FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg Honors Chinese Legal Scholar
Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) has awarded this year’s Human Rights Award to Chinese legal scholar, activist, and former professor at Tsinghua University in Beijing, Xu Zhangrun 许章润. The award ceremony took place in Xu’s absence, as he remains under house arrest in China. FAU Vice President Prof. Dr. Andreas Hirsch symbolically placed the award certificate on the laureate’s empty chair. (Title image: Prof. Dr. Eva Pils delivers the laudation for the awardee.)
The Laureate Professor Xu Zhangrun (Image: Xu Zhangrun)
We are born as beings of flesh and blood, from heaven and earth, To live with the painful intensity of human tenderness. Therefore, forgive me, Motherland: I have been given life, But I have recklessly followed my passion and lived an unruly, rambling life ⋯⋯ ⋯⋯ I cannot suppress it, This inner longing of my soul for freedom — Freedom, freedom — You inspire my soul still. – Xu Zhangrun –
Despite Repressionen and House Arrest: Xu Zhangrun’s Tireless Commitment to Human Rights
“Throughout his academic career, Professor Xu has taught and researched aspects of constitutional law and constitutionalism, human rights and the rule of law, as well as Chinese and Western intellectual history,” stated laudator Prof. Dr. Eva Pils, Humboldt Professor and board member of FAU CHREN. “His works are distinguished by a unique literary style that draws on historical comparisons and does not shy away from robust and direct political criticism of the system and individual leaders. For this, he has received much admiration.”
Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Heiner Bielefeldt delivers the laudation for the awardee. (Image: FAU CHREN)
Admiration, but also severe repression: “His publications in recent years, especially since 2018, have led to massive persecution, precisely because they had a significant impact on public discourse in Chinese society up to that point,” added Professor Pils.
In another laudation, Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Heiner Bielefeldt, Senior Professor for Human Rights at FAU’s Institute of Political Science and former UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, expressed gratitude to the laureate: “Even though Xu Zhangrun receives the award from FAU, it is we at FAU who are truly honoured: His courage can serve as an inspiration for us.”
The Empty Chair
The symbolic empty chair of the laureate. (Image: FAU CHREN)
As Xu Zhangrun remains under house arrest in Beijing and could not personally accept the Human Rights Award, FAU Vice President Prof. Dr. Andreas Hirsch placed the award certificate on the symbolic empty chair of the laureate. “We would have liked to honour this significant scholar in person and engage in academic exchange,” said Professor Hirsch. “I thank Professor Xu for his commitment and place this year’s Human Rights Award on this empty chair in the hope that Professor Xu may soon be able to collect it.”
About Xu Zhangrun
Prof. Dr. Xu Zhangrun, born in 1962, was a professor of legal philosophy and constitutional law at Tsinghua University in Beijing until 2018. In 2002, he received the university’s highest research award.
Xu Zhangrun holds a B.A. from the Southwestern University of Politics and Law, a Master’s degree from the China University of Political Science and Law, and a Ph.D. in legal philosophy and legal history from the University of Melbourne (awarded in 2000).
After returning from Australia to Beijing, he took up a position as an associate professor at Tsinghua University, where he advanced to the rank of full professor and also led the Tsinghua University Centre for Rule of Law and Human Rights Research (清华大学法治与人权研究中心). He was also a member of the Unirule Institute, a liberal think tank for economics and politics based in Beijing, which was closed in July 2018.
He currently lives on the outskirts of Beijing under strict surveillance under “soft house arrest” and is not allowed to leave the city without permission. Officially retired, he receives neither a pension nor social assistance and is completely isolated from colleagues and students—yet he continues to write.
Some of Professor Xu’s recent works are available in translation by Professor Geremie Barmé on the China Heritage website, including his essay „Imminent fears, immediate hopes (我们当下的恐惧与期待)“, which was published online in 2018, garnered significant attention, and led to increased persecution, as well as his essay „Viral alarm: When Fury Overcomes Fear (愤怒的人民已不再恐惧) “, published online in 2020.
His current work on ‘Unjust Law’ (恶法, book title: 伤天害理：关于“恶法”的法理学论纲 / Harming nature and reason: outline of a legal theory of ‘Unjust Law’) is being translated into French for publication by Gallimard, a Chinese publication
project having been aborted due to censorship. This work does not focus on the concept of human rights but addresses it.
„I am humbled and honoured by being awarded the Human Rights Award from the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg. It also makes me feel uplifted and encouraged, as though a warm zephyr had travelled to me from thousands of miles away, making thereby the early spring at the foot of the Great Wall in North China feel, momentarily at least, less discouraging and desolate. It augurs a future spring when the soil will stir once more and nurturing rains will water the earth.“ – excerpt from Professor Xu’s acceptance speech –
From left to right: Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Heiner Bielefeldt, VP People Prof. Dr. Andreas Hirsch, Prof. Dr. Eva Pils (Image: FAU CHREN)
FAU Vice President (People) Prof. Dr. Andreas Hirsch delivers the speech for laureate Xu. (Image: FAU CHREN)
Previous laureate Dr. Harsh Mander was also able to participate in the award ceremony remotely. (Image: FAU CHREN)
Musical accompaniment by Helga Riedel and Heiner Bielefeldt. (Image: FAU CHREN)
Professor Xu’s Acceptance Speech. (Image: FAU CHREN)
FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg Honors Chinese Legal Scholar
Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) has awarded this year’s Human Rights Award to Chinese legal scholar, activist, and former professor at Tsinghua University in Beijing, Xu Zhangrun 许章润. The award ceremony took place in Xu’s absence, as he remains under house arrest in China. FAU Vice President Prof. Dr. Andreas Hirsch symbolically placed the award certificate on the laureate’s empty chair.
(Title image: Prof. Dr. Eva Pils delivers the laudation for the awardee.)
We are born as beings of flesh and blood, from heaven and earth,
To live with the painful intensity of human tenderness.
Therefore, forgive me, Motherland: I have been given life,
But I have recklessly followed my passion and lived an unruly, rambling life
⋯⋯
⋯⋯
I cannot suppress it,
This inner longing of my soul for freedom —
Freedom, freedom —
You inspire my soul still.
– Xu Zhangrun –
Despite Repressionen and House Arrest: Xu Zhangrun’s Tireless Commitment to Human Rights
“Throughout his academic career, Professor Xu has taught and researched aspects of constitutional law and constitutionalism, human rights and the rule of law, as well as Chinese and Western intellectual history,” stated laudator Prof. Dr. Eva Pils, Humboldt Professor and board member of FAU CHREN. “His works are distinguished by a unique literary style that draws on historical comparisons and does not shy away from robust and direct political criticism of the system and individual leaders. For this, he has received much admiration.”
Admiration, but also severe repression: “His publications in recent years, especially since 2018, have led to massive persecution, precisely because they had a significant impact on public discourse in Chinese society up to that point,” added Professor Pils.
In another laudation, Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Heiner Bielefeldt, Senior Professor for Human Rights at FAU’s Institute of Political Science and former UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, expressed gratitude to the laureate: “Even though Xu Zhangrun receives the award from FAU, it is we at FAU who are truly honoured: His courage can serve as an inspiration for us.”
The Empty Chair
As Xu Zhangrun remains under house arrest in Beijing and could not personally accept the Human Rights Award, FAU Vice President Prof. Dr. Andreas Hirsch placed the award certificate on the symbolic empty chair of the laureate. “We would have liked to honour this significant scholar in person and engage in academic exchange,” said Professor Hirsch. “I thank Professor Xu for his commitment and place this year’s Human Rights Award on this empty chair in the hope that Professor Xu may soon be able to collect it.”
About Xu Zhangrun
Prof. Dr. Xu Zhangrun, born in 1962, was a professor of legal philosophy and constitutional law at Tsinghua University in Beijing until 2018. In 2002, he received the university’s highest research award.
Xu Zhangrun holds a B.A. from the Southwestern University of Politics and Law, a Master’s degree from the China University of Political Science and Law, and a Ph.D. in legal philosophy and legal history from the University of Melbourne (awarded in 2000).
After returning from Australia to Beijing, he took up a position as an associate professor at Tsinghua University, where he advanced to the rank of full professor and also led the Tsinghua University Centre for Rule of Law and Human Rights Research (清华大学法治与人权研究中心). He was also a member of the Unirule Institute, a liberal think tank for economics and politics based in Beijing, which was closed in July 2018.
He currently lives on the outskirts of Beijing under strict surveillance under “soft house arrest” and is not allowed to leave the city without permission. Officially retired, he receives neither a pension nor social assistance and is completely isolated from colleagues and students—yet he continues to write.
Some of Professor Xu’s recent works are available in translation by Professor Geremie Barmé on the China Heritage website, including his essay „Imminent fears, immediate hopes (我们当下的恐惧与期待)“, which was published online in 2018, garnered significant attention, and led to increased persecution, as well as his essay „Viral alarm: When Fury Overcomes Fear (愤怒的人民已不再恐惧) “, published online in 2020.
His current work on ‘Unjust Law’ (恶法, book title: 伤天害理：关于“恶法”的法理学论纲 / Harming nature and reason: outline of a legal theory of ‘Unjust Law’) is being translated into French for publication by Gallimard, a Chinese publication
project having been aborted due to censorship. This work does not focus on the concept of human rights but addresses it.
„I am humbled and honoured by being awarded the Human Rights Award from the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg. It also makes me feel uplifted and encouraged, as though a warm zephyr had travelled to me from thousands of miles away, making thereby the early spring at the foot of the Great Wall in North China feel, momentarily at least, less discouraging and desolate. It augurs a future spring when the soil will stir once more and nurturing rains will water the earth.“
– excerpt from Professor Xu’s acceptance speech –
Further information:
Images: FAU CHREN/Natalia Wrzaszczyk.