In spring 1989, Chinese students and citizens in Beijing protested for democracy and against corruption, occupying Tiananmen Square. The government declared martial law, and on June 3-4, the military cleared the square with force, resulting in hundreds to thousands of deaths. It suppressed dissent but symbolized global calls for reform.

The Tiananmen Square protests of 1989 led to a flourishing of underground poetry that mourned the loss of life and called for resistance against censorship. Poets like Bei Dao emerged as significant voices, shaping contemporary Chinese literature and advocating for human rights.