Artist and fierce government critic Ai Weiwei has turned the tables on China’s Communist regime by transforming a crippling tax fine he claims is designed to silence him, into a wave of solidarity.

The painter, sculptor, architect and activist was a thorn in the side of the Chinese government even before he managed to pay a 8.5 million yuan ($1.3 million) bond, thanks to money raised by 30,000 Chinese people in record time.

The burly artist disappeared into police custody for 81 days earlier this year.

He was released in June, but on November 1 ordered to pay 15 million yuan in back taxes levied against a company he set up.

Days later, through a spontaneous online movement, supporters sent him money orders, cheques, internet transfers, and even rolled bank notes into balls throwing them over the walls of his Beijing studio.

Within 10 days, $1.3 million had been raised from artists, dissidents and ordinary Chinese, who accounted for the bulk of the donations. Ai, who denies evading tax, has used the money raised from supporters to lodge an appeal against the fine, and pledged to pay it back when the case is over.

On Wednesday, he said the donations had made him realise that he was “not alone” in his struggle, calling the case a chance to “make the world understand what kind of system they are working with”.

Authorities have apparently censored the Internet for information on the issue and a search for the term “Ai Weiwei” in China is blocked.

But the Communist regime now finds itself in an awkward situation, say analysts.

He is known for tallying the number of children killed in the 2008 Sichuan earthquake – a hugely sensitive topic as many died in schools that were shoddily built and collapsed on them. Many people blame corruption for the tragedy.

Ai’s father is the late Ai Qing, a famous poet who was in turn adored, disgraced and rehabilitated by the Communist regime. But not everyone is a fan of his son.