Zhang Chunyuan came from a rural background and joined the Chinese Communist Party in search of a better life. Disillusioned by the lack of resources and poor teaching at Lanzhou University, he became a key figure in a group of exiled students in Tianshui. They created a journal called Spark, aiming to challenge the oppressive Communist Party regime. Tan Chanxue risked her life to seek help in Hong Kong but was caught by authorities. The students’ efforts to spark change in China during the famine of the 1950s show their resilience and determination in the face of adversity.
https://chinabooksreview.com/2023/10/19/a-spark-extinguished/