Chen never claimed to be a rabble - rouser , says law professor . An eye injury left him blind as a child ; his parents were farmers . He is an advocate for farmers and the disabled in China . The case that brought him to international prominence was in China .
Chen never sought to be a rabble-rouser , says law professor . An eye infection left him blind as a child ; his parents were farmers . Chen became an advocate for farmers and the disabled in Shandong . The case that brought him to international prominence began in 2005 .