Soft detention
Soft detention, or ruǎnjìn (软禁) in Chinese, is a form of house arrest used in China to control political dissidents.
Its roots go back to imperial times, including the Northern Song dynasty, when critics of the emperor like Su Shi were kept under it.
There are three levels of restriction:
- Juzhu (the loosest): the person is confined to their home district.
- Anzhi (moderate): confined to home but may be allowed to walk outside or go to work.
- Bianguan (the strictest): movement limited to home, constant surveillance, restricted contact with others, and sometimes harassment.
Examples include Yuan Tengfei, a history teacher who faced restrictions after discussing topics banned in modern Chinese history, and Chen Guangcheng, a human rights activist who faced the harshest form.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 10:14 (CET).