Guo Quan: A Chronology

May 8, 1968

Born in Suining, Jiangsu Province.

September 1987

Enrolled in Jinling Vocational College in Nanjing.

1990

After graduation, worked at a state-owned enterprise, later became secretary of the Nanjing Municipal Economic Reform Committee, and then an editor of the magazine, Reform & Openning [sic] (改革与开放).

1994

Served as a judicial officer at the criminal division of Nanjing Intermediate People’s Court.

1993–1996

Received a Master of Legal Studies from Nanjing University.

1996-1999

Received a PhD in Chinese Philosophy from Nanjing University.

1999–2001

Conducted postdoctoral research in literary theory at Nanjing Normal University.

2001

Became an associate professor and supervisor of master’s students at Nanjing Normal University School of Chinese Language and Culture. Served in various other positions, including: graduate class advisor at the School of Chinese Language and Culture, head of the Continuing Education Office, assistant to the president of the school, and editorial director for the Journal of the School of Chinese Language and Culture, and researcher at the Center of Nanjing Massacre Studies.

June 2001

Joined the China Democratic League—one of the eight state-approved “democratic” parties.

2002–2005

Became famous for initiating the “Defend Diaoyu  [Senkaku] Islands” boycott against Japanese goods, and for defacing the grave and tower of Wang Zhi—a Ming Dynasty traitor who had assisted Japanese pirates’ raid of the Chinese coast. Was summoned and invited “to tea” several times by authorities because of these activities.

2004

Formed the independent China People’s Livelihood Party.

End of 2005–Beginning of 2006

Launched a “Han clothing” movement and wore traditional clothing on the streets of Nanjing with his family. Founded a Chinese Studies Academy in Nanjing and gave several university lectures on traditional Han Chinese clothing and culture.

November 2007–November 2008

As member of the China Democratic League, made proposals in open letters to state leaders and the public including establishing a multi-party democratic elections system, and the nationalization of the military. Also published articles in a series entitled Forecast of Democracy. Up until his detention in November 2008, wrote 347 articles on: political reform, the May 2008 Sichuan earthquake, abolishing Reeducation-Through-Labor, protecting the rights and interests of workers laid-off from the oil sector and Industrial and Commercial Bank of China.

December 6, 2007

Stripped of his associate professorship and on grounds of violating the Constitution and the Teacher’s Law. Became a data management officer at the Nanjing Normal University library.

December 14, 2007

Expelled from the China Democratic League.

December 17, 2007

Published the Constitution of the New People’s Party of China on the Internet, and announced that the China People’s Livelihood Party had been renamed as the New People’s Party of China.

May 17, 2008

Summoned by authorities and detained at the Nanjing Municipal Detention Center for advocating on behalf of the May 2008 Sichuan earthquake victims.

November 13, 2008

Criminally detained by the Nanjing Municipal Public Security Bureau on suspicion of “subversion of state power.”

October 16, 2009

Convicted of “subversion of state power” by the Suqian Municipal Intermediate People’s Court in Jiangsu Province, and sentenced to a ten years in prison and three years of deprivation of political rights. Appealed the verdict.

December 25, 2009

Jiangsu Provincial Higher People’s Court upheld the original verdict.

January 12, 2010–Present

Serving his prison sentence at Pukou Prison in Nanjing. Projected release date: November 12, 2018.