Think and Speak: Selected Essays on Law by Liu Renwen

Author: Liu Renwen
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-06-01
Features: This collection of works has been delayed for several years due to various circumstances. Now, at last, it is ready to meet the readers. Life's affairs are all like "the besieged city" (I don't know if the term "the besieged city" was coined by Mr. Qian Zhongshu, but if it was, these two words alone would immortalize him). Several years ago, when trying to publish this collection, I contacted several publishing houses. Although some showed interest, it ultimately came to nothing. Now, however, several publishing houses have reached out to me. It turns out that the finished manuscript had nowhere to be published, and now there are too many commissions to fulfill. In the past, in the small courtyard of the Law Institute, if someone's BP machine rang in the midst of loneliness, saying they wanted to interview me on a particular issue, or other such tasks introduced by friends, were always welcome. Now, however, I am a bit overwhelmed, even reluctant to reveal my phone number, and sometimes even regret my bad temper. I don't want to hide myself—not because I am truly sincere—just because I don't want to tire myself out. In this collection, readers can see my past hesitations and trace my growth, how I gradually moved from naive words and thoughts to maturity. Since 1986, when I came to Beijing, my collective household registration moved from Xicheng to Haidian, then to Dongcheng, and later to Shijingshan after I found love and family. While grateful for fate, I also remember the struggles. A young man with passion, in the great dyeing pot of a transforming society, refused to sink and always carried a pursuit of ideals. Friends called him "A-gang." Rereading these articles, as the author myself, I have the following reflections: First, in terms of thought, some of my past articles often relied on grand slogans in policy proposals, following an old. Later, they gradually shifted to institutional construction, and then further refined this into concrete, human-centered measures. It's clear that my understanding has deepened. This is undoubtedly related to my life experiences over the years of "reading thousands of books and traveling thousands of miles." Especially after completing my postdoctoral research in economics, books like Institutional Economics greatly influenced my thinking. I cannot guarantee that I have now found the correct method of thinking, but I would like to say that everyone's thoughts are "limited," shaped by their specific experiences and knowledge structures. Second, from the perspective of the publications and content, the scope is quite broad. Dozens of newspapers and magazines across the country have published my diverse articles. Among them, Guangming Daily and China Youth News have published more than 10 of my works, while Legal Daily and Procuratorial Daily have published even more. Others like People's Daily and Southern Weekly have also featured many of my articles. This reflects my concern and sensitivity to social issues. As my professional research has advanced, I can no longer cover everything as I once did. Thinking back on those nights of solitary writing and the unfulfilled themes and aspirations, my heart is filled with nostalgia and regret. Third, these articles have had a certain social impact. Many newspapers, such as Digest Weekly and Writer's Digest, have reprinted some of them. Some articles, like Should the Police Testify and Government Malice and "Selective Prosecution," were simultaneously reprinted by multiple publications. Others, such as Public Security Bulletin and the Right to Know, were even published in full by foreign journals. Some readers' letters called them "great articles" or "speaking for the times," some sought legal advice on issues they faced, some offered critiques, and others shared real-world situations. This made me realize the value of such articles and motivated me to continue writing on these topics as much as I can. American scholar of Chinese descent, C.T. Hsia, once wrote in his critique of Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore's poems: "They are fragmented and short, but they are rich and profound." The articles included in this collection, though far from being "rich" or "profound," do indeed help me express those ideas with originality that cannot be fully formed into academic papers through this platform. At the same time, they also help me clarify important theoretical issues of social significance in layman's terms, reaching a broader audience. I believe this effort is worthwhile for a human and social scientist. For this reason, even though my academic translation and writing work is quite busy now, I have not given up on this effort. Currently, I am writing columns for two newspapers: "Legal" for Procuratorial Daily and "Specific Rights" for Beijing News. Each month, I contribute one to two articles, with the former focusing on the legal field and the latter on social issues. No matter how busy I am, I am determined to continue. Persistence will lead to success. I plan to call the next collection of essays Specific Rights, and the one after that A Journey Along the Way. As for what I will write after that, we'll see then. The compilation of this collection was tedious and laborious. Some articles were originally handwritten and lost during several moves; over the past decade, I have replaced my computer several times, and old articles are not as easily accessible online as they are today. Some articles, cut out and pasted into my clipping collection, were not marked with publication dates, so I can only rely on my general memory to describe them. Despite spending considerable time searching, I could not find a few articles I remembered. Most regretfully, the preliminary draft of the collection unintentionally reached over 600,000 words, and after the publisher's suggestion, I had to reluctantly cut out nearly 200,000 words. While understanding this, I also hope to have the opportunity to present these words to readers in the near future. Most of the articles included in this collection were originally published in newspapers and magazines. I would like to take this opportunity to thank these publications and their relevant editors, especially: Yang Yuexin of Legal Daily, Li Guomin and Sun Li of Procuratorial Daily, Wang Eiyu of China's National Conditions and Strength, and Lan Wenfei of Study Times. Academicians such as Jiang Ping, Gao Mingxuan, and Zheng Chengsi have repeatedly shown attention and affirmation to my "small articles," and I thank them for their encouragement. Especially Mr. Jiang, in his busy schedule, kindly wrote the preface for me, with praise that went beyond words, making me both uneasy and deeply moved. During the compilation process, my wife Liu Yan, my cousin Wei Yan, and my student Xu Shiyou helped me immensely, and I am sincerely grateful. Publishing this collection with the China University of Public Security Press holds special significance. Nineteen years ago, this "ugly duckling" of mine first took its first steps there. I thank the publisher of my alma mater for helping me realize this dream. Finally, allow me to dedicate this book to my father and mother, thanking them for their nurturing and sincerely wishing them health and peace.