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An Evaluation of the Chen Jingyuan Case Based on Martin Heidegger’s Philosophical Core Ideas

Martin Heidegger (1889-1976), the existential ontologist of Being and Time (1927), reconceived philosophy as the question of Being (Sein)—the forgotten ground of existence—through Dasein’s (being-there) thrownness (Geworfenheit) into an inauthentic “they-self” (das Man), redeemed by authentic care (Sorge) and the call of conscience to resolute decision. His later thought, in The Question Concerning Technology (1954), critiques modern enframing (Gestell)—technology’s revealing as mere resource-standing-reserve—that conceals Being, alienating humanity from poetic dwelling. Heidegger warns against idle talk and fallenness into average everydayness, urging Gelassenheit (releasement) to open the clearing (Lichtung) for truth’s unconcealment. The Chen Jingyuan case—a doctoral scholar sentenced to 20 months for “picking quarrels and provoking trouble” (PRC Criminal Law Article 293) over Twitter forwards—through Heidegger’s lens, exemplifies fallen inauthenticity: the judiciary’s enframing “order” throws Chen into das Man, silencing the call to authentic inquiry and veiling Being’s poetic disclosure.

1. Thrownness and Inauthenticity: The Verdict as Das Man’s Everyday Conformity

Dasein’s thrownness into the world demands authenticity amid the they-self’s idle chatter and conformity, where genuine resoluteness confronts anxiety to own one’s finitude.

The sentence throws Chen into inauthentic conformity: Article 293’s “disruption” chatter reifies his forwards (e.g., Hayek critiques or the “Trump-kneeling Xi” cartoon) as average threats, suppressing resoluteness—his prison letter’s taxonomy (art/emotion/reason/fact) and avalanche theory as authentic owning of scholarly anxiety. The closed-door trial embodies das Man: “high education implies discernment” as idle presumption, enforcing everyday “order” without confrontation. Heidegger would decry this fallenness: the prosecutor’s unverified admission veils anxiety’s call, trapping Chen in they-self’s chatter—selective enforcement (millions unpunished) exposes the inauthenticity, where genuine Being yields to conformist reserve.

2. The Call of Conscience and Care: Suppressed Inquiry as Veiled Disclosure of Being

The call of conscience summons Dasein from lostness to authentic care—Sorge as anticipatory resoluteness—unconcealing Being amid everyday concealment.

Chen’s letter is this call: resolute taxonomy unconceals “rumor” as poetic disclosure (non-causal flux), caring for Being’s truth amid judicial concealment. Yet the “shut up” directive and non-oral appeal silence it, veiling disclosure—the “evidence chain” as fallen chatter, hiding care’s anticipatory light. Heidegger would see this as ontological violence: the verdict’s enframing “disorder” conceals the call, trapping inquiry in reserve—evidentiary voids (zero ripple) flicker unconcealment, yet suppressed, echoing Being and Time’s anxiety: authenticity demands hearing the call, not drowning it in das Man’s noise.

3. Enframing and the Technological Stand: Judicial “Order” as Gestell Challenging Poetic Dwelling

Heidegger’s later critique warns Gestell—modern technology’s challenging-forth—enframes beings as standing-reserve, concealing poetic revealing.

The judiciary’s “picking quarrels” enframes Chen’s thought as extractable “threat-reserve”: forwards ordered into “evidence” stockpile, extractable for “order.” The non-public trial challenges forth without dwelling—Chen’s avalanche theory as poetic flux, dwelling in Being’s openness, is enframed as malfunctioning reserve. Heidegger would indict this Gestell: selective voids (unpunished shares) reveal the stand’s fragility—technology demands total extraction, yet conceals its own poetic failure, risking the saving power (das Rettende) in artful resistance.

Conclusion: Heidegger’s Lens on the Case—A Thrown Concealment of Authentic Being

From Martin Heidegger’s ontology, the Chen Jingyuan case is thrown concealment: das Man silences the call, enframing veils disclosure, fracturing care’s resolute light. As of October 23, 2025, no retrial or exoneration has occurred; Chen’s account remains dormant, its quiet a Heideggerian Gelassenheit amid the storm. This case cautions: unconcealment demands hearing—ignore it, and Being withdraws. As Heidegger pondered, “The nothing itself nothings”—may the call yet resound.