Huang Xiang

Huang Xiang (; born on December 26, 1941) is a 20th-century Chinese poet and calligrapher who came to prominence following China's Cultural Revolution. Huang worked as an industrial worker in 1952 when he came to Guiyang and is also one of the representatives of Guizhou poets.

Early life Huang Xiang was born in Guidong County of Hunan Province during a fire, during which he and his mother had to be carried to a nearby temple for safety. At a young age, Huang began to write poetry on topics such as “politics, philosophy, the beauty of the rural provinces, spiritual life, and beloved literary ancestors.”

Huang lived through communist leader Mao Zedong's Cultural Revolution and the Chinese Communist Party's resultant takeover of the country. Huang's father, Huang Xiangming, was a General in the Chinese Nationalist Party, the KMT (Kuomintang), and was executed by the Communists near Manchuria in 1951. Huang Xiang, having been born as the son of a KMT official and the grandson of landowners, looked suspicious to communists, providing reasons for the communists to discriminate against him.

In 1995 the Writers Publishing House in Beijing signed a contract to publish a series of Huang's works.” However, after the scheduled release of this first edition, Huang's writing was still banned in China. Due to continued persecution, Huang Xiang and his wife, Zhang Ling, were forced to leave China and were eventually granted asylum in the United States. Huang's immigration process was featured in the documentary, Well-Founded Fear.

Despite his continued opposition to the Chinese Communist Party and his several terms in prison at the hands of the Chinese Government, Huang's poetry nonetheless reflects a hopeful view of China.

City of Asylum Huang Xiang was the first guest writer during the summer of 2004, at the City of Asylum, Shortly after joining the project, Huang Xiang covered the outside of the house with calligraphy and poetry. Today it is one of the most visited landmarks in Pittsburgh. After completing residency with the City of Asylum, Huang Xiang moved to New York City with his wife Zhang Ling. In 2008, Huang returned to China to visit friends and family.

The Century Mountain Project Today Huang Xiang's mission is to use art to build a bridge between East and West and to honor a universal humanity. Huang's artistic collaboration with American artist William Rock is called The Century Mountain Project. The Century Mountain Project "creates a visual dialogue across humanity."