Wuhan lockdown diary effectively banned in China, says author labelled a ‘traitor’
- The book is a collection of posts from author Fang Fang’s Weibo account regarding life during the so-called world’s harshest coronavirus lockdown
- Chinese critics have condemned the author as a ‘traitor’ after a movement to publish the compilation of her posts took root abroad
A book that recounts life in the central Chinese city of Wuhan while under a strict coronavirus lockdown has been effectively banned in China, its author said.
Chinese critics have been trying to thwart publication of the book titled Wuhan Diary, whose English version has received international recognition, although the country’s authorities have not officially prohibited it, said the 65-year-old local novelist known as Fang Fang.
A publisher had been preparing to distribute the book domestically but shied away out of fear of pressure from critics, she said, adding that her ability to earn a living as a writer had also been threatened.
“The virus spread, thousands of people died of disease, and numerous families collapsed,” Fang Fang said. The virus that causes respiratory disease Covid-19 has so far sickened more than 83,500 people in mainland China and killed more than 4,600.