Striving for a Civil Society

Lao Humiao • 2007

The large-scale personal interview series Striving for a Civil Society has completed the filming of 55 episodes, featuring interviews with 52 individuals. Among them, two people were interviewed twice, and one person's interview was divided into two parts.The original idea for Striving for a Civil Society emerged in 2007. It was initiated under the proposal of Zhang Hui, then manager of Beijing Desai Company, and subsequently put into production.The interviewees of Striving for a Civil Society mainly include renowned public intellectuals in China, along with some workers and farmers. The series represents the intellectual landscape of a particular period in China and serves as an important record of Chinese society during its transition.The filming of Striving for a Civil Society was never intended to end. Although its creator, Laohumiao, has since left Beijing—the political, economic, and cultural center of China—and his network resources have diminished, he continues to seek every possible opportunity to carry on with the project.In its early years, Striving for a Civil Society was accessible through public media in mainland China but was later taken down.1. Zhang Hui (Former manager of Beijing Desai Company, project initiator)2. Xu Zhiyong (Legal scholar, rights lawyer, advocate for the New Citizens' Movement)3. Li Hai (Democracy activist, chronicler of Chinese social changes)4. Mo Zhixu (Veteran journalist, public intellectual)5. Cui Weiping (Scholar, film critic, independent cultural commentator)6. He Fang (Sociologist, historian focusing on modern China)7. Guo Yuhua (Feminist, social activist)8. Xu Youyu (Philosopher, liberal thinker)9. Zhang Hui (Second interview)10. Ai Weiwei (Artist, social critic) 11. Liu Xiaoyuan (Lawyer, known for defending human rights cases) 12. Zhai Minglei (Journalist, documentary filmmaker)13. Li Jiafu (Independent scholar)14. Su Yutong (Journalist, social commentator)15. Xia Yeliang (Part 1) (Economist, advocate for political reform)16. Xia Yeliang (Part 2) (Economist, advocate for political reform)17. Du Guang (Historian, scholar) 18. Feng Zhenghu (Human rights activist)19. Fu Guoyong (Writer, historian)20. Zhang Yaojie (Scholar, writer)21. Zhou Shuguang (Zola) (Citizen journalist, internet freedom advocate)22. Yin Deyi (Scholar, social commentator)23. Liang Xiaoyan (Social worker, child welfare and civil society advocate)24. Mao Xianghui (Scholar, social observer)25. Wang Lihong (Women's rights activist) 26. Yang Licai (Workers' rights representative) 27. Wu Huaying (Rights activist)28. Ai Xiaoming (Documentary filmmaker, scholar)29. Ni Yulan (Human rights lawyer, advocate for disadvantaged groups) 30. Ran Yunfei (Writer, social critic)31. Li Fan (Scholar, advocate for social reform) 32. Teng Biao (Legal scholar, lawyer)33. Sha Yexin (Playwright, critic) 34. Cheng Chaofu (Independent intellectual)35. Wei Yingjie (Journalist, media analyst) 36. Liu Xiwei (Independent scholar)37. Yang Zhizhu (Legal scholar, critic of China's family policies)38. Wu Gan (Rights activist, known for online advocacy)39. Xu Zhiyong (Second interview)40. Hua Ze (Linghun Piaoxiang) (Activist, filmmaker) 41. Guo Yushan (Scholar, political commentator) 42. Wang Guangze (Journalist, commentator)43. Gan Cui (Scholar, commentator) 44. Liu Qian (Social activist) 45. He Weifang (Legal scholar, advocate for judicial independence) 46. Guo Xianliang (Scholar, writer)47. Liang Wendao (Media personality, public intellectual)48. Chen Hongguo (Law scholar, rights advocate) 49. Ding Jiaxi (Lawyer, activist)50. Zhang Baocheng (Rights advocate) 51. Hu Shigen (Democracy activist, writer)52. Qu Mingxue (Activist, commentator) 53. Liang Xiaoyan (Second interview) 54. Pu Zhiqiang (Lawyer, free speech advocate)55. Zheng Baohe (Social activist)