Jiang Qisheng (November 5, 1948-), a native of Changshu, Jiangsu Province, is a writer and scholar. Jiang was a Red Guard during the Cultural Revolution, after which he went to work as a farmer in the countryside. Jiang enrolled in the Beijing Aeronautics College in 1977, where he received his bachelor's and master's degrees in aerodynamics, and then taught at Tsinghua University from 1985 to 1988. He began his doctoral program in Philosophy of Science and Technology at the Renmin University of China in 1988.
In 1989, Jiang participated in the student movement, serving as a member of the standing committee of the student dialogue delegation and the standing committee of the Renmin University autonomous student union. In September of that year, Jiang was detained in Qincheng Prison, released without charge in February 1991, and expelled from Renmin University in June. After his release, Jiang became a freelance writer and has been a contributing commentator for Radio Free Asia since 2006.
Jiang has written numerous articles on human rights and social justice issues in China, and has been persecuted on several occasions. In May 1999, he was arrested and sentenced to four years' imprisonment for inciting subversion of state power, released in May 2003.
Jiang is the author of several books including Civilian Report on the Situation of June 4 Victims in China, Notes from the Detention Center, and Lighting the Candle of Conscience.
