From probing historical truths to enlightening free thought, Yanhuang Chunqiu remained a persistent voice in both official and non-official spheres, occupying a gray area between the two, until it was ultimately forced to cease publication and brought under official control.

A rare memoir on the Anti-Rightist Campaign experiences of ethnic minorities.

“Even if the Apple has fallen, the seed has been planted in the hearts of Hong Kongers—eternal and undying.”

(Uyghur follows) Söyüngül Chanisheff was born in 1940 into an educated Tatar family in Urumqi. She attended a Tatar school in Urumqi for her primary education and completed her secondary education at Urumqi No. 2 Middle School. In 1957, she was admitted to Xinjiang Medical College. During her university years, she grew disillusioned with the series of political movements initiated by the Chinese Communist Party and openly opposed the nominal autonomy granted to ethnic minorities by the Chinese government under what the government called the "system of regional ethnic autonomy." On the eve of her graduation in 1962, she secretly founded the East Turkistan People's Labor Party with several classmates and served as the organization's secretary. However, due to informants planted among the students by Chinese public security authorities, the organization was exposed. On April 29 of the same year, Söyüngül, along with dozens of young Uyghur students was arrested. After her arrest, Söyüngül and her classmate Sajida were imprisoned in Urumqi No. 2 Prison. Following over a year of solitary confinement and harsh interrogations, she was labeled a political prisoner and sentenced to long-term imprisonment. In August 1963, she was transferred from prison to the "West Gobi Labor Camp" in western Urumqi. There, she and other political prisoners were subjected to forced labor and inhumane treatment. Her youthful vigor and hopes for the future were gradually crushed. On the eve of the Cultural Revolution in 1966, Söyüngül was released from the West Gobi Labor Camp, only to face an even harsher fate. The authorities sent her to the Nanshan People's Commune in southern Urumqi, where she was subjected to labor reform under what the party called "people's supervision," which meant prison-like conditions in a remote community. Bearing the label of a "political prisoner," Söyüngül endured years darker than her time in prison: she was forced to perform grueling labor during the day and dragged to struggle sessions at night, where she was compelled to publicly criticize herself and repent for her actions. Over a decade of her youth was consumed by physical and mental torment at Nanshan Commune. In the late 1970s, although the Cultural Revolution had ended and the Chinese Communist Party's ethnic policies had slightly softened, the situation for political prisoners like Söyüngül showed no improvement. After her youth had been depleted by imprisonment and labor reform, she married a fellow sufferer, Latif, in the mid-1970s and moved to his hometown of Chöchek (Tacheng). However, even in Chöchek, she could not lead a normal life, remaining under constant pressure. From the late 1970s to the early 1980s, the Chinese government approved applications for ethnic minorities of Russian and Tatar descent, who had historically migrated from Russia to Xinjiang, to emigrate to Australia. Unable to find a way to live a normal lifeout in her homeland, Söyüngül and her family seized this opportunity and immigrated to Australia in 1982. After settling in Australia, Söyüngül actively participated in the emerging East Turkistani immigrant community activities in South Australia. To preserve their mother tongue for the next generation, she took on teaching responsibilities and served as the principal of a Uyghur language school. Additionally, she submitted reports to international human rights organizations, including the United Nations, to expose the forced-assimilation policies implemented by the Chinese Communist Party against indigenous peoples like the Uyghurs. She also assisted the renowned Uyghur poet Ahmet Igemberdi in successfully immigrating to Australia. Furthermore, she served long-term as a board member and treasurer of the Turkistan Association, an exile group established in Australia in 1994. Even in her years after immigration, misfortune continued to follow Söyüngül: her father passed away in 1985, and her husband Latif died in 1988 at the age of 49. Since then, she has lived in Australia with her children. In addition to her work <i>The Land Drenched in Tears</i>, she also published a monograph documenting her family history titled <i>Prisoners by the Manas River</i>. Söyün'gül Chanishéf 1940-yili Ürümchide oqumushluq bir Tatar a'iliside tughulghan. Bashlanghuch mektepni Ürümchidiki Tatar mektipide, ottura mektepni Ürümchi 2-ottura mektepte oqughan. 1957-Yili Shinjang Méditsina Inistitutigha oqushqa kirgen. Aliy mektepte oqush jeryanida, Xitay kompartiyesi qozghighan siyasiy heriketlerdin bizar bolghan, shundaqla Xitay hökümitining az sanliq milletlerge bergen saxta aptonomiyesi – milliy téritoriyelik aptonomiye tüzümi-ge naraziliq bildürgen. 1962-yili oqush püttürüsh aldida yeqin sawaqdashliri bilen “Sherqiy Türkistan Méhnetkesh Xelq Partiyesi” namliq mexpiy teshkilat qurghan. Söyün’gül bu teshkilatning katipliq wezipisini öz üstige alghan. Halbuki, aridin birqanche ay ötmeyla Xitay J X organlirining istudéntlar arisigha qoyghan qulaqlirining uchur yetküzüshi bilen bu mexpiy teshkilat pash bolup qalghan. Buning bilen Söyün’gül we uning yeqin sawaqdashliridin Abliz, Ehmet, Sajide qatarliq nechche onlighan yash Uyghur oqughuchilar 1962-yili 29-april küni qolgha élin’ghan. Söyün’gül qolgha élin’ghandin kéyin, yeqin qiz sawaqdishi Sajide bilen Ürümchi sheherlik 2-türmige qamalghan. Qarangghu türmide bir yildin artuq qiyin-qistaq we soraq-soalardin kéyin, “siyasiy jinayetchi” dégen jinayet bilen uzun mezgillik qamaq jazasigha höküm qilin’ghan. 1963-yili 8-ayda qarangghu türmidin Ürümchining gherbiy qismidiki “Shigobi” emgek bilen özgertish lagérigha yötkelgen. Bu yerde bashqa “siyasiy jinayetchi” ler bilen birlikte éghir emgekke sélin’ghan we insan qelipidin chiqqan xorluqlargha uchrighan. Yashliq Bahari we kelgüsige bolghan ümid-ishenchi berbat bolushqa bashlighan. 1966-yili “Medeniyet Zor Inqilabi” bashlinish aldida, Söyün’gül “Shigobi emgek bilen özgertish lageri” din qoyup bérilidu, emma téximu éghir qismet uni kütiwalidu. J X organliri uni Ürümchining jenubiy qismidiki Nensen Xelq Gongshesigha élip bérip, “Xelq nazariti” astida “emgek bilen özgertish”ke tapshurup béridu. “Siyasiy jinayetchi” degen qalpaq bilen bu yerge élip kélin’gen Söyün’gül türmidinmu better künlerni körüshke bashlaydu. U kündüzi eng éghir emgekke sélinsa, kechliki xelq yighinida “küresh” ke tartilidu. Amma aldida öz-özini tenqid qilishqa, towa qilishqa mejburlinidu. Shundaq qilip uning 10 yildin artuq yashliq hayati Nensen xelq gongshésida éghir emgek we rohiy bésim ichide weyran bolidu. 1970-yillarning ikkinchi yérimigha kelgende “Medeniyet Inqilabi” axirliship, Xitayning milletler siyasitide qismen “yumshash” bashlan’ghan bolsimu, emma “siyasiy jinayetchi” dégen qalpaq kiygen Söyün’gül we uning sawaqdashlirining délosida hechqandaq özgirish bolmaydu. Yashliq Bahari Türme we éghir emgekler bilen xazan bolghan Söyün’gül 1970-yillarning otturisida özige oxshash qismetke uchrighan Latif isimlik yigit bilen toy qilidu, shundaqla yoldishining yurti Chöchekke köchüp baridu. Emma u Chöchektimu normal hayatta yashiyalmaydu, her waqit “xelq réjimi” we siyasiy bésim ichide kün ötküzidu. 1970-yillarning arxiri, 1980-yillarning bashlirida Xitay hökümiti Xinjang Uyghur Aptonom Rayonida yashaydighan Rus, Tatar qatarliq tarixta Rusiye tewelikidin Xinjanggha köchüp kélip yerleshken az sanliq milletlerning Awstraliyege köchmen bolup kétish iltimasini testiqlaydu. Öz wetinide hechqandaq chiqish yoli tapalmighan Söyün’gül we uning a’ilisi bu pursetni ching tutup, 1982-yili Awstraliyege köchmen bolup yerlishidu we Kommunist Xitayning kontrolluqidin axiri qutilidu. Söyün’gül Awstraliyege köchmen bolup barghandin kéyin, Jenubiy Awstarliyede shekillinishke bashlighan Sherqiy Türkistan köchmenler jem’iyitide aktip pa’aliyet qilidu. Kéyinki ewladlarning ana tilini saqlash üchün u Jenubiy Awstarliye Uyghur tili mektipining mudirliqini öz üstige alidu. Yene bir tereptin, u Birleshken Döletler Teshkilati we bashqa xelq’araliq Kishilik Hoquq organlirigha doklat yollap, kommunist Xitay hökümitining Sherqiy Türkistandiki Uyghur we bashqa yerlik milletlerge qaratqan asssimiliyatsiye siyasitini pash qilidu. Singlisining yoldishi, mehshur Uyghur sha’iri Exmet Igemberdining Awstraliyege köchmen bolup chiqishigha yardem qilidu. Uningdin bashqa u yene 1994-yili Awstraliyede qurulghan “Türkistan Jem’iyiti” ning hey’et ezasi we xezinedari qatarliq wezipilerni öteydu. Söyün’gülning muhajirettiki keyinki hayati dawamida uning béshigha éghir künler kélidu. 1985-yili dadisi kesellik sewebidin alemdin ötidu. 1988-yili yoldishi Latif 49 yéshida wapat bolidu. Shuningdin kéyin Söyün’gül baliliri bilen Awstraliyede yashap kelmekte. Söyün'gül Chanishéfning «Köz Yéshida Nemlen'gen Zémin» namliq eslimisidin bashqa yene «Manas Boyida Tutqun» namliq a'ile tarixi yézilghan mexsus kitabimu neshir qilin’ghan.

Let's listen to the voices of contemporary workers.

(English follows) Bu kitab muhajirettiki Uyghur jem’iyitide nisbeten baldur neshir qilin’ghan, shundaqla Uyghur ziyaliylirining kommunist Xitay hökümranliqi astidiki paji'elik kechürmishlirini inchike détallar bilen teswirlep bergen edebiy xatire sheklidiki eslimidur. Téximu éniqraq qilip éytqanda, bu kitabta aptorning charek esirlik ré'al kechürmishliri asasiy liniye qilinip, 1957-yilidin 1982-yilighiche bolghan 25 yil jeryanida Sherqiy Türkistan (Shinjang)diki Uyghur istudéntlarning boran-chapqunluq sergüzeshtiliri we tragédiyelik teqdiri yorutup bérilgen. 1957-Yili Séntebirde emdila 17 yashqa kirgen Söyün'gül Chanishéf (aptor) Shinjang Méditsina Inistitutigha qobul qilinidu. Bu pütün Xitay miqyasida Maw Zédung bashlatqan «échilip-sayrash» dolquni emdila axirliship, «istil tüzitish» herikiti bashlanghan, Shinjang Uyghur Aptonom Rayonida «yerlik milletchilikke qarshi heriket» élip bérishning teyyarliqi jiddiy élip bériliwatqan mezgiller idi. Söyün'gülning siyasiy dolqunlar ichide bashlanghan aliy mektep hayati uning kéyinki teqdiride oylap baqmighan qarangghu sehipilerni achidu. U Méditsina Inistitutidiki bashqa Uyghur sawaqdashliri bilen birlikte siyasiy jehette «échilip-sayrash»qa, «istil tüzitish» yighinlirigha qatniship, kompartiye heqqidiki pikir-qarashlirini ochuq otturigha qoyushqa mejbur qilinidu. Yashliq bahari urghup turghan, kelgüsige ümid bilen qarighan, emma siyasiy boran-chapqunlarda téxi pishmighan bu bir türküm sap-sebiy we qizghin oqughuchilar köz aldidiki rehmisiz siyasiy ré'alliqtin qattiq ümidsizlinidu. Sabiq Sowét Ittipaqi modélidiki ittipaqdash jumhuriyetlik aliy aptonomiye tüzümini Xitaydiki Uyghur, Tibet, Mongghul qatarliq az sanliq milletlerning aliy aptonomiye hoquqining tüp kapaliti dep bilgen bu yashlar, Xitay kompartiyesining Xitayche uslubtiki «milliy téritoriyelik aptonomiye tüzümi»din qattiq narazi bolidu. Ular, Shinjangda ölke derijilik atalmish «Shinjang Uyghur Aptonom Rayoni» emes, belki Sowét Ittipaqi modélidiki «Sherqiy Türkistan/Uyghuristan Ittipaqdash Jumhuriyiti» qurulushi kérek, dep qaraydu. Ularning «échilip-sayrash» yighinlirida dadilliq bilen otturigha qoyghan bu pikir-telepliri, kéyinche ularning siyasiy jehettiki qéchip qutulalmas éghir jinayiti bolup qalidu. Shuningdin kéyinki polat tawlash, chong sekrep ilgirilesh, yerlik milletchilikke qarshi heriket jeryanida Söyün'gülni öz ichige alghan yerlik millet oqughuchiliri qattiq tenqid we teqipke, siyasiy bésim we rohiy azablargha duch kélidu. Acharchiliq yillirining éghir riyazetlirini béshidin ötküzidu. Xitay kompartiyesining az sanliq milletlerge qaratqan aldamchiliq siyasiti we saxta aptonomiyesining mahiyitini chongqur chüshinip yétidu. Netijide ularda mexpiy teshkilat qurup, yer asti siyasiy küresh pa'aliyetliri bilen shoghullinish; kéyinche shara'it piship yétilgende yerlik xelqni qozghap keng kölemlik milliy azadliq sépi shekillendürüsh; Xitay mustemlikisidin qutulup, Sherqiy Türkistanning musteqilliqini qolgha keltürüshtek siyasiy ghaye hem pikir birliki hasil bolidu. Ular 1962-yili 2-ayning 5-küni Shinjang Méditsina Inistitutining oqughuchilar yataq binasida mexpiy yighilip, «Sherqiy Türkistan Méhnetkesh Xelq Partiyesi» namliq siyasiy teshkilat quridu. Söyün'gül Chanishéf bu teshkilatning katipliq wezipisini öz üstige alidu. Halbuki, aridin birqanche ay ötmeyla Xitay Jama'et Xewpsizlik organlirining oqughuchilar arisigha mexpiy orunlashturghan jasuslirining uchur yetküzüshi bilen bu teshkilat pash bolup qalidu. Shu yili 4-ayning 29-küni Söyün'gül Chanishéfni öz ichige alghan nechche onlighan Uyghur oqughuchilar qolgha élinidu. Shuningdin bashlap Söyün'gül we uning sawaqdashlirining uzun yilliq türme we mejburiy emgek hayati bashlinidu. Ürümchi türmisidiki 4 yilgha sozulghan qiyin-qistaq we qarangghu türme hayatidin kéyin, Söyün'gül we uning türmidishi Sajide Ürümchi etrapidiki emgek bilen özgertish lagérida mejburiy emgekke sélinidu. Bu jeryanda insan tesewwur qilghusiz teqip we qiyin-qistaqlargha, künige on nechche sa'etlik éghir emgekke, achliq we rohiy azablargha duch kélidu. Medeniyet Inqilabi bashlinishi bilen ularni téximu éghir qismetler kütiwalidu. Söyün'gül «siyasiy jinayetchi» dégen qalpaq bilen Ürümchi etrapidiki bir xelq kommunasigha yerleshtürülüp, ammining nazariti astida éghir emgek arqiliq özgertishke tapshurup bérilidu. U bu yerde türmidinmu better qiyin künlerge duch kélidu. Rohiy we jismaniy jehettin qattiq xorlinidu. Uzun yilliq türme, mejburiy emgek we qiyin-qistaq Söyün'gül Chanishéf we uning tutqundiki sawaqdashlirini öz ichige alghan bir ewlad Uyghur yashlirining yashliq baharini, arzu-armanlirini, ghaye we intilishlirini xazan qilidu. 1976-Yiligha kelgende Xitay kompartiyesining aliy rehbiri Maw ölüp, «Medeniyet Zor Inqilabi» axirlashqan, 1978-yili kommunist Xitayning milletler siyasitide «yumshash» bashlanghan bolsimu, emma Söyün'gül Chanishéf qatarliq «siyasiy jinayetchi» qalpiqi kiydürülgen bir ewlad Uyghur oqughuchilarning délosi hel bolmaydu. 1980-yillarning bashlirigha kelgende, Xitayning siyasiy atmosférasida körülgen «islahat» we «ishikni échiwétish» dolqunidimu héchqandaq siyasiy kengchilikke érishelmigen Söyün'gül pütün a'ilisi bilen birlikte tughulup ösken yurtini tashlap Awstraliyege köchmen bolup kétidu. Shundaq qilip, Söyün'gülning Sherqiy Türkistandiki 18 yilliq türme we tutqunluq hayati axirliship, erkin dunyadiki kéyinki hayati bashlinidu. Bu eslime aptor Söyün'gül chanishéfning muhajirettiki hayati dawamida eyni waqittiki kündilik xatirisi bilen türme xatirilirini retlesh, toluqlash, qayta eslep yézish arqiliq wujutqa chiqqan. Pütün kitab 700 betke yéqin uzun sehpidin teshkil tapqan bolup, tili addiy, uslubi yenggil we güzel, hékaye weqeliki jiddiy we jelp qilarliq shekilde yézilghan. Bu kitab peqet aptorning béshidin köchürgen shexsiy kechürmishlirining addiy bayani bolupla qalmastin, belki 1950-yillarning axiridin 1980-yillarning bashlirighiche bolghan bir ewlad Uyghur istudéntlirining boran-chapqunluq kolléktip hayati we Uyghur ziyaliylirining kommunist Xitay réjimi astidiki paji'elik teqdirining janliq örnikidur. Aptor kitabning bash qismigha yazghan kirish sözide, «musteqilliq arzusi bilen teshkilat qurup qolgha élin’ghan hemde türme we nazaret astida yashighan 18 yilliq hayatimdin qisqiche xatire qaldurup, yoshurun saqlap kelgen idim. Shu xatirige asasen bu kitabni yézip chiqtim. Bu kitabtiki weqelerning hemmisi béshimdin ötken, öz közüm bilen körgen hem anglighan heqiqiy ishlardur» dep yazghan. Istanbul Uniwérsitétining Uyghur proféssori Sultan Maxmut Qeshqeri bu kitabqa yazghan béghishlimisida «<köz yéshida nemlen'gen zémin> namliq bu kitabta yézilghan weqeler toqulma hékayiler we xiyaliy épizotlar bolmastin, hemmisi Söyün'gülning béshidin ötken we öz közi bilen körgen rast weqelerdur. Bu kitabta kommunist Xitay hakimiyitining Sherqiy Türkistanda yürgüzgen insan qélipidin chiqqan wehshiy siyasetliri emeliy pakitlar bilen chongqur pash qilinghan, bolupmu Maw Zédung bashlatqan <Medeniyet Inqilabi>ning dehshetlik menzirisi de dölet térori nahayiti janliq ipadilep bérilgen» dep yazghan. Bu kitab 2006-yili Istanbuldiki Teklimakan Uyghur Neshriyati teripidin birinchi qétim neshir qilin’ghan. Kitab muhajirettiki Uyghur oqurmenliri arisida zor tesir peyda qilghan we bazarliq kitabqa aylanghan. 2015-yili yuqiri tiraj bilen ikkinchi qétim bésilghan. 2018-Yili in'gilizchigha terjime qilinip, En'giliyede neshir qilinghan. <i>The Land Drenched in Tears</i> is the one of the earliest literary memoirs published in the Uyghur language within the diaspora community, detailing the experiences of Uyghur intellectuals under Chinese Communist rule. The book, written by Söyüngül Chanisheff, chronicles the turbulent experiences and tragic fate of Uyghur students in East Turkistan (Xinjiang) during the 25 years from 1957 to 1982, centered around the author’s quarter-century of real-life experiences. In September 1957, Söyüngül, who had just turned 17, was admitted to Xinjiang Medical Institute. This was a time when Mao Zedong’s Hundred Flowers Campaign had just ended nationwide, the Rectification Movement had begun, and the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region was intensively preparing for the Anti-Local Nationalism Campaign. Along with other Uyghur classmates at the Medical Institute, Söyüngül was forced to participate in political “speaking out” meetings–when people were encouraged to voice criticism about the Communist Party. However, their bold views and demands expressed during these “speaking out” meetings later severe criticism, persecution, political pressure, and psychological torment during the Anti-rightist Campaign. On February 5, 1962, they secretly gathered in a student dormitory at Xinjiang Medical College and established the East Turkistan Working People’s Party, with the political ideal and common goal of freeing themselves from Chinese rule and achieving independence for East Turkestan. Söyüngül Chanisheff served as the organization’s secretary. Just months later, due to an informant placed among students by Chinese security forces, the organization was exposed. On April 29 the same year, dozens of Uyghur students, including Söyüngül, were arrested. In the subsequent years, Söyüngül went through imprisonment, as well as forced labor at labor camp and a people's commune, where she suffered severe physical and psychological damage. Although Mao died in 1976, ending the Cultural Revolution, and China’s ethnic policies began to soften in 1978, cases like Soyungül’s were never rehabilitated. By the early 1980s, even amidst China’s reform and opening political atmosphere, Söyüngül —still denied any political clemency—eventually left her homeland with her family and emigrated to Australia. This memoir was created during the author’s life in exile, based on her contemporary diaries, reorganized prison notes, and reconstructed memories. The nearly 700-page book is not merely a simple account of the author’s personal experiences, but also serves as a vivid portrayal of the turbulent collective life of a generation of Uyghur university students from the late 1950s to early 1980s, and the tragic fate of Uyghur intellectuals under the Chinese Communist regime. The book was first published in 2006 by Taklamakan Uyghur Publishing House in Istanbul. It had a significant impact among diaspora Uyghur readers and became a bestseller. A second edition with higher circulation was published in 2015, and an abbreviated English translation was published in the UK in 2018. <a href="https://www.foyles.co.uk/book/the-land-drenched-in-tears/s-y-ng-l-chanisheff/9781910886380">The English edition can be purchased here</a>.

On June 12, 2025, the Hong Kong–based NGO China Labour Bulletin (CLB) announced its dissolution. This marks yet another Chinese civil society organization that ceased operations following the implementation of the Hong Kong National Security Law. Founded in 1994, CLB was dedicated to promoting the Chinese labor movement and had long focused on labor rights in China. Headquartered in Hong Kong, its founder Han Dongfang was a workers’ leader during the 1989 Tiananmen Democracy Movement and one of the founders of the Beijing Workers’ Autonomous Federation. Over the years, China Labour Bulletin published dozens of reports in Chinese and English on China’s labor movement, addressing issues related to migrant workers, food delivery couriers, women workers, child labor, coal mining, and pneumoconiosis, among others. Following the organization’s dissolution, the China Labour Bulletin website was also taken offline. In response, the China Unofficial Archives website immediately downloaded and preserved 80 Chinese- and English-language reports from the site. The following 15 reports are observation reports on China's workers' movement.