亲历者 Qinlizhe

About this space

We are people carrying hurt and resentment who still care deeply about mental health. For us, qinlizhe (亲历者) means not only having experienced things ourselves, but also having witnessed them first-hand.

This is an independent space for notes, criticism, and resources connected with Mad Studies, preserving voices at the margins that refuse to be absorbed.

We retain Qinlizhe as our name. It is not a fixed translation of survivor, service user, or lived experience. Its meanings emerge through particular lives, relationships, and struggles, including disagreements among us.

These English essays enter conversation with people working in Mad Studies, survivor research, and collective action across languages. We write from Chinese-speaking settings and from encounters elsewhere, without claiming one voice for China or one path everyone must follow.