Community Guidelines for Ethical Use
The materials housed in People's Letters represent the private voices of ordinary individuals who lived through one of the most consequential periods in modern Chinese history. Researchers who use this archive are expected to engage with these materials with care, rigor, and a strong sense of ethical responsibility. By accessing materials from this archive, researchers agree to the following guidelines.
1. Do No Harm
The protection of individuals represented in this archive is the archive's highest ethical priority. Researchers must not use these materials in ways that could cause harm to individuals, their families, or their descendants. This principle applies to all stages of research, writing, and publication. When uncertainty arises, researchers should err on the side of caution and protection.
2. Citation
All materials drawn from this archive must be properly cited. The recommended citation format is as follows:
Format:
[Item Title], [Item Set], [Date if known], People's Letters Digital Archive, renminlaixin.org, [Item URL], accessed [Date].
Example:
Huilan's Accusation Letter, Huilan's Case, 1968, People's Letters Digital Archive, https://renminlaixin.org/s/peoples-letters/item/29, accessed April 10, 2026.
3. Anonymization and Naming Practices
Researchers are not required to anonymize all individuals represented in the archive. However, naming practices must be guided by careful consideration of potential harm, including both present and future risks.
In some cases, naming individuals may be justified as part of a historian's responsibility to document accountability. Such decisions must be made with caution and should not expose others to harm. In published or public-facing work, researchers are expected to make their interpretive choices explicit and to clearly explain their naming practices, recognizing that these decisions shape how the past is represented and understood.
4. Sensitive Materials
Some materials in this archive document experiences of violence, trauma, and violation, including sexual violence. Researchers working with such materials must prioritize the principle of doing no harm to victims and survivors. These materials should be handled with care and must not be used in ways that sensationalize, exploit, or re-traumatize.
Contact
If you have questions about these guidelines or wish to discuss a specific use case, please fill out our contact form. In your message, please include your name, institutional affiliation, and a brief description of your inquiry.