‘Why would he take such a risk?’ How a famous Chinese author befriended his censor

The Audio Long Read

The Guardian

Society & Culture

4.3 • 2.4K Ratings

🗓️ 12 May 2025

⏱️ 43 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Online dissent is a serious crime in China. So why did a Weibo censor help me publish posts critical of the Communist party? By Murong Xuecun. Read by Zhang Wang Li. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpod

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	This is The Guardian.
0:09.0	Finlay Christie here.
0:10.6	If you're looking for a coastal adventure, you can't be a road trip around the island of Ireland.
0:16.6	Home to the Causeway coastal route and the Wild Atlantic Way,
0:20.5	you can experience both iconic journeys in one unforgettable trip.
0:25.3	From traditional music sessions in historic pubs to crazy adventures like C-Stat climbing,
0:31.6	there's something for everyone.
0:33.5	Explore everything Ireland has to offer at the Guardian.com forward slash tourism island.
0:39.5	This message was paid for by Tourism Island.
0:42.2	Have you heard the myth that Merlin constructed Stonehenge,
0:46.2	a monument that has stood for some 180 generations,
0:50.1	or the tale of King Arthur being conceived at Cornwall's Tintagel Castle,
0:54.5	or even how Dracula washed up on the shores by Whitby Abbey.
0:58.5	Across the country, there are legends to be unearthed on your visit to an English heritage site.
1:04.1	Plan your trip and save 15% on early bookings online.
1:07.9	Discover more at theguardian.com forward slash English Heritage.
1:12.2	This message was paid for by English Heritage.
1:20.5	Welcome to The Guardian Long Read,
1:22.7	showcasing the best long-form journalism covering culture, politics and new thinking.
1:27.3	For the text version of this and all our long reads, go to the Guardian.com forward slash
1:31.7	long read.
1:36.3	This article contains some swearing.
	...

Transcript will be available on the free plan in 7 days. Upgrade to see the full transcript now.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from The Guardian, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of The Guardian and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.