Sha Yexin

Sha Yexin or Sha Yeh-hsin (Chinese: 沙叶新; 13 July 1939 – 26 July 2018) was a Hui-Chinese playwright and short story writer. He is one of the top Chinese playwright of his time, best known for his outspoken stance towards political issues. Sha's career was marked by both official recognition and controversy. Some of his works were praised and staged by state institutions, while others were criticized, restricted, or banned for their political implications. His 1979 play, If I Were for Real, drew particular attention for its public critique of bureaucratic privilege and corruption that emerged in Chinese society after the Cultural Revolution. Beyond his literary work, Sha openly supported social and political movements. He marched with protesters during the 1989 demonstrations prior to the June Fourth Incident and was later one of the 303 original signatories of Charter 08, a manifesto calling for political reform and democracy in China. Although Sha held many official titles over the years, Sha consistently described himself as "just a playwright" and remained an influential writer.