The donation campaign – also in the form of wire transfers and cash stuffed in envelopes or wrapped around fruit that is tossed into his yard – is rare for Chinese dissidents because of the threat of retaliation against their supporters.
Nearly 20,000 people have sent more than 5.3 million yuan (£524,000) since Ai announced a week ago that the Beijing tax bureau was demanding that he pay 15 million yuan in back taxes and fines, the artist said.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdAi, an acclaimed conceptual artist, was detained for nearly three months earlier this year.