Perry Link is one of the great China scholars of our time. There have been two main sides to his career, I think: He is a scholar of literature and language; and he has been an ally of dissidents. I wrote about him in a 2012 piece, “Scholars with Spine.” Today, Professor Link and I recorded a Q&A podcast, here.
He of course knew Liu Xiaobo, the literary scholar and political prisoner (and Nobel peace laureate). Liu died last week. Or was killed? I’m not quite sure how to phrase it. In any case, he died in police custody, as he had lived for so many years.
Professor Link and I talk about Liu Xiaobo, and other dissidents, and Mao, and organ harvesting, and the posture of the West toward China, and other issues. I always feel improved, somehow, when I talk with Perry Link. Again, our podcast is here.