian communities, her leadership, courage and dedication for the promotion of multiculturalism, human rights, respect of human and cultural values, integrity and equality among all Canadians.

In 2001, Sheng Xue investigated China's most prominent smuggling case and published a book (in Chinese), Unveiling the Yuan Hua Case (simplified Chinese: “远华案”黑幕; traditional Chinese: 「遠華案」黑幕), which soon became a best seller in Chinese communities outside mainland China and created shock waves both inside and outside China. The Propaganda Department of the Communist Party of China immediately banned the book.

A collection of Sheng Xue's poems (in Chinese), Seeking the Soul of Snow (simplified Chinese: 觅雪魂; traditional Chinese: 覓雪魂), was published in Jan 2008 by United Writers Press, Hong Kong. The poetry collection has also been banned by authorities in mainland China.

United Writers Press also published a collection of Sheng Xue's essays (in Chinese), Lyricism From a Fierce Critic (simplified Chinese: 敌对抒情; traditional Chinese: 敵對抒情) in August 2008. This book has also been banned in China.

She also starred two Canadian movies, Small Pleasures (simplified Chinese: 浮云; traditional Chinese: 浮雲) in 1993,[5][6] and Chinese Chocolate (simplified Chinese: 落鸟; traditional Chinese: 落鳥) in 1995.[7] She also starred a stage drama (in Chinese), He Zhu Xin Pei (Chinese: 荷珠新佩), in 1997.[8]

Sheng Xue was the Writer in Residence at Carlton University, Ottawa, in the winter of 2007,[9] the Writer in Residence at McMaster University for the winter of 2009,[3] and the Writer in Exile of Edmonton during September 2009 - August 2010.[9]

Sheng Xue is a key leader of overseas Chinese pro-democratic movement and is an outspoken critic of the Chinese government's human rights record. She is the chairperson of June 4 Massacre Investigation; Vice-Chairperson of The Federation for a Democratic China, Board member of Forum for Democratization of China and Asia. She established a group "Ten Dollar Can" in 2004, which is to encourage people to donate Ten Dollars per month and send to writers and journalists in prison, as well as other political prisoners, in China. She is also a founder of China Rights Network, a coalition of a number of organisations united by their opposition to the policies of the Chinese Communist Party, including Falundafa Human Right Association, Federation for a Democratic China, Students for a Free Tibet, Taiwanese Human Right Association of Canada, Tibetan Women's Association of Ontario, Tibetan Youth Congress, Uyghur Canadian Association, World Federalists of Canada, and others.

On September 29, 2012, during a function held in Sheng Xue's home by about 50 Asian political exiles to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival, the Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism, Jason Kenney, on behalf of the Canadian government, awarded Sheng Xue the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.

On October 8, 2012, during the FDC's 11th Global Congress held in Budapest, Sheng Xue was elected as the Chairperson of Federation for a Democratic China.

Books
  • Unveiling the Yuan Hua Case (simplified Chinese: “远华案”黑幕; traditional Chinese: 「遠華案」黑幕), Mirror Books, New York, USA, 2001. ISBN 962-8744-46-1.
  • Seeking the Soul of Snow (simplified Chinese: 觅雪魂; traditional Chinese: 覓雪魂), United Writers Press, Hong Kong, Jan 2008. ISBN 978-988-17-2051-1.
  • Lyricism From a Fierce Critic (simplified Chinese: 敌对抒情; traditional Chinese: 敵對抒情), United Writers Press, Hong Kong, August 2008. ISBN 978-988-17-2056-6.

All of these three books have been banned in China.

Starring

Family

Grandfather Zang Qifang (Chinese: 臧啟芳, 1894–1961) was the Mayor of Tianjin from 1930–1931, and the president of Dongbei University from 1937–1947. He also held some other important government/academy positions in China before 1949, and in Taiwan after 1949.

  • Father Zang Pengnian (Chinese: 臧朋年)
  • Mother Li Guiqing (Chinese: 李桂琴)
  • Husband Dong Xin (Chinese: 董昕)

References
  1. "The Best of the Best, Summer 2001: CAJ Award Winners". eagle.ca/caj/mediamag. Archived from the original on October 1, 2005. Retrieved 2010-08-11.
  2. "Masthead News Archives, May 2001: CAJ winks at Maclean's—again". mastheadonline.com. 2001-05-29. Retrieved 2010-08-11.
  3. Terry, Matt (2009-01-22). "McMaster welcomes new International Writer-in-Residence". mcmaster.ca. Archived from the original on 2011-07-06. Retrieved 2010-08-10.
  4. "Names and Bio's of Honourees, page2". nepmcc.ca. Retrieved 2010-08-11.
  5. Small Pleasures on www.imdb.com website
  6. Yan Ming (Chinese: 严明): Pro-democracy activist becomes a star -- Sheng Xue and the movie she stars, Small Pleasures] (Chinese: 民运女将转眼成了明星——盛雪与她参演的影片《浮云》), China Spring magazine (in Chinese), Sept. 1993, New York
  7. Chinese Chocolate on www.film.com website
  8. Ya Yi (Chinese: 亚衣): Here are also passionate and poetic (Chinese: 这里也有激情和诗意), China Spring magazine (in Chinese), July 1997, Page 74-82, New York
  9. "Sheng Xue chosen as PEN Canada City of Edmonton Writer in Exile (.pdf format)" (PDF). PEN Canada. 2009-03-23. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-16. Retrieved 2010-08-10.
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