Chen Guangcheng Early life and family When was he born? I don't know. Does he have any siblings? Chen is the youngest of five brothers where did he go to school? In 1989, at the age of 18, Chen began attending school as a grade one student at the Elementary School
Is he married?
Is Chen Guangcheng married?
Chen is the youngest of five brothers of a peasant family from the village of Dongshigu, Yinan County, Shandong Province, approximately 200 kilometres (120 mi) from the city of Jinan. When Chen was about six months old, he lost his sight due to a fever that destroyed his optical nerves. In an interview for the New York Review of Books, Chen said that although his family did not identify with an organized religion, his upbringing was informed by a "traditional belief in virtue that's present in Chinese culture--that might have some Buddhist content, but not necessarily that one believes in Buddhism." His village was poor, with many families living at a subsistence level. "When I went to school I'd be happy if I just got enough to eat," he recalled.  Chen's father worked as an instructor at a Communist Party school, earning the equivalent of about $60 annually. When Chen was a child, his father would read literary works aloud to him, and reportedly helped impart to his son an appreciation of the values of democracy and freedom. In 1991, Chen's father gave him a copy of "The Law Protecting the Disabled," which elaborated on the legal rights and protections in place for disabled persons in the PRC.  In 1989, at the age of 18, Chen began attending school as a grade one student at the Elementary School for the Blind in Linyi city. In 1994, he enrolled at the Qingdao High School for the Blind, where he studied until 1998. He had already begun developing an interest in law, and would often ask his brothers to read legal texts to him. He earned a position at the Nanjing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine in 1998 but because his family was poor, they had to borrow $340 to cover tuition costs. They still fell short of the required $400 and university authorities reportedly had to be pleaded with before allowing Chen to enroll. He studied in Nanjing from 1998 to 2001, specializing in acupuncture and massage--the only programs available to the blind. Chen also audited legal courses, gaining a sufficient understanding of the law to allow him to aid his fellow villagers when they sought his assistance. After graduation he returned to his home region and found a job as a masseur in the hospital of Yinan County.  Chen met his wife, Yuan Weijing, in 2001, after listening to a radio talk show. Yuan had called into the show to discuss her difficulties in landing a job after graduating from the foreign language department of Shandong's Chemistry Institute. Chen, who listened to the program, later contacted Yuan and relayed his own story of hardship as a blind man living on just 400 Yuan per year. Yuan was moved by the exchange, and later that year, she traveled to Chen's village to meet him. The couple eloped in 2003. Their son, Chen Kerui, was born later that year. In 2005 they had a second child--a daughter named Chen Kesi--in violation of China's one-child policy. Yuan, who had been working as an English teacher at the time of the marriage, left her job in 2003 in order to assist her husband in his legal work. CANNOTANSWER
Chen met his wife, Yuan Weijing,
Chen Guangcheng (born 12 November 1971) is a Chinese civil rights activist who has worked on human rights issues in rural areas of the People's Republic of China. Blind from an early age and self-taught in the law, Chen is frequently described as a "barefoot lawyer" who advocates for women's rights, land rights, and the welfare of the poor.

In 2005, Chen gained international recognition for organising a landmark class-action lawsuit against authorities in Linyi, Shandong province, for the excessive enforcement of the one-child policy. As a result of this lawsuit, Chen was placed under house arrest from September 2005 to March 2006, with a formal arrest in June 2006. On 24 August 2006, Chen was sentenced to four years and three months for "damaging property and organising a mob to disturb traffic." He was released from prison in 2010 after serving his full sentence, but remained under house arrest or "soft detention" at his home in Dongshigu Village. Chen and his wife were reportedly beaten shortly after a human rights group released a video of their home under intense police surveillance in February 2011.

Chen's case received sustained international attention, with the U.S. State Department, the British Foreign Secretary, Human Rights Watch, and Amnesty International issuing appeals for his release; the latter group designated him a prisoner of conscience. Chen is a 2007 laureate of the Ramon Magsaysay Award and in 2006 was named to the Time 100.

In April 2012, Chen escaped his house arrest and fled to the Embassy of the United States, Beijing. After negotiations with the Chinese government, he left the embassy for medical treatment in early May 2012, and it was reported that China would consider allowing him to travel to the United States to study. On 19 May 2012, Chen, his wife, and his two children were granted U.S. visas and departed Beijing for New York City. In October 2013, Chen accepted a position with the conservative research group Witherspoon Institute, and a position at the Catholic University of America.

Early life and family 
Chen is the youngest of five brothers of a peasant family from the village of Dongshigu, Yinan County, Linyi, southern Shandong Province, approximately  from the city of Jinan. When Chen was about six months old, he lost his sight due to a fever that destroyed his optical nerves. In an interview for the New York Review of Books, Chen said that although his family did not identify with an organized religion, his upbringing was informed by a "traditional belief in virtue that’s present in Chinese culture—that might have some Buddhist content, but not necessarily that one believes in Buddhism." His village was poor, with many families living at a subsistence level. "When I went to school I’d be happy if I just got enough to eat," he recalled.

Chen's father worked as an instructor at a Communist Party school, earning the equivalent of about $60 annually. When Chen was a child, his father would read literary works aloud to him, and reportedly helped impart to his son an appreciation of the values of democracy and freedom. In 1991, Chen's father gave him a copy of "The Law Protecting the Disabled," which elaborated on the legal rights and protections in place for disabled persons in the PRC.

In 1989, at the age of 18, Chen began attending school as a grade one student at the Elementary School for the Blind in Linyi city. In 1994, he enrolled at the Qingdao High School for the Blind, where he studied until 1998. He had already begun developing an interest in law, and would often ask his brothers to read legal texts to him. He earned a position at the Nanjing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine in 1998 but because his family was poor, they had to borrow $340 to cover tuition costs. They still fell short of the required $400 and university authorities reportedly had to be pleaded with before allowing Chen to enroll. He studied in Nanjing from 1998 to 2001, specializing in acupuncture and massage—the only programs available to the blind. Chen also audited legal courses, gaining a sufficient understanding of the law to allow him to aid his fellow villagers when they sought his assistance. After graduation he returned to his home region and found a job as a masseur in the hospital of Yinan County.

Chen met his wife, Yuan Weijing, in 2001, after listening to a radio talk show. Yuan had called into the show to discuss her difficulties in landing a job after graduating from the foreign language department of Shandong's Chemistry Institute. Chen, who listened to the program, later contacted Yuan and relayed his own story of hardship as a blind man living on just 400 Yuan per year. Yuan was moved by the exchange, and later that year, she traveled to Chen's village to meet him. The couple eloped in 2003. Their son, Chen Kerui, was born later that year. In 2005 they had a second child—a daughter named Chen Kesi—in violation of China's one-child policy. Yuan, who had been working as an English teacher at the time of the marriage, left her job in 2003 in order to assist her husband in his legal work.

Activism 

Chen first petitioned authorities in 1996, when he traveled to Beijing to complain about taxes that were incorrectly being levied on his family (people with disabilities, such as Chen, are supposed to be exempt from taxation and fees). The complaint was successful, and Chen began petitioning for other individuals with disabilities. With funding from a British foundation, Chen became an outspoken activist for disability rights within the China Law Society. His reputation as a disability rights advocate was solidified when agreed to advocate for an elderly blind couple whose grandchildren suffered from paralysis.  The family had been paying all of the regular taxes and fees, but Chen believed that, under the law, the family should have received government assistance and exemption from taxation. When the case went to court, blind citizens from surrounding counties were in attendance as a show of solidarity.  The case was successful, and the outcome became well-known.

In 1997, the leaders of Chen's village began implementing a land use plan that gave authorities control over 60 percent of land, which they then rented out at high cost to the villages. The plan, known as the "two-field system," was a major source of enrichment for the local government. While studying in Nanjing the following year, however, Chen learned that the program was illegal, and he petitioned central authorities in Beijing to end the system, thereby irritating local officials.

In 2000, Chen returned from his studies in Nanjing to his village of Dongshigu in an effort to confront environmental pollution. A paper mill constructed in 1988 had been dumping toxic wastewater into the Meng River, destroying crops and harming wildlife. The chemicals also reportedly caused skin and digestive problems among villagers living downstream from the mill. Chen organized villagers in his hometown and 78 other villages to petition against the mill. The effort was successful, and resulted in the suspension of the paper mill. In addition, Chen contacted the British embassy in Beijing, informing them of the situation and requesting funding for a well to supply clean water to locals. The British government responded by providing £15,000 towards a deep water well, irrigation systems and water pipelines.

In March 2004, more than 300 residents from Chen's village of Dongshigu filed a petition to the village government demanding that they release the village accounts—which hadn't been made public for over ten years—and address the issue of illegal land requisitions. When village authorities failed to respond, villagers escalated their appeals to the township, county and municipal governments, still without response. Village authorities then began to publicly threaten villagers. In November 2004, Chen acted on behalf of villagers to file a lawsuit in the Qi'nan County Court against the local Public Security Bureau for negligence. The case was accepted, and proceedings began in early 2005.

In 2005, Chen spent several months surveying residents of Shandong Province, collecting accounts of forced, late-term abortions and forced sterilization of women who stood in violation of China's one-child policy. His survey was based in Linyi and included surrounding rural suburbs. Chen later recalled that his survey would have been significantly larger in scope were he not limited by a lack of financial resources.

Though Chinese central authorities have sought to curb the coercive enforcement of the one-child policy since 1990 by replacing measures such as forced abortions and sterilizations with a system of financial incentives and fines, Chen found that coercive practices remained widespread, and he documented numerous cases of abuse. One of the women he interviewed in Maxiagou village, 36-year-old Feng Zhongxia, said that local officials detained and beat her relatives, and indicated they would not be released until she turned herself in and submitted to a forced abortion. She said she was later subjected to forced sterilization. Chen also solicited the help of prominent legal scholar Teng Biao, who conducted his own interviews in Linyi. Teng and Chen later released a report claiming that an estimated 130,000 residents in the city had been forced into 'study sessions' for refusing abortions or violating the one-child policy; residents would be held for days or weeks in the study sessions, and were allegedly beaten.

In 2005, Chen filed a class-action lawsuit on behalf of women from Linyi against the city's family planning staff. And in June, he traveled to Beijing to file the complaint and meet with foreign reporters to publicize the case. Although there had been prior instances of Chinese citizens filing complaints about abuses under the one-child policy, Chen's initiative was the first class-action lawsuit to challenge its implementation.

Although the suit he filed was rejected, the case garnered international media attention. Responding to questions about Chen's allegation, a senior official with the National Population and Family Planning Commission told the Washington Post that the practice of forced abortions and sterilizations was "definitely illegal", and indicated that the complaints were being investigated. "If the Linyi complaints are true, or even partly true, it's because local officials do not understand the new demands of the Chinese leadership regarding family planning work", said the official. In September 2005, the commission announced that several Linyi officials had been detained. But local authorities in Linyi retaliated against Chen, placing him under house arrest in September 2005 and embarking on a campaign to undermine his reputation; the Linyi officials portrayed him as working for "foreign anti-China forces", pointing out that he had received foreign funding for his advocacy on behalf of the disabled.

Detention and trial 

On 7 September 2005, while Chen was in Beijing to publicize his class action lawsuit against the Linyi city family planning staff, he was reportedly abducted by security agents from Linyi and held for 38 hours. Recounting the incident to foreign journalists, Chen said that authorities threatened to levy criminal charges against him for providing state secrets or intelligence to foreign organizations. After Chen refused negotiations with local officials to cease his activism, Linyi authorities placed him under effective house arrest beginning in September 2005. When he attempted to escape in October, he was beaten.

Xinhua, the news agency of the Chinese government, stated that on 5 February 2006, Chen instigated others "to damage and smash cars belonging to the Shuanghou Police Station and the town government" as well as attack local government officials. Time reported that witnesses to Chen's protest disputed the government's version of events, and his lawyers argued that it was unlikely he could have committed the crimes due to his constant surveillance by police. Chen was removed from his house in March 2006 and was formally detained in June 2006 by Yinan County officials. He was scheduled to stand trial on 17 July 2006 on charges of destruction of property and assembling a crowd to disrupt traffic, but this was delayed at the request of the prosecution. According to Radio Free Asia and Chinese Human Rights Defenders, the prosecution delayed the trial because a crowd of Chen supporters gathered outside the courthouse. With only a few days' notice, authorities rescheduled Chen's trial for 18 August 2006.

On the eve of his trial, all three of his lawyers, including Xu Zhiyong of the Yitong Law Firm, were detained by Yinan police; two were released after being questioned. Neither Chen's lawyers nor his wife were allowed in the courtroom for the trial. Authorities appointed their own public defender for Chen just before the trial began. The trial lasted only two hours. On 24 August 2006, Chen was sentenced to four years and three months for "damaging property and organizing a mob to disturb traffic".

As a result of Chen's trial, British Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett selected his case for the cover of the British government's 2006 human rights report, stating concern over the handling of Chen's case and calling for the Chinese government "to prove its commitment to building rule of law." A columnist for The Globe and Mail also criticized the verdict, writing that "Even assuming [Chen] did damage 'doors and windows,' as well as cars, and interrupt traffic for three hours, it is difficult to argue a four-year prison sentence is somehow proportionate to the offence."

On 30 November 2006, Yinan County court upheld Chen's sentence, and on 12 January 2007, the Linyi Intermediate Court in Shandong Province rejected his final appeal. The same court had overturned his original conviction in December 2006, citing lack of evidence. However, Chen was convicted in a second trial on identical charges and given an identical sentence by the Yinan court. Following the trial, Amnesty International declared him to be a prisoner of conscience, "jailed solely for his peaceful activities in defence of human rights".

House arrest 
After his release from prison in 2010, Chen was placed under house arrest against Chinese law, and was closely monitored by security forces. Legally, he was proclaimed by the government to be a free man, but in reality the local government offered no explanation for the hundreds of unidentified agents monitoring his house and preventing visitors or escape.

He and his wife attempted to communicate with the outside world via video tape and letters. Letters described beatings Chen and his wife were subjected to, seizure of documents and communication devices, cutting off of electric power to their residence, and placing of metal sheets over the windows of their house. Harassment of Chen's family continued throughout his house arrest, and extended to Chen's six-year-old daughter, who was briefly banned from attending school and had her toys confiscated by guards, and to Chen's mother, who was harassed while working in the fields. Authorities reportedly told Chen that they had spent 60 million yuan ($9.5 million) to keep him under house arrest.

In 2011, The New York Times reported that a number of supporters and admirers had attempted to penetrate the security monitoring Chen's home, but were unsuccessful. In some instances, his supporters were pummeled, beaten, or robbed by security agents. U.S. Congressman Chris Smith attempted to visit Chen in November 2011, but was not granted permission. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton described the U.S. government as "alarmed" by Chen's continued detention and called on China "to embrace a different path". Human Rights Watch described his house arrest as "unlawful" and called on authorities to give Chen his freedom.

In December 2011, actor Christian Bale attempted to visit Chen along with a CNN crew, but was punched, shoved, and denied access by Chinese security guards. Bale later stated that he had wanted "to meet the man, shake his hand and say what an inspiration he is." Video footage also showed Bale and the CNN crew having stones thrown at them, and being pursued in their minivan for more than 40 minutes.

Escape and emigration 

On 22 April 2012, Chen escaped from house arrest. Chen's fellow activist Hu Jia stated that Chen had been planning escape for a long time, and had previously attempted to dig a tunnel for escape. In the weeks leading up to his escape, Chen gave his guards the impression that he was ill in bed, and stopped appearing outside the house, which allowed him several days before any absence would be discovered. Under cover of darkness and with the help of his wife, Chen climbed over the wall around his house, breaking his foot in the process.

When he came upon the Meng River, he found it to be guarded, but crossed anyway and was not stopped; he later stated that he believed the guards had been asleep. Though he recollected his immediate surroundings from his childhood explorations, he eventually passed into less familiar territory; he later told his supporters that he fell more than 200 times during his escape. Communicating with a network of activists via a cell phone, he reached a pre-determined rendezvous point where He Peirong, an English teacher and activist, was waiting for him. A chain of human rights activists then escorted him to Beijing. Several of the activists reported to be involved were detained or disappeared in the days following the announcement of Chen's escape.

Chen was given refuge at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing, though the Embassy initially declined to confirm or deny reports that they were sheltering him. The Embassy later said they had accepted Chen on humanitarian grounds and offered him medical assistance. On 27 April, Chen appeared in an internet video in which he expressed his concern that the authorities would carry out "insane retribution" on his family and made three demands of Premier Wen Jiabao: 1) that local officials who allegedly assaulted his family be prosecuted; 2) that his family's safety be guaranteed; and 3) that the Chinese government prosecute corruption cases under the law.

The New York Times described the situation as a "diplomatic quandary" at a time when the U.S. was seeking to improve relations with China and seeks its support with respect to crises in Iran, Sudan, Syria, and North Korea. BBC News described Chen's escape as coming at "an unwelcome time for China's leaders," who were still dealing with a high-profile corruption scandal that resulted in the removal of politburo member Bo Xilai. Within twenty-four hours, Chen's name as well as the phrases "CGC" and "the blind man" had been blocked by Chinese online censors in an effort to quell Internet discussion of the case. On the day Chen announced his escape, Chinese state media did not carry "a single line of news" referring to it. The New York Times wrote that news of the escape "electrified China’s rights activists".

Negotiations and exit from U.S. embassy 

Kurt M. Campbell, an assistant secretary of state, quietly arrived in Beijing on 29 April for negotiations with representatives of China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. After several days of media speculation as to his whereabouts, Chen was confirmed on 2 May to have been under U.S diplomatic protection at the Embassy. According to embassy representatives, the agreement brokered with Chinese authorities provided that Chen would be freed from soft detention, relocated, and be permitted to finish his legal education at one of several law schools in China. Chinese officials also promised to investigate "extra-legal activities" taken by Shandong province authorities against Chen and his family. Chen left the embassy of his own accord on 2 May, was reunited with his family, and admitted to Beijing's Chaoyang Hospital for medical treatment.

During the initial negotiations in the U.S. embassy, Chen did not request asylum in the United States or considered leaving China, but instead demanded to remain there as a free man. However, soon after leaving the embassy, Chen feared that Chinese authorities would renege on their promises or take punitive actions against his family members. While in the hospital, Chinese security personnel barred U.S. diplomatic staff from meeting with him. Rumors emerged that Chinese officials had coerced Chen into leaving the embassy by threatening his family. U.S. negotiators stated that while in the embassy, Chen had been told by Chinese officials that if he sought asylum in the United States, his wife and daughter would likely remain under house arrest in Shandong. However, they maintained that they had not heard of the threats from local officials that his family would be beaten, and that they had not communicated such a message to Chen. On 3 May, Chen clarified to the BBC that he had become aware of the threats against his family after leaving the embassy, and at that point changed his mind about wishing to stay in China.

On 2 May, a spokesperson of China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs demanded that the U.S. apologize for the Chen incident, investigate its acts and never interfere in China's domestic matters in such a way again. In an editorial on 4 May, Beijing Daily described Chen as "a tool and a pawn for American politicians to denigrate China". The daily also accused US Ambassador Gary Locke of stirring up trouble by sheltering Chen, and questioned Locke's motives.

On 4 May, after Chen made clear his desire to leave China for the United States, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson indicated that, if he wished to study abroad, he could "apply through normal channels to the relevant departments in accordance with the law, just like any other Chinese citizen." On the same day, Chen was offered a visiting scholar position at New York University. On 19 May, Chen, his wife, and his two children, having been granted U.S. visas, departed Beijing on a commercial flight for Newark, New Jersey.

Treatment of family and associates 
While Chen was living under house arrest, several of his family members also reportedly faced harassment and confinement by authorities.  His elderly mother, Wang Jinxiang, recalled being continuously followed by three security agents. The BBC reported in May 2012 that she remained under house arrest. Before leaving China in the spring of 2012, Chen expressed concern that his relatives and other activists who had helped him evade capture would be punished by Chinese officials after his departure.

On 27 April 2012, soon after Chen escaped house arrest, plainclothes security agents forced entry into the home of his eldest brother, Chen Guangfu. Believing that the elder brother had information on Chen's escape, police took him to a police station for interrogation, and reportedly chained his feet, slapped him, and struck him with a belt. Police officers then allegedly returned to the family's home and proceeded to beat Guangfu's wife and son. His son, Chen Kegui, pulled a knife and slashed at three of the officers, causing minor injuries. He was taken into custody and faces criminal charges for attempted murder. On 24 May, it was reported that Chen Guangfu had escaped to Beijing from his guarded village to advocate on behalf of his son. In November 2012, Chen Kegui was sentenced to more than three years in prison.

On 4 November 2013, Chen Guangfu said he would fly to New York City with his mother two days later for a reunion with his brother Chen Guangcheng.

In the United States 

Following his arrival in the U.S., Chen, his wife, and the couple's two children settled in a housing complex for students and faculty of New York University, located in Greenwich Village. He reportedly began studying English for two hours per day, in addition to having regular meetings with American legal scholars. His memoir, The Barefoot Lawyer, was published in March 2015 by Henry Holt and Company.

On 29 May 2012, Chen published an editorial in the New York Times criticizing the Chinese government and the Communist Party for the "lawless punishment inflicted on (himself) and (his) family over the past seven years." He said that "those who handled my case were able to openly flout the nation’s laws in many ways for many years." In an April 2013 testimony before the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Chen said that Chinese authorities had failed to deliver on promises to investigate allegations of mistreatment against him and his family. Chen issued a statement in June saying NYU is forcing him to leave at the end of June because of pressure from the Chinese government. This claim was denied by the university, as well as by professor Jerome A. Cohen, Chen's mentor who arranged for his placement at NYU. Despite these denials, his departure followed within days of NYU's agreement with the Chinese authorities to open the NYU Shanghai campus. Chen's close association with conservative Christian and pro-life figures since coming to the United States, including representative Chris Smith, pastor Bob Fu, and media consultant Mark Corallo, has concerned old supporters like Cohen.

In October 2013, Chen accepted an offer from the Witherspoon Institute in Princeton, New Jersey. Chen became a Distinguished Senior Fellow in Human Rights at the Witherspoon Institute, as well as a Visiting Fellow of the Institute for Policy Research and Catholic Studies at the Catholic University of America and a Senior Distinguished Advisor to the Lantos Foundation for Human Rights and Justice.

On 16 October 2013, Chen made his first public appearance in his role as a Distinguished Senior Fellow at the Witherspoon Institute. He delivered a public lecture at Princeton University entitled "China and the World in the 21st Century: The Next Human Rights Revolution," which was co-sponsored by the Witherspoon Institute and the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions. The text of Chen's speech, translated into English, was then published online. In the speech, Chen called on the American people to support the Chinese people by fighting against the oppressive Communist government of China. He reminded the audience that even small actions undertaken in defense of human rights can have a large impact, because "Every person has infinite strength. Every action has an important impact. We must believe in the value of our own actions".

In August 2020, Chen spoke at the 2020 Republican National Convention. During his speech, Chen stated "We need to support, vote, and fight for President Trump."

Awards and recognition 

Chen began attracting international media attention for his civil rights activism in the early 2000s. In March 2002, Newsweek magazine ran a cover story on Chen and the "barefoot lawyer" movement in China, detailing his advocacy on behalf of villagers and the disabled. His profile rose further in 2005 when he filed a landmark class-action suit taking on abuses of the one-child policy. In 2006, Chen Guangcheng was named one of the Time 100, Time'''s annual list of "100 men and women whose power, talent or moral example is transforming our world". The citation stated, "He may have lost his sight as a child, but Chen Guangcheng's legal vision has helped illuminate the plight of thousands of Chinese villagers."

In 2007, Chen won the Ramon Magsaysay Award while still in detention. The award, often called the "Asian Nobel Prize", was bestowed for "his irrepressible passion for justice in leading ordinary Chinese citizens to assert their legitimate rights under the law". According to AIDS activist Hu Jia, Chen's wife Yuan Weijing attempted to attend the Magsaysay Award ceremony on her husband's behalf, her passport was revoked and her mobile phone was confiscated by Chinese authorities at Beijing Capital International Airport.

The National Endowment for Democracy honored Chen with the 2008 Democracy Award. Chen was one of seven Chinese lawyers and civil rights activists to be named as recipients of the award.

In 2012, Chen was chosen as the recipient of the Human Rights Award from the New York-based NGO Human Rights First. In explaining the choice, the organization's president Elisa Massimino stated, "Mr. Chen's activism has reignited an international conversation about the need to protect human rights lawyers around the world who face great danger for their courageous work." In 2014 he received the Geneva Summit Courage Award.

 References 

 External links 

 
 
 "How China Flouts Its Laws", op-ed by Chen Guangcheng in The New York Times, 29 May 2012
 ‘Pressure for Change is at the Grassroots’: An Interview with Chen Guangcheng', the New York Review of Books, 20 June 2012.
 United States Congress, House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Chen Guangcheng: His Case, Cause, Family, and Those Who are Helping Him: Hearing before the Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, and Human Rights, 112th Congress, Second Session, 15 May 2012.
 Chen Guangcheng  Freedom Collection'' interview
 

1971 births
Abortion in China
Amnesty International prisoners of conscience held by China
Blind activists
Blind people from China
Chinese expatriates in the United States
Chinese human rights activists
Chinese democracy activists
20th-century Chinese lawyers
21st-century Chinese lawyers
Chinese prisoners and detainees
Chinese refugees
Chinese disability rights activists
Living people
People from Linyi
Weiquan movement
Ramon Magsaysay Award winners
Witherspoon Institute
Laird of Burnbrae was a hereditary title in Scotland that was held by several generations in the Primrose family. The Lands of Burnbrae was situated near Kincardine, and has since been joined with Kincardine.

The book, Culross and Tulliallan, states that the Lands of Burnbrae were previously held by the Blaw family until it was passed on to the Primrose family when Margaret Blaw married Archibald Primrose, who then became the first proprietor of that name to hold the lands of Burnbrae. The Primrose family held the title to the Lands of Burnbrae for over two hundred years until it became incorporated with the Tulliallan estate.

The Lairds of Burnbrae resided in Tulliallan, formerly in Perthshire, Scotland although in some early sources Tulliallan is cited as part of Fife, where it currently lies. The family is related to the Lord Dalmeny (a subordinate title of the Earl of Rosebery), whose family surname is also Primrose.

Lairds of Burnbrae 
Archibald Primrose was the first Laird of Burnbrae. He was born about 1538 in Culross to Duncan Primrose and Helen Smyth. Archibald married Margaret Blaw about 1564 in Culross.

Peter Primrose is the second known Laird of Burnbrae and uncle of the first Laird. He was born about 1512 and died in July 1584.

Henry Primrose is the third known Laird of Burnbrae. He was born in 1536 to Peter Primrose. Henry married Margaret Beveridge in about 1558 and died in 1576.

Peter Primrose is the fourth known Laird of Burnbrae. He was born in 1560 to Henry Primrose and Margaret Beverage. Peter married Margaret Callender and died in 1609.

John Primrose is the fifth known Laird of Burnbrae. He was born about 1590 to Peter Primrose and Margaret Callender. It is unknown who the mother(s) of his children are but it is recorded that he married Elizabeth Sands on 20 September 1665 in Culross, Fife, Scotland. John died in December 1669.

John Primrose is the sixth known Laird of Burnbrae. He was born about 1617 to John Primrose, and married Margaret Reiddock.

John Primrose is the seventh known Laird of Burnbrae. He was christened on 26 December 1648 in Culross, Fife, Scotland to John Primrose and Margaret Reiddock. John married Christian Wannan on 24 October 1680.

William Primrose is the eighth known Laird of Burnbrae. He was born on 16 May 1685 to John Primrose and  Christian Wannan. William married Janet Drysdale on 6 April 1716. Janet was born on 3 February 1689 to John Drysdale and Margaret Love.

John Primrose is the ninth known Laird of Burnbrae. He was christened on 3 May 1719 to William Primrose and Janet Drysdale. John married Janet Primrose about 1745.

James Primrose is the tenth and last known Laird of Burnbrae. He was born about 1746 to John Primrose and  Janet Primrose. He was also known by the title "esquire". James married Jane Lawrie about 1784 and died November 1827; his wife died in April 1832.

References

Burnbrae
People from Kincardine, Fife The following is a list of characters from the Polish TV series M jak miłość.

For biographies of members of Mostowiak family, see: List of M jak miłość characters (Mostowiak family)

Banach family 
Banach family is related to Mostowiak family through the 2020 wedding of Mateusz Mostowiak and Liliana Banach.

 Krzysztof Banach (January Brunov) is a patriarch of Banach family.

 Krystyna Banach (Dorota Chotecka-Pazura) is a wife of Krzysztof Banach.

 Liliana Mostowiak, born Banach (Monika Mielnicka) is a daughter of Jacek Kotowski and Krystyna Banach and legal daughter of Krzysztof Banach. She was a classmate of Mateusz Mostowiak and lived with her family in Lipnica. Her father used a domestic violence. In late 2019 she was raped by Daniel and fell pregnant. Mateusz Mostowiak decided to take care of her and raise her child as his own. In March 2020 Liliana miscarried. She married Mostowiak on April 21, 2020. In January 2021 she learnt that her biologcal father was Jacek Kotowski. Liliana had a romance with Australian Ethan Anderson, who is fifteen years senior and has a daughter. She left Mateusz and decided to divorce him and to marry her new partner.

 Mateusz Mostowiak is a husband of Liliana Mostowiak. They married on April 21, 2020.

 Kamil Banach is a second child and first son of Krzysztof Banach and his wife, Krystyna Banach. He lives in Lipnica.

Budzyński family 
Budzyński family is related to Mostowiak family through the 2012 wedding of Andrzej Budzyński and Marta Mostowiak.

 Tadeusz Budzyński is a brother of Wanda Budzyńska. He was born in 1929 and died in 2012. She met Irena Malanowska, a woman whom he loved in his youth, and moved with her to Cracow.

 Wanda Budzyńska (Maria Rybarczyk) is a senior of Budzyński family. She was born in 1956. Wanda has one brother, Tadeusz Budzyński. She is a lawyer and a judge. She was dating Jerzy Kolęda (2014-2015).

 Andrzej Budzyński (Krystian Wieczorek) is an only child of Wanda Budzyńska and her unnamed husband. He was born on November 17, 1973. In 2003 he had a son, Piotr Bielak, with his married lover, Edyta Bielak. He hasn't known about him and met him later. Piotr was raised as a son of Edyta's husband. Andrzej married Marta Wojciechowska on January 16, 2012 and became a stepfather to her two children. They divorced in May 2017 after Marta moved to Colombia. He then started dating Magdalena Marszałek and they married on January 7, 2020. Andrzej is a stepfather to Magdalena's son, Maciej Chodakowski.

 Marta Budzyńska, born Mostowiak is a first wife of Andrzej Budzyński. They married on January 16, 2012 and divorced on May 15, 2017.

 Magdalena Budzyńska, born Marszałek is a second wife of Andrzej Budzyński. They married on January 7, 2020.

 Piotr Bielak is a first child of Andrzej Budzyński and his then lover, Edyta Bielak. His legal father is Janusz Bielak. He was born in 2003.

Chodakowski family 
Chodakowski family is related to Mostowiak family through the 2009 wedding of Tomasz Chodakowski and Małgorzata Mostowiak.

 Grzegorz Chodakowski (Wojciech Majchrzak) is a first child of Mr. and Mrs. Chodakowski and older brother of Tomasz Chodakowski. He was born on May 6, 1967. 

 Aleksandra Chodakowska (Małgorzata Pieczyńska) is a wife of Grzegorz Chodakowski. She was born on May 12, 1965. Aleksandra has one sister, a nun named Łucja (born July 9, 1967, died March 14, 2008).

 Aleksander Chodakowski (Maurycy Popiel) is a first child of Grzegorz Chodakowski and his wife, Aleksandra Chodakowska. He was born on June 6, 1987. He civilly married Aneta Kryńska on April 28, 2020 in a prison in Warsaw.

 Magdalena Chodakowska, born Marszałek is a first wife of Aleksander Chodakowski. They married on December 22, 2015 and divorced on September 19, 2017.

 Aneta Chodakowska, born Kryńska (Ilona Janyst) is a second wife of Aleksander Chodakowski. They married on April 28, 2020.

 Maciej Chodakowski, born Romanowski (Franciszek Przanowski) is a first child of Aleksander Chodakowski and his first wife, Magdalena Chodakowska. He was born in 2006. His biological father, Krzysztof Romanowski, died because of heart attack on January 18, 2016. On March 14, 2016 he was adopted by Aleksander and Magdalena

 Marcin Chodakowski (Mikołaj Roznerski) is a second child and second son of Grzegorz Chodakowski and his wife, Aleksandra Chodakowska. He was born on August 18, 1990. Marcin was raised in Germany by his father, because his mother left the family and moved abroad. He was a boxer. He came to Warsaw because he had a conflict with boxer club's chef. Marcin had romances with Weronika Zawada (who was married to Ryszard Zawada, 2013), Agnieszka Olszewska (2012), Eryka Bufford (2013-2014) and Jane Bufford (2013). In 2014 he met Katarzyna Mularczyk. They started dating and she fell pregnant. Marcin got engaged to Katarzyna on December 29, 2014. On March 9, 2015 their son Szymon Chodakowski was born in Warsaw, but Katarzyna died as a result of severe blooding. Marcin, who raised his son alone, met Izabela Lewińska. She worked as a curator and controlled Marcin's family. They fell in love and has a daughter, Maja Chodakowska, on November 14, 2017. In the meantime, Izabela married her former boyfriend, Artur Skalski and didn't say Marcin that she was expecting their child. Artur was killed in October 2019 by Aleksander Chodakowski. Marcin and Izabela engaged on January 28, 2020 and married in a church ceremony on March 24, 2020. Chodakowski owns a company.

 Izabela Chodakowska, born Lewińska (Adriana Kalska) is a wife of Marcin Chodakowski. They married on March 24, 2020.

 Szymon Chodakowski is a first child of Marcin Chodakowski and his fiancee, Katarzyna Mularczyk. He was born on March 9, 2015. His mother died hours after his birth and he was raised by his father.

 Maja Chodakowska is a first child of Marcin Chodakowski and his then girlfriend, Izabela Lewińska. She was born on November 14, 2017.

 Tomasz Chodakowski (Andrzej Młynarczyk) was a second child of Mr. and Mrs. Chodakowski and younger brother of Grzegorz Chodakowski. He was born on July 7, 1978. He lived in Szczecin and worked as a policeman. He decided to change his work and become a driver after the death of his close friend. He took care of his daughter, Zofia Warakomska. Tomasz met Małgorzata Mostowiak and saved her life when a man tried to rape her. They married on November 10, 2009 and their son was born on November 23, 2009. In the past, Tomasz was engaged to Agnieszka Olszewska, who escaped from the church minutes before their wedding. Agnieszka came to Warsaw from Szczecin and they renewed their relationship. Tomasz's relationship with Agnieszka and Małgorzata's work abroad was bad for their marriage. In 2014 Małgorzata left her family and moved to United States where she got engaged to her first husband, Michał Łagoda, and fell pregnant. Tomasz divorced her on May 12, 2014. Chodakowski had another one night stand with Olszewska. It resulted in a birth of their daughter, Helena Chodakowska, on February 23, 2016. Tomasz started dating Joanna Tarnowska, a nanny of Wojciech. Tomasz and Joanna married on March 28, 2017. Chodakowski was attacked with a knife and died in a Warsaw hospital on September 11, 2017.

 Małgorzata Chodakowska, born Mostowiak is a first wife of Tomasz Chodakowski. They married on November 10, 2009 and divorced on May 12, 2014.

 Joanna Chodakowska, born Tarnowska is a second wife of Tomasz Chodakowski. They married on March 28, 2017 and she widowed on September 11, 2017.

 Zofia Warakomska is a stepchild of Tomasz Chodakowski and his first wife, Małgorzata Chodakowska. She was born on June 15, 1999 in Szczecin.

 Wojciech Chodakowski is a first child of Tomasz Chodakowski and his first wife, Małgorzata Chodakowska. He was born on November 23, 2009 in Warsaw.

 Helena Chodakowska is a first child of Tomasz Chodakowski and his former fiancee, Agnieszka Olszewska. She was born on February 23, 2016. She spent her first years in Warsaw. In September 2017 her father died. In April 2020 she moved to home town of her mother, Szczecin.

Domański family 
 Stefan Domański (Zbigniew Waleryś) is a patriarch of Domański family. He was born in 1955. He has a daughter, Alicja Domańska. For many years Stefan had been a tramp. He met his granddaughter Barbara Domańska and they become friends.

 Jerzy Domański (Michał Czernecki) is a son of Stefan Domański and biological father of Barbara Zduńska. He was married to Alicja but they later divorced and he didn't have a contact with his child. Barbara is now raised as a child of Paweł Zduński. He was born in 1979.

 Alicja Zduńska, primo voto Domańska, secundo voto Zduńska was a wife of Jerzy Domański. She was born on October 18, 1985. Alicja has one sister, Olga. Alicja was married to Jerzy Domański with whom she has a daughter, Barbara. Secondly she married Paweł Zduński and they raised Barbara as her parents. Alicja left her family and moved to London with her new boyfriend. She soon fell pregnant and divorced Zduński. She gave birth to another son.

 Barbara Zduńska, born Domańska (Gabriela Raczyńska) is a daughter of Jerzy Domański and his then wife, Alicja Zduńska and also stepdaughter of Paweł Zduński. She was born on July 15, 2006.

Filarski family 
Filarski family is related to Mostowiak family through the 2002 wedding of Piotr Zduński and Kinga Filarska.

 Zbigniew Filarski is a senior of Filarski family. He is divorced from Krystyna Filarska since May 16, 2006.

 Krystyna Filarska-Marszałek is a first wife of Zbigniew Filarski. They divorced on May 16, 2006.

 Kinga Filarska-Zduńska, born Filarska (Katarzyna Cichopek-Hakiel) is a first child of Zbigniew Filarski and his wife, Krystyna Filarska. She was born on May 22, 1984. Status: present, living in Warsaw since 2002. Occupation: psychologist. Marital status: married to Piotr Zduński since 2002.

Lisiecki family 
Lisiecki family is related to Mostowiak family through the 2019 wedding of Bartosz Lisiecki and Urszula Mostowiak.

 Andrzej Lisiecki (Tomasz Oświeciński) is an older brother of Bartosz Lisiecki. In the past he was married to Elżbieta but his marriage lasted only a few months. On January 31, 2017 he married his friend, Marzena Laskowska and they're expecting their first child. Status: present, living in Grabina. Marital status: married to Marzena Lisiecka since 2017.

 Elżbieta Lisiecka (Anna Sarna) is a divorced first wife of Andrzej Lisiecki. She came to Grabina to stop Andrzej's wedding with Marzena Laskowska, saying that they're not divorced. Status: non-present since 2017. Marital status: divorced from Andrzej Lisiecki.

 Marzena Lisiecka, born Laskowska (Olga Szomańska) is a second wife of Andrzej Lisiecki. She worked at Siedlisko with Urszula Lisiecka. Marzena gave birth to her daughter Kalina on March 17, 2020.

 Kalina Lisiecka is a first child of Andrzej Lisiecki and his wife, Marzena Lisiecka. She was born on March 17, 2020 in Warsaw.

 Bartosz Lisiecki (Arkadiusz Smoleński) is a younger brother of Andrzej Lisiecki. Before he came to Grabina, he was in jail. Bartosz was previously married to Jolanta Lisiecka but they divorced after she betrayed him and gave birth to a daughter whose father was her lover. Lisiecki met Urszula Mostowiak and she split with her fiance to be with Bartosz. They married on June 4, 2019. Status: present, living in Grabina. Occupation: car mechanic. Marital status: married to Urszula Lisiecka since 2019.

 Jolanta Lisiecka is a first wife of Bartosz Lisiecki. They are divorced.

 Urszula Lisiecka, born Jakubczyk is a second wife of Bartosz Lisiecki. They married on June 4, 2019.

Łagoda family 
Łagoda family is related to Mostowiak family through the 1960 adoption of Maria Mostowiak by Lucjan Mostowiak and through the 2002 wedding of Michał Łagoda and Małgorzata Mostowiak.

 Feliks Łagoda (never seen on screen) was a senior of Łagoda family. He was born in 1896 and died on June 28, 1960.

 Zofia Łagoda (never seen on screen) was a wife of Feliks Łagoda.

 Zenon Łagoda (Emil Karewicz) was a first child of Feliks Łagoda and his wife, Zofia Łagoda. He was born on June 14, 1936. He died on November 17, 2001.

 Maria Rogowska, born Mostowiak, primo voto Zduńska, secundo voto Rogowska is a first child of Zenon Łagoda and his then fiancee, Barbara Wrzodak. She is a legal daughter of Lucjan Mostowiak. She was born on December 24, 1960. Status: present, living in Grabina since 2018. Occupation: nurse. Marital status: married to Artur Rogowski since 2018.

 Piotr Zduński is a first child of Krzysztof Zduński and his wife, Maria Zduńska. He was born on February 18, 1984. Status: present, living in Warsaw since 2002. Occupation: lawyer. Marital status: married to Kinga Filarska-Zduńska since 2002.

 Magdalena Zduńska (Maja Wudkiewicz) is a first child of Piotr Zduński and his wife, Kinga Filarska-Zduńska. She was born on March 9, 2009. 

 Mikołaj Zduński is a second child and first son of Piotr Zduński and his wife, Kinga Filarska-Zduńska. He was born on May 6, 2014.

 Emilia Zduńska is a third child and second daughter of Piotr Zduński and his wife, Kinga Filarska-Zduńska. She was born on February 25, 2019.

 Zuzanna Zduńska is a fourth child and third daughter of Piotr Zduński and his wife, Kinga Filarska-Zduńska. She was born on February 25, 2019.

 Paweł Zduński is a second child and second son of Krzysztof Zduński and his wife, Maria Zduńska. He was born on February 18, 1984.  Status: present, living in Warsaw since 2002. Occupation: businessman. Marital status: divorced from Katia Zduńska since 2018. 

 Barbara Zduńska is a first child of Paweł Zduński and his second wife, Alicja Zduńska. She was born on July 15, 2006. 

 Maria Zduńska was a third child and first daughter of Krzysztof Zduński and his wife, Maria Zduńska. She was born on June 2, 2001 and died on June 2, 2001.

 Michał Łagoda (Paweł Okraska) was a first child of Zenon Łagoda and his unnamed wife. He was born on August 18, 1974 and died on April 3, 2014.

 Marian Łagoda was a second child and second son of Feliks Łagoda and his wife, Zofia Łagoda. He died in 2003.

 Unnamed Starski, born Łagoda was a brother of Feliks Łagoda. He moved to United States and changed his surname to Starski.

 Unnamed Starski II is a son of Unnamed Starski and his wife and nephew of Feliks Łagoda.

 Kamil Starski (Radosław Krzyżowski) was a son of Unnamed Starski II and his wife. He died in 2019.

 Maciej Kalicki (Aleksander Kaleta) is a son of Kamil Starski and his former partner, Miss Kalicka. Status: present, living in Gródek since 2019. Occupation: doctor.

Marszałek family 
 Wojciech Marszałek (Emilian Kamiński) is a senior of Marszałek family. 

 Halina Marszałek (Marta Klubowicz) was a first wife of Wojciech Marszałek. She was born on April 9, 1960. Halina died on November 21, 2009 after a long illness.

 Krystyna Filarska-Marszałek (Hanna Mikuć) is a second wife of Wojciech Marszałek. She was born in 1956. She lived in Gródek with her wealthy husband Zbigniew Filarski and daughter Kinga. She didn't accept that her daughter was dating Piotr Zduński whose family was poor. Krystyna and Zbigniew divorced on May 16, 2006. Krystyna met Wojciech Marszałek and married him on May 3, 2011, making best friends Kinga Zduńska and Magdalena Marszałek stepsisters.

 Magdalena Budzyńska, born Marszałek, primo voto Maksymowicz, secundo voto Chodakowska, tertio voto Budzyńska (Anna Mucha) is an only child of Wojciech Marszałek and his first wife, Halina Marszałek. She was born on September 14, 1982. She studied psychology at Warsaw University where she met Kinga Zduńska, Piotr Zduński and Kamil Gryc. She married her first husband, Sasza Maksymowicz, to let him applicate for a Polish citizenship.

 Sasza Maksymowicz (Iwan Komarenko) is a first husband of Magdalena Marszałek. They married in a civil ceremony and divorced.

 Aleksander Chodakowski is a second husband of Magdalena Marszałek. They married in 2015 and divorced in 2017.

 Andrzej Budzyński is a third husband of Magdalena Marszałek. They married on January 7, 2020.

 Zuzanna Marszałek (Jolanta Fraszyńska) is a cousin of Wojciech Marszałek. She worked as a nanny of Magdalena Zduńska and Mikołaj Zduński. She was dating Zbigniew Filarski and Wiktor Żak (whom she met in a secondary school and then again in Warsaw in 2016).

 Michał Marszałek is a brother of Zuzanna Marszałek.

Mostowiak family 
Mostowiak family is a main family of the series.

Ludwik Mostowiak (died)

Teodor Mostowiak (died)
Maria Mostowiak (married)

Hanna Smine (Mostowiak, born 1922, died 1978)
husband Smine

daughter Bufford (Smine)
husband Bufford (married)

Jane Bufford (born 1990)

Lucjan Mostowiak (born 1931, died 2017)
Barbara Mostowiak (Wrzodak, married 1960)

 Maria Rogowska (Mostowiak, born 1960)
 Krzysztof Zduński (married 1984, widowed 2006)
 Artur Rogowski (married 2008, divorced 2015; married 2018)

 Piotr Zduński (born 1984)
 Kinga Filarska-Zduńska (Filarska, married 2002)

 Magdalena Zduńska (born 2009)

 Mikołaj Zduński (born 2014)

 Emilia Zduńska (born 2019)

 Zuzanna Zduńska (born 2019)

 Paweł Zduński (born 1984)
 Joanna Zduńska (Liberadzka, married 2011, divorced 2012)
 Alicja Zduńska (Domańska, married 2014, divorced 2017)
 Katia Zduńska (Tatiszwili, married 2018, divorced 2018)

 Barbara Zduńska (born 2006, adopted 2018)

 Maria Zduńska (born 2001, died 2001)

 Barbara Rogowska (born 2009)

 Marta Budzyńska (Mostowiak, born 1972)
 Jacek Milecki (married 2003, divorced 2004)
 Norbert Wojciechowski (married 2005, widowed 2007)
 Andrzej Budzyński (married 2012, divorced 2017)

 Łukasz Wojciechowski (Mostowiak, born 1993)

 Natalia Wojciechowska (born 2020)

 Anna Wojciechowska (born 2006)

 Marek Mostowiak (born 1978)
 Hanna Mostowiak (married 2001, widowed 2011)
 Ewa Kolęda (married 2015)

 Natalia Zarzycka (Mostowiak, born 1996, adopted 2005)
 Franciszek Zarzycki (married 2017)

 Hanna Zarzycka (Mostowiak, born 2015)

 Urszula Lisiecka (Mostowiak, born 1996, adopted 2008)
 Bartosz Lisiecki (married 2019)

 Mateusz Mostowiak (born 2002)
 Liliana Mostowiak (Banach, married 2020)

 Małgorzata Chodakowska (Mostowiak, born 1980)
 Michał Łagoda (married 2002, divorced 2004, engaged 2014, died 2014)
 Stefan Miller (married 2004, divorced 2005)
 Tomasz Chodakowski (married 2009, divorced 2014, died 2017)

 Zofia Warakomska (born 1999, adopted)

 Wojciech Chodakowski (born 2009)

Olszewski family 
 Agnieszka Olszewska (Magdalena Walach) is a public prosecutor and former fiancee of Tomasz Chodakowski. She was born in 1978 in Szczecin. She met Chodakowski at a secondary school in Szczecin. They were even engaged but she decided to split with him. Agnieszka came to Warsaw as a widowed woman and met Chodakowski again. She was in love triangle with his wife, Małgorzata Chodakowska. In 2011 she fell pregnant after a one night stand with Andrzej Budzyński, but later miscarried. On February 23, 2016 her daughter Helena Chodakowska was born. In September 2017 Tomasz Chodakowski died. In April 2020 Agnieszka and her daughter moved to Szczecin.

 Helena Chodakowska is a first child of Agnieszka Olszewska and her former partner, Tomasz Chodakowski. She was born on February 23, 2016.

Rogowski family 
 Artur Rogowski (Robert Moskwa) is a senior of Rogowski family. He was born in 1969. He is a doctor. Rogowski has been in love with Maria Zduńska for many years and started dating her after the death of her first husband. They married in 2008 during their long stay in Oslo, Norway. On November 3, 2009 their daughter Barbara was born. Rogowski had a romance with Teresa Drawicz and it let to his divorce from Maria in 2015. They later reconciled and married for a second time on November 26, 2018. Since then they live in Grabina.

 Maria Rogowska, born Mostowiak is a wife of Artur Rogowski. They married in 2008 and divorced in 2015. They married for a second time on November 26, 2018.

 Barbara Rogowska is a first child of Artur Rogowski and his wife, Maria Rogowska. She was born on November 3, 2009.

 Agata Rogowska (Katarzyna Kwiatowska) is a sister of Artur Rogowski. She is a doctor. She was married and lived in Norway for many years. Then she divorced her husband and came back to Poland. She started her work in Lipnica with her brother and sister-in-law. She is dating Artur Werner as of 2020.

Tarnowski family 
Adam Tarnowski (born 1958)
Dorota Tarnowska (widowed 2015)

 Joanna Chodakowska (Tarnowska born 1987)
 Tomasz Chodakowski (married 2017, widowed 2017)
 Leszek Krajewski (engaged 2021)

Adam Tarnowski (Juliusz Krzysztof Warunek) is a senior of Tarnowski family. He was born in 1958.

Dorota Tarnowska (Katarzyna Żak) was a wife of Adam Tarnowski. In a past she was diagnosed with a cancer and recovered after her daughter stole money from the casino she worked. Later, she was diagnosed with a pancreatic cancer and died on June 1, 2015.

Joanna Chodakowska, born Tarnowska (Barbara Kurdej-Szatan) is a first child of Adam Tarnowski and his wife, Dorota Tarnowska. She was born on March 15, 1987. She worked in United States as a nanny of Wojciech Chodakowski. After his mother, Małgorzata Chodakowska, and her fiance, Michał Łagoda, had a car accident, she took care of Wojciech and later took him to Poland. Joanna fell in love with Tomasz Chodakowski and they married on March 28, 2017. Tomasz unfortunately died on September 11, 2017. Joanna lives in Warsaw and raises Wojciech Chodakowski. On December 6, 2021 she got engaged to Leszek Krajewski.

Tomasz Chodakowski was a first husband of Joanna Tarnowska. They married on March 28, 2017 and he died on September 11, 2017.

Tatiszwili family 
Tatiszwili family is of Georgian origin.

 Otar Tatiszwili (David Gamtsemlidze) is a senior of Tatiszwili family. He is Georgian. Otar lives in Warsaw and owns a restaurant.

 Katia Zduńska, born Tatiszwili (Joanna Jarmołowicz) is a daughter of Otar Tatiszwili and his wife. On May 21, 2018 she married Paweł Zduński in order to have a Polish citizenship. They eventually fell in love with each other but divorced on November 20, 2018. Katia had a romance with Łukasz Wojciechowski and fell pregnant. Her father didn't accept that she was expecting a child out of wedlock. On March 9, 2020 she gave birth to her daughter, Natalia.

 Paweł Zduński is a first husband of Katia Tatiszwili. They married on May 21, 2018 and divorced on November 20, 2018.

 Natalia Wojciechowska is a first child of Katia Zduńska and her former boyfriend, Łukasz Wojciechowski. She was born on March 9, 2020.

Walisiak family 
 Władysław Walisiak was a senior of Walisiak family. He was born in 1947. In his youth Władysław was dating Wanda Kalicka but married her younger sister, Maria Kalicka. They had one child, Hanna, born in 1975. In 1980 Walisiak family came home from a party in a car driven by Waldemar Jaroszy. Jaroszy had no driving license and caused an accident with Lucjan and Barbara Mostowiak. Władysław and Maria died as a result and Hanna had to live in an orphanage. In 1978 Władysław had a child out of wedlock, Anna Gruszyńska.

 Maria Walisiak, born Kalicka was a wife of Władysław Walisiak. She was born in 1949 and died in a car accident in 1980. She had one daughter, Hanna, and has never learnt that her husband had also a daughter out of wedlock.

 Hanna Mostowiak, born Walisiak (Małgorzata Kożuchowska) was a daughter of Władysław Walisiak and his wife, Maria Walisiak. Hanna took part in a car accident in 1980 where her parents were killed. She later lived in an orphanage in Józefowo and was temporary adopted by Irena Gałązka and her husband. In 2001 she married Marek Mostowiak and they had son, Mateusz Mostowiak, in 2002. They later adopted two girls from Józefowo, Natalia and Urszula. Hanna died of brain aneurysm in 2011. Her granddaughter, Hanna Zarzycka, is named after her.

 Marek Mostowiak was a husband of Hanna Mostowiak. They married in 2001 and he widowed in 2011.

 Anna Gruszyńska (Tamara Arciuch) is a daughter of Władysław Walisiak. For some time she lived in Grabina before moving to France. She was previously married and divorced. She was later engaged to Adam Werner.

 Wanda Kalicka (Grażyna Marzec) was an older sister of Maria Walisiak and maternal aunt of Hanna Mostowiak. She was born in 1945. Wanda dated Władysław Kalisiak but he chose to marry her sister. In 1980 her sister and brother-in-law died in a car accident and Wanda refused to take care of their daughter resulting in Hanna living in an orphanage. She moved to Germany and was thought to be dead. In 2004 Hanna learnt that her aunt was still living and sick. Mostowiak went to Germany and took her aunt to Grabina. It was later revealed that Kalicka had much money but posed that she was poor. She came back to Germany to take care of one of her former wards, Erika.

Wojciechowski family 
Wojciechowski family is related to Mostowiak family through the 1993 birth of Łukasz Mostowiak and through the 2006 wedding of Norbert Wojciechowski and Marta Mostowiak.

 Kazimierz Wojciechowski (never seen on screen) was a senior of Wojciechowski family.

 Henryk Wojciechowski (Tadeusz Chudecki) was a first child of Kazimierz Wojciechowski and his first wife. He was born in 1961. He lived with his widowed sister-in-law, Marta Wojciechowska and her two children. Henryk was dating Matylda Górska. He married his girlfriend Nina.

 Nina Wojciechowska is a wife of Henryk Wojciechowski. 

 Norbert Wojciechowski (Mariusz Sabiniewicz) was a second child of Kazimierz Wojciechowski. He was born in 1967. In the early 1990s he was dating Marta Mostowiak. In 1993 their son Łukasz was born. He was fighting for his life. Norbert refuse to give his blood to Łukasz and left his family. As a result, Marta raised Łukasz as a single mother and told him that his father was dead. Wojciechowski worked abroad and he came back in 2001 as a famous politician. When a press reported that he had a child born out of wedlock, Łukasz learnt that he was Wojciechowski's son and they met. Norbert saved Łukasz's live after they had a car crash in United States. Norbert married Marta Mostowiak on October 11, 2005. They daughter Anna Wojciechowska was born on February 14, 2006. In the meantime, Wojciechowski was dating his student, Klara Sobieszczańska and Magdalena Rudnik. Norbert died in a plane crash on December 3, 2007.

 Marta Wojciechowska, born Mostowiak was a wife of Norbert Wojciechowski. They married on October 11, 2005 and she widowed on December 3, 2007.

 Łukasz Wojciechowski, born Mostowiak is a first child of Norbert Wojciechowski and his then girlfriend, Marta Mostowiak. He was born on October 9, 1993.

 Natalia Wojciechowska is a first child of Łukasz Wojciechowski and his former girlfriend, Katia Tatiszwili. She was born on March 9, 2020.

 Anna Wojciechowska is a second child and only daughter of Norbert Wojciechowski and his wife, Marta Wojciechowska. She was born on February 14, 2006.

Zduński family 
Zduński family is related to Mostowiak family through 1984 marriage of Krzysztof Zduński and Maria Mostowiak.

 Jadwiga Zduńska-Jabłońska, primo voto Zduńska, secundo voto Jabłońska (Barbara Horowianka) is a senior of Zduński family. Her first husband, Mr. Zduński, was a dentist. Jadwiga had two children with him: Krzysztof (born in 1958) and Renata. Her daughter Renata died as an infant because of SIDS. Zduńska wanted Krzysztof to become a doctor like his father. She was angry when he stopped his studies to marry his pregnant daughter Maria Mostowiak and they ended their contact. Jadwiga didn't like her daughter-in-law. On March 17, 2001 Jadwiga was diagnosed with stroke and hospitalized. She renewed contact with her son and met her grandchildren. Zduńska later moved to Krzysztof's and Maria's flat where Maria took care of her. She met Karol Jabłoński and married him in March 2004. Status: non-present since 2004. Marital status: married to Karol Jabłoński since March 2004.

 Krzysztof Zduński (Cezary Morawski) is a first child of Jadwiga Zduńska and her first husband, Mr. Zduński. He was born on February 13, 1953. His father was a dentist and Krzysztof studied medicine to become a doctor. When his girlfriend, Maria Mostowiak, fell pregnant, he quit his studies and married her. They had twin sons in February 1984, Piotr and Paweł. Their third child, daughter Maria, died a few hours after her birth in June 2001. She suffered from a heart disease. Krzysztof worked as a businessman but had no successes. In 2002 he had a romance with his secretary, Ewa Nowicka. She later gave birth to her daughter Aleksandra and Krzysztof was suspected of being Aleksandra's father. Zduński reconciled with Maria and bought a plot in Grabina to build them new home. On March 6, 2006 he suffered from a heart attack and died in Grabina, building their house. He was a godfather to Łukasz Wojciechowski and Aleksandra Skalska. Status: deceased since 2006. Occupation: businessman. Marital status: married to Maria Zduńska from 1984 to 2006. 

 Maria Zduńska, born Mostowiak is a first wife of Krzysztof Zduński. They married in 1984 and she widowed on March 6, 2006.

 Renata Zduńska (never seen on screen) was a second child of Jadwiga Zduńska and her first husband, Mr. Zduński. She died as an infant. Status: deceased.

Other characters

G 
 Irena Gałązka (Joanna Kasperska) is a former adoptive mother of Hanna Walisiak. She and her husband adopted Hanna, whose parents died in a car accident but they took her back to the orphanage in Józefowo when Irena fell pregnant. Irena's child later died and she had a mental disorder ever since. She met her former daughter again in 2001 when Hanna was married to Marek Mostowiak and expecting their child. Irena kidnapped Hanna's son, Mateusz Mostowiak and wanted to kill him and herself. Mateusz was saved by his parents and Irena was arrested.

O 
 Agnieszka Olszewska (Magdalena Walach) is a former fiance of Tomasz Chodakowski. She was born in 1978 in Szczecin.

W 
 Anna Waszkiewicz (Weronika Rosati) is a classmate of Piotr Zduński, Paweł Zduński and Kinga Filarska. In the past, she had a romance with Andrzej Budzyński. She is a godmother to Emilia Zduńska and Zuzanna Zduńska. Occupation: painter.

List of main characters' departures

References

External links
 M jak miłość – official site
 M jak miłośc – TVP site
 M jak miłość – Filmweb

Polish television soap operas