Xu Zhiyong: There is joy everywhere

“这些人的刑期，是无期，有期的结束，就开始了无期的，监外执行而已。”

via Xu Zhiyong.

‘There is joy everywhere’

As his trial began in January 2014, Mr. Xu and his lawyers held no hope for a fair outcome. The judge had even refused to let their witnesses testify. So they decided to use silence as a means of protest until Mr. Xu tried to deliver a combative closing statement that was later widely circulated on Chinese social media.

Still, Mr. Xu was ever the optimist.

There is joy everywhere. My last days at the detention center were leisurely. There was a fundamental improvement in my shuangsheng ability (a variation of poker). I could now remember cards.

Here are excerpts from his essay, titled “Four Years Afar” and originally published in Chinese on Mr. Xu’s blog. .nytimes.com 2018/09/18