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Chinese bookseller Yu Miao, who once ran a popular bookstore in Shanghai that was shut down due to government pressure, has started a new chapter in Washington, D.C.
Yu Miao, a 52-year-old Chinese bookseller, has recently opened a new bookstore called JF Books in Washington, D.C., 12,000 kilometers from his former establishment in Shanghai. Yu’s previous bookstore, Jifeng, was a hub for discussions and exchanges of ideas on various topics, including social issues, religion and democracy. However, in 2018, he was forced to close the store due to increasing administrative pressure from the Chinese government.
In China, certain “sensitive” subjects are considered taboo in public, making it increasingly difficult for Yu to organize events on topics like feminism. Despite refusing to self-censor, authorities demanded he cancel events, and by 2017, Jifeng struggled to renew its lease. Yu realized that his “living space was shrinking” and had witnessed the closure of independent publications, media outlets and cultural institutions.
Sarah Brooks, Amnesty International’s China Director, explains that the Chinese government perceives any venue that provides access to potentially “politically sensitive” content or allows people to gather and discuss such topics as a threat to its control over public opinion.
On the eve of Jifeng’s closure, the electricity was cut off while people were still inside the bookstore, in an apparent attempt to prevent them from gathering. However, instead of leaving, customers illuminated the space with their mobile phones and flashlights, reading poetry, singing, playing guitar and piano in an emotional farewell.
After the closure of Jifeng, Yu and his family immigrated to the United States, where he resumed his studies. The idea of opening a new bookstore came naturally to him, driven by his desire to contribute to societal advancement and the lingering regret of having to close his Shanghai store.
Yu was also encouraged by the realization that Chinese-language books were not easily accessible in the US capital. JF Books offers works in English on China-related topics and Asian authors, as well as books published in mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong – a range that would have been unimaginable in his Shanghai bookstore due to strict controls.
However, the challenges did not end with the closure of Jifeng. More recently, Yu’s wife was temporarily prevented from leaving China after a visit, which he describes as a “nightmare experience.” The couple cherishes the ability to live together freely and without fear in the US.
As in Shanghai, Yu has made JF Books a place for gathering and sharing. The first three conferences he organized in September, including one with Chinese-American poet and writer Ha Jin, were fully booked.
The bookstore has attracted both Chinese and American customers. Rayna Zhang, a 35-year-old Chinese visitor, sees the store as a way to keep up with trends and youth culture from her home country. For William Au, 36, it’s interesting to find a place in Washington that seems to have held such an important role in Shanghai.
With AFP
