Liu Xiaobo, who was awarded the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize, has triggered people's interest in who he is.

Liu, born in 1955, was a worker in his youth. He got his master's degree in 1984 and began working as a teacher at Beijing Normal University. He got a doctorate degree in 1988. He attracted attention when he criticized some famous people.

In an interview by a Hong Kong based-editor, Liu said that Chinese people's tragedy is not caused by "several fatuous emperors," but "every Chinese person", since the Chinese people created a system that caused their own tragedy.

Liu said that China needed to be a colony for 300 years to have a "real change". He then said that knowledge levels have nothing to do with academic degrees and most Chinese university students and graduate students were "garbage".

Liu showed great respect and praise for the Western political, economic and cultural systems. "I don't care you call me a traitor or a patriot. If you say I am a traitor, then I am. I am the ungrateful child digging out the graves of his ancestors, and I am proud of being such a child," he said.

Liu said that the Chinese people "are totally weak both physically and psychologically," and "have no creativity." He thought that was due to "the race".

Liu said he felt ashamed of being Chinese and that if his English were better he would cut his ties with China. He even felt ashamed to mention the word "China". He even said that China should be separated into 18 regions.