苦難與抗爭：陳健民．獄中書簡

When we pour all our efforts into something yet still cannot move the system,
all that's left to do is suffer together.

This is a book written by a Hongkonger for Hong Kong, but which can no longer find a place in Hong Kong.
This is a citizen, an intellectual, crying out to society, to the government, to everyone.
People must experience pain to deeply understand the evil of autocracy and the preciousness of freedom.

"This generation has seen through who the real destroyers of the rule of law are, they understand that blind adherence to the law is silent complicity with tyranny." — "September 8th: The Law-Abiding Spirit of White Mice"

To accurately evaluate the era we live in, we cannot overlook Hong Kong's experiences, pain, and struggles.
Since 2014, Hong Kong has undergone the Umbrella Revolution, the fight for genuine universal suffrage, and the Anti-Extradition Law Amendment Bill Movement. Citizens have engaged in social movements and politics, continuously and persistently fighting for their rights. Along the way, we have seen the tug-of-war between the people and the government, and also the face of power forcefully crushing the people.

▍The test of extreme circumstances?
When the power of citizens cannot prevent the government from going to extremes, the space for individuals to express themselves and act shrinks inward, leading to non-cooperation of body and spirit. This reflects the despair of the greater environment and also tests humanity's pursuit of morality, fairness, and justice in extreme circumstances. No one wants to take to the streets; everyone wants to be "peaceful, rational, and non-violent." But let me ask:
Who can sleep soundly under tyranny?

▍In prison, present with a rapidly changing era
"Suffering and Resistance: Chan Kin-man's Letters from Prison" is a collection of notes written by sociologist Chan Kin-man during his imprisonment. He was identified by the Hong Kong government as one of the leaders of the 2014 Occupy Central movement and was sentenced to 16 months in prison on April 24, 2019. At the height of the Anti-Extradition Law Amendment Bill Movement, he wrote letter after letter from prison, expressing his thoughts, worries about the era, and the pain of witnessing Hong Kong society moving towards extremes.

▍Imprisonment as a form of resistance
Imprisonment is a torment to both body and mind. Chan Kin-man believes this is the price that must be paid for democracy, and as an advocate of civil disobedience, one should experience it personally. He expressed his resistance to current policies and the government through concrete actions, "suffering" with his own body, and using his free spirit as a basis and strength to fight against power, turning resistance into a "daily routine."