Student posters and leaflets during the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989

A central place where posters and leaflets were printed and posted was at "the Triangle", located at Peking University. The Triangle, also known as a democracy wall, was "a wall of bulletin boards erected around a triangle of land in the centre of the campus". The Triangle became a democratic space where students, teachers and Chinese citizens went in order to voice their opinions and feelings towards the movement, to know the progress and course of the movement, and to provide information on events and incidents (Student Hunger Strikes and "Xinhua Gate Incident"—Zhongnanhai). The Triangle was considered "a marketplace for information and was regarded as a symbolic space for free expression."

As the movement progressed many poems and short essays were also pasted at the base of the Monument to the People's Heroes informing people about ideas and tactics that were emerging during the course of the movement. The Monument to the People's Heroes became "the center stage as cries for democracy were pasted and broadcast from it during the movement." Posters appeared on the monument describing events that others may not have had the chance to witness such as the student petition submitted on April 22 which government officials declined to receive, and the Xinhua Gate Incident involving alleged police brutality towards students. Ideas also appeared in handbills and student papers that were passed out in and around the Square. Ideas and slogans during the movement began as posters on campuses, and were later converted to leaflets and handbills. Big and small character posters became the main way to report news and express viewpoints on campuses. The ideas they expressed spread by word of mouth, or by individuals who had hand copied the contents. To express news and ideas quickly, efficiently, and accurately the "propaganda teams of student organizations created handbills explaining movement activities, and they went to the streets" to hand out leaflets to the public. Nonofficial papers such as the News Herald and the Hunger Strikers' News Bulletin and News Flashes were printed and distributed to inform of "pro-democracy activities and to include student grievances." Posters and leaflets appeared around universities throughout China, but they were mainly concentrated in Beijing. Big-character posters became a way for individuals to express their views and to collectively share ideas and opinions regarding the government and movement.

Class boycott posters and slogans such as the ones below appeared on leaflets and information boards across university campuses throughout China. Items to note regarding the boycott of classes: 1. Boycott classes, not studies. 2. During the class boycott please do not return home or march without authorization. Respect normal school rules and daily schedules. 3. Further announcements of student activities during the class boycott will be made. ~People's University (Renmin University of China) Student Union big-character poster Slogans: Give me democracy or give me death Long live democracy! Oppose corruption in government; oppose special privileges! Patriotism is not a crime! Long live the people!

Posters and leaflets centered on themes of "free press, free association, democracy/reforms, more freedoms and [ending] official corruption." However, during the lead up to and after June 4, cartoons ridiculing government and Party officials emerged. Posters of Party leaders such as Li Peng and Deng Xiaoping began to appear at the Triangle. Party leaders were represented as fascist pigs, or they had their face on Empress Dowager Cixi's body. Along with student posters on campuses across China there were nonstudent posters from teachers, workers, and peasants expressing their support for students, and providing words of advice. After 1989 onwards such democratic posters and leaflets began to disappear from the Triangle and TOEFL exam posters, Shanghai dance posters, movie posters, and job advertisements have taken their place. The Triangle has now become an "internet bulletin board that is carefully monitored by authorities."