Two of Ai’s most recent posts before the blog shutdown have been reposted to the China GFW blog. Translated by CDT:

“I’m ready” – 5/28/09

“Be careful! Are you ready?”

I’m ready. That is to say, I have nothing to prepare. As an individual — this is my all. Other people might be able to take it; I can offer it up. At the time of need, I will not hesitate, I will not be unclear.

If there’s anything I’m reluctant to leave, it’s the miracles that life has brought. The miracles are that we’re all the same, the game that everyone is equal, and the fantasies and freedoms that follow. From whatever right and from whatever kind of threat, I view these as menaces to people’s dignity and rationality, as menaces to life’s potential. I want to learn how to face them. Rest assured, I learn rather quickly; I won’t let you down. Those rights of those children who lost their lives not long ago, their group has perished. They helped me to understand the significance of an individual life and society.

Reject cynicism, reject cooperation, reject threats, reject “drinking tea“. In regards to these questions, there is nothing to discuss. Here’s a few words: Don’t come again to find me, I will not cooperate. If you must come, then bring your instrument of punishment.

“小心啊！你准备好了吗？”

我准备好了。或者说，我没有什么可以准备的。一个人，这就是我的全部，是别人可能获得、我可以奉献的全部。在需要的时候我不会犹豫，不会含糊的。

如果有什么可以留恋，那就是生命带来的奇迹，这个奇迹就是我们每一个人都是一样的，人人平等的游戏，还有随之而来的幻想和自由。来自任何权利、任何方式的威胁，我都视作是对人的尊严、理性的威胁，是对生的可能性的威胁。我要学会面对。放心，我学得很快，不会让你们失望的。在不久前失去生的权利的那些孩子，他们的群体死亡，帮助我理解了个体生命和社会的含义。

拒绝犬儒，拒绝合作，拒绝恐吓，拒绝喝茶，在这些问题上是没有可以商量的。还是那句话，不要再来找我，我不会合作，如果非要来，就带上你们的刑具吧。

(2) “Don’t have any unrealistic illusions about me” – 5/28/09

That day will likely arrive. These two days, I’ve been a little busy. I’ve had to bring myself to the Public Securities Bureau (PSB); there was another misunderstanding.

Two days ago, I called 110 [China’s emergency number] to make a report to send an officer without ID to the PSB. Today, I called 110 again 3 times to send two plainsclothed officers who had been tracking me to the PSB.

To summarize for a moment: the aforementioned national securities, as are the public securities, the plainsclothed officers, the 110 dispatch, and the security bureau’s officers. My behavior is not directed at you, nor is your behavior directed at me. If I wounded your self-esteem, then I sincerely apologize; there was a misunderstanding.

You are just performing your duties — doesn’t matter what kind of duties, so long as they’re for survival, they can be totally understood.

What I must clarify is that I am an individual, I must protect my rights, and no one can force me.

I can tolerate the deletion of my blog, the phonetapping, and the surveillance of my residence.

But you barged into my home, and threatened me in front of my 76-year-old mother, I could no longer stand it. With plainsclothed officers on my tail, threatening my life’s safety, I could no longer stand it. You don’t understand human rights, so how much do you know the constitution? You need to hear this clearly:

1. All that is under heaven and earth is yours. You must do things in a just and honorable way.

2. In law enforcement, you must keep to the law, you must bring police ID. In these two days, 5 officers did not had ID, 2 posed as “civilians.” Before you find another profession, respect this one.

3. Civilians are not weak persimmons [look strong on the outside, but soft to the touch]. Today can be trifled with, but it is not certain that tomorrow can be. Do not eat, take, and then turn your face and not recognize people.

4. Do not look for me to “have a talk.” It is not appropriate to apply others’ conversation experiences to me. Remember to study much and go on the Internet much.

5. Order must be clear; avoid passivity. Past experiences were bad; heed the profound lesson of the Shanghai Zhabei substation [the policemen that Yang Jia killed were from Zhabei].

6. During a 110 dispatch, speak clearly, be cultivated. On this, you get praise; I love you for this. You have my number, and can contact me privately.

7. Female policemen are better than male policemen. This seems to be my weakness. I am biased.

8. And also this: this is your work, don’t do things you are not supposed to do. Because with improper law enforcement, losing a job is a small thing. Ruining the party’s image and the nation’s quality is bad.

9. Also, don’t have any unrealistic illusions about me.

10. To be continued …

艾未未：不要对我有幻想 （09.05.28）

大概是什么日子要到了，这两天有点忙。尽把自己人往公/安/局里送，又误会了。

前天两次打110报警，把没有带警证的国/保/警/官送进了公/安/局。 今天，又三次打110报警，把跟踪我的两个便衣警察送进了公/安/局。

总结一下，一是上述所涉及的国/保也好，公/安/也好，便衣也好，110出警也好，局里的干警也好，我的行为不是针对你们个人的，就像你们的行为也不是针对我一样，如果我的过失伤害了你们的自尊，我诚挚向你们道歉，误会了。

你们只是执行公务，不管是何种公务，只要是为了生存，就多少可以理解。

要说明的是，我作为一个人，必须维护我的权利，谁也不要逼我。

删博客我忍了，窃听电话我忍了，监视住址我忍了。

可是你们闯到家里来，当着76岁的老妈想威胁我，我没法忍。便衣秘密尾随跟踪，威胁我的生命安全，我没法忍。你们不懂/人/权，多少也知道宪法吧？你们要听清楚的是：

一、天下是你们的，做事要光明正大。

二、执法一定要守法，要带警证，两天中有五位警员不带警证，两位冒充“公民”。尊重你的职业，在你还没有找到更好的职业之前。

三、公民不都是软柿子，今天好惹明天不一定好惹。不要吃着拿着还翻脸不认人。

四、不要找我谈话。找别人谈话的经验用在我这不合适，要注意多学习，多上网。

五、程序要清晰，避免被动。以往的经验不好使，要充分吸取上海闸北分局的深刻教训。

六、110出警及时，接话生口齿清晰，有教养，在此表扬，我都爱上你们了。你们留有我的电话，可以私下接触。

七、女警都比男警好，不会是我的弱点又犯了吧。我的世界是倾斜的。

八、还是那句话，这只是你的工作，不要做不该做的事，因为执法不当，丢了工作是小事，损害了党的形象，国家的品质就不好了。

九、再，不要对我有幻想。

十、待续。。。

Update: Danwei’s latest post features a discussion from prominent human rights lawyer Liu Xiaoyuan on Ai Weiwei’s right to refuse to chat, as well as two translations of his Ai’s later blog posts (including a translation of the post immediately above). An excerpt of Liu Xiaoyuan’s piece:

Ai went with them to the police station to make a statement [in regards to the arrival of plainsclothed policemen at his home to ‘have a chat’], and when he asked for a written acknowledgement of the report, the police would not give him one. He didn’t know whether or not this was legal, so he called up to ask.

After I gave him a basic explanation, I hung up, but probably only ten minutes later Ai called again and said that the police wouldn’t let him go, and he’d kicked at the main door several times. It turned out that after Ai had gone into the station, someone was worried that he would leave on his own, and so locked the door. Ai called 110 again, and when the police saw him fuming they hurried to open the door.

Ai said, I’m not sure what you’ve called me here for. When they came, they only said they wanted to chat. Ai thought that since they didn’t know each other and had no common language, so there was no point to wasting their time. Ai speaks bluntly and doesn’t mince words, while the approach of the “rice steamers” is to strike up an inconsequential conversation and then when you’re frustrated enough, come out with the real topic. Seeing his lack of frankness and his refusal to show ID, Ai could only choose to call the police.

[…] From a legal standpoint, citizens have the right to refuse to chat. This is a citizen’s fundamental right. If someone is unwilling, forcing him to “chat” is harassment and an infringement of his rights.

Update 2, 6/1/09: Ai Weiwei is blogging again. Read more about it here on CDT.