Still taboo in mainland China: the Cultural Revolution as seen through the lens of Li Zhensheng
- Award-winning photographer still hopes that his countrymen will one day be able to see the images taken at the height of the turmoil
- Pictures that had to be hidden away for decades are still deemed too sensitive to be shown to the Chinese people
Photographs taken at the height of the Cultural Revolution and subsequently hidden away for decades brought Li Zhengsheng international acclaim when he was finally able to publish them.
But the award-winning photographer will almost certainly never see his album Red-Colour News Soldier: Li Zhensheng on sale in his homeland.
It was only in July this year that the first Chinese-language edition of the award-winning collection, which has already been printed in six languages was published in Hong Kong.
The 78-year-old still hopes his work will reach more Chinese people, but for now it has to be smuggled onto the mainland.
“It is impossible … Any book about the Cultural Revolution and important historical incidents has to be submitted [to the authorities] for approval. You can submit it, but they will not approve it,” he told the South China Morning Post during a recent visit to Hong Kong.
Li occasionally receives messages from readers who tried to take the Chinese edition they bought in Hong Kong through customs, but said: “I have personally received messages from two to three readers that the book had been confiscated during random searches at customs.”