Jianlan

Jianlan is a young translator and Peter’s guide in Beijing. Through Jianlan and her moderate conservative approach, Peter ran up against many no-go topics in China. One of the most significant being the Tiananmen Square Protests of 1989. Known as “The June 4 Incident” in China, Jianlan seemed to know nothing about them or their relevance to her generation. Discussion of the protests - which were broadcast worldwide - is forbidden by the Communist Party of China. Public memory of the protests has been suppressed and any coverage must conform to the government’s ‘official version’ of the events. Internet searches on this subject and many similar topics (like Taiwanese independence, human rights abuses or the Falun Gong movement) are blocked, as are thousands of other websites - including Facebook - that the government believes will incite dissent by Jianlan’s generation.

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