Noted Chinese author Xu Lai was stabbed in the stomach when two men accosted him in the bathroom during a public reading in Beijing this Saturday. A long-time reporter, novelist, and blogger, Xu has developed a following among China’s more progressive citizens in response to his often critical satires portraying Chinese current affairs.
Some of Xu Lai’s recent article topics include censorship, the melamine milk scandal, and the recent fire at the CCTV tower in Beijing this past week.
Friends and associates of the writer speculate that the attack may be one of retribution due to the nature of his articles. Xu Lai’s editor, Xiao Sanlang, has also said that the men responsible for the attack had said they were “here to take revenge.”
While Xu Lai remained in the hospital on Sunday, his wounds are reportedly not life-threatening.