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In his first book of memoirs, 1000 Years of Joy and Sorrow, Ai discusses the confrontation with the state that, combined with his protest art, has on the one hand made him an icon for the international art community - and on the other hand forced him into political exile. The title of the book is a quote from a poem that his father, the famous poet Ai Qin, wrote while visiting the ruins of an ancient city on the Silk Road: "Of a thousand years of joy and sorrow / Not a single trace remains." While imprisoned, Ai decided that he wanted to leave a mark; regret at the unbridgeable gap between him and his late father, and the fear that his young son might never know who his father really was, prompted Ai Weiwei to write this book."-Jiang Fan for The New Yorker

The idea to write this book came to me in 2011, when I was arrested by the police. During the period of forced isolation, I felt the need to reflect on my relationship with my father, Ai Qing. We weren't emotionally close, but our connection undoubtedly influenced the path I chose in life and the situation I found myself in. Some of the personal problems and political difficulties I experienced were the same as those my father faced. Like him, I was labelled an enemy of the state. So I decided to write a story about my life and my father's life and share this memoir with my son, Ai Lao, who was just two years old at the time of my arrest. When I was released after eighty-one days, I first started writing my story, starting with what happened during my arrest. I wanted to keep a detailed account of these events while my memories of them were still fresh." - Ai Weiwei