My project is an artistic book of illustrations that I titled Sensitive List. To better understand my project, it is important to know the cultural context and the political and historical context in which this project was conceived. Born and raised in China, I grew up in a climate of severe political censorship and limitations on personal freedoms. One of the most chilling aspects of my culture is the government-generated “sensitive list.” Essentially, this list includes more than a thousand words – such as “democracy” and “freedom” – that the Chinese government has banned the population from using publicly. If people do not comply and choose to write or speak any of these government-censored words in a public forum, these citizens risk severe punishment – ​​or worse. Sensitive List is an artistic response to the Chinese government's attempt to muzzle and limit its people's freedom of expression, including mine. Sensitive List was heavily influenced by the work of Ai Weiwei, a contemporary Chinese artist who landed on the government's so-called “sensitive list” for his artistic and political boldness. His art questions and challenges his restrictive government's policies, and so does mine. Sensitive List is made up of carefully chosen terms and code words that are part of the government's collection of prohibited language. The words I chose are particularly meaningful to me, including “Tiananmen Square Protests,” an event that Chinese people are not allowed to discuss or refer to. In my project, I included the literal meaning of terms and code words, as well as their Chinese pronunciations. I also illustrated how code words are traditionally... middle of paper... free individuals, and we don't need a censor to tell us what is acceptable or not. For me, any censorship is against democratic principles. Freedom of speech should be guaranteed in China, as it is essential to preserving both a free society and a creative culture. Sensitive List, my artistic book of illustrations, aims to educate people, visually, about the restrictive principles and philosophy of a government that attempts to control and repress its people in an undemocratic way. Through it, I want to communicate my belief that free speech must be preserved, not only in art, but also in literature, theater, music and public discourse. Because it is through the free and open discussion of political and social ideas that human beings – as well as society as a whole – can grow, develop and prosper. Sensitive List is my attempt to see this happen in China.