February 11, 1978, represented a pivotal turning point for cultural access in China. On that day, the government officially reversed a long-standing prohibition on the writings of three towering figures in Western thought and literature: Aristotle, William Shakespeare and Charles Dickens. For millions of Chinese citizens, this moment opened up the very first opportunity to encounter these works.
The Ban
The prohibition had its roots in the Chinese Cultural Revolution, which began in 1966 under the leadership of Mao Zedong. That turbulent era saw widespread persecution of intellectuals across China, and books by authors considered "counter-revolutionary" were systematically purged from libraries and blocked from circulation. Among the targeted writers were Aristotle, William Shakespeare and Charles Dickens, whose works were regarded as emblems of Western imperialist ideology.
Lifting the Ban
Hua Guofeng, serving as Chairman of the Communist Party of China at the time, made the announcement in February 1978 that the writings of Aristotle, William Shakespeare and Charles Dickens were once again permitted for free readership throughout the country. Beyond simply removing the restriction, he actively urged people to delve into these authors' works as a means of enriching Chinese culture, pointing to their valuable contributions across the fields of literature, philosophy and science.
Impact Of The Decision
Removing the ban carried profound consequences for the cultural landscape of China, restoring access to literary and philosophical treasures that had been kept beyond reach for decades. Citizens found themselves with a sudden abundance of stories and ideas at their fingertips — fresh perspectives that broadened their thinking and transported them into captivating worlds through the simple act of reading. This newfound intellectual freedom also served as a catalyst for an extraordinary surge in scholarly and cultural engagement, one that gained further momentum alongside the economic reforms that followed shortly afterward.
Today works by these three iconic authors are widely available throughout the country either through physical books or via digital platforms such as Amazon Kindle or Apple Books store, making them accessible to anyone with an internet connection!