• [039]  The Death Of The Village Director, As Recorded On Video (2011/1/31)  Zhaiqiao village ex-director Qian Yunhui was wearing a multifunctional watch with video-recording capability at the time when he died on December 25, 2010.  After his death, the villager Wang Liquan removed the watch and took it home.  According to the prosecutor, Wang got his son named Chen to download the contents to a computer and watched the videos.  Because the videos did not support the thesis of murder, Wang kept the watch and told his son to spread the rumor of murder on the Internet.  This became a celebrated case in which people divided themselves into opposite camps.  Several witnesses appeared to say that they saw Qian Yunhui being held down by three to four SWAT police officers for the truck to run over him.  The police were able to track down the watch eventually.  At the trial of the driver Fei Liangyu today, the video of the death of Qian Yunhui was shown.  Here it is:

• [038]  Li Na And The Chinese Patriots (2011/1/30)  (KDnet)

Top Chinese tennis player Li Na was unable to win her first Grand Prix title, but she still set Grand Prix history as the highest Chinese finisher.  As Yao Ming and Liu Xiang are still recuperating and/or not in top form, Li Na has become the next inspiring sports figure.

Yet, Li Na has been making the Chinese patriotic sports fans swallow flies.  On various public occasions, she has openly scolded them about their ignorance.

 

In her speech at the award ceremony of the Australian Open, she teased her husband/coach and expressed her eternal love for him, and she thanked her sponsor.  She had also said previously that she played tennis for the prize money and credit cards.  She never thanked the motherland, the Communist Party or the sports officials even though the latter are enthusiastically including Li Na's accomplishments as theirs.

At the Australian Open final, there was a scene which I don't know whether to laugh or cry about.  After Li Na's serve was broken in the second set, she went over to the British umpire and said something.  Afterwards it was disclosed that she had said: "Can you tell the Chinese don't teach me how to play tennis?"  According to media reports, Li Na was annoyed by certain Chinese spectators calling out "Take her out" "Beat her" and "Calm down" at inappropriate moments.  Therefore she asked the referee to intercede.  Later she complained about people using camera flashlights during the match.

After the match, Li Na said: "I am curious as to why once I got into the final, so many 'Chinese coaches' began to teach me how to play tennis from the courtside?  During the match many Chinese fans wanted me to win but they choose to do it by 'teaching me how to play tennis'."

Before that moment, Li Na held an advantage over her rival.  But from that moment, the match turned in favor of her rival.  This was not a unique occasion.  At the Beijing Olympics more than a year ago, the frank and candid Li Na was also annoyed by the cheering of Chinese patriots and she angrily yelled "Shut up!" and that was controversial.

We may say that Li Na is not psychologically fortified.  She can be annoyed by outside interference and lose her composure during matches.  But we also know that tennis is a refined sport which used to belong to the elite.  At the world-class tennis competitions, the quality of the audience is an important part of the sport.  When two foreign players play each other, we clearly see that the audience can cheer during down time, but they stop as soon as a player gets ready to serve.  This works with clockwork precision.  This is tradition, this is culture, this is tennis.

There are many Chinese immigrants in Australia today, including many Chinese patriotic sports fans for whom cheering for Chinese sportsmen/women is an expression of their patriotism.  But they have not learned the etiquette and respect in spectatorship and they have not learned the spirit and culture of this sport.  For them, these things are not important.  They couldn't tell the difference between tennis and badminton anyway.  The only thing that matters is to cheer China on because they are proud patriots.  Time and again, their patriotic spirit only became laughing stock in sports.

Li Na who does not thank the motherland has been setting records.  Her progress is the result of a sharp conflict within the Chinese sports system.  China has been traditionally weak in tennis, which is part of the national sports system like the other sports.  Previously, the players were selected, trained and provided for by the state and they compete for the country.  The most important international targets for the Chinese tennis players are the Davis Cup, the Federation Cup and other events.  There are also the Olympics, the Asian Games, the National Games, etc.  The open tennis tournaments and Grand Prix events were just training matches (that is, if they managed to qualify).  As a result, Chinese tennis was insignificant in the world.  Even in Asia, China was not the top.  The Chinese people do not realize that the Grand Prix events represent the pinnacles of the spot.  When they did qualify on those rare occasions, they were usually knocked out in the first round.  When they wanted a breakthrough, they concentrated on the women's doubles in the Olympics because other people don't deem that to be important.

At that time, Chinese tennis revolved around the collective team training.  In this century, several of the top female players began to struggle to go solo.  Going solo means that the player does not belong to any team; instead she chooses her own coach, she arranges her own training; she makes up her own competition schedule; she pays her own way; she retains her own winnings.  Their efforts represented a challenge to the state sports system, but they were also the most basic ingredients in the sport of tennis.  At first, their efforts were denied.  Gradually they obtained tacit permission.  Through their own courage and efforts, they changed their own fates and broke the ice.

After the 2008 Olympics, several top players (Li Na, Zheng Jie, Peng Shuai and others) were finally officially accepted as solo players.  While a significant portion of their winnings go back to the state, they were truly liberated from the system.  Over the past two years, they made the Grand Prix final four, they ranked among the top ten in the world and they won important tournaments.  Compared to talented foreign players who enjoyed all the advantages from young age, they had to struggle to get their way.  Unfortunately, Li Na and Zheng Jie are fairly old by now.  If they had gone solo ten years ago and left the fetters of the state system, they may be at the top of the world today.

Li Na had shown her extraordinary talents since youth, but her career was bottled up by the state system.  In 2002, she decided that she had reached an end to her career.  So she retired from the tennis to study in university.  The State Tennis Administration lobbied her to come back for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.  In return, she obtained a certain degree of freedom, including her right to choose her own coach, training plan and competition schedule.  Thus, she was able to go solo de facto within the state system.  In this sense, she is more fortunate than the talented 1980's tennis player Hu Na who had to seek asylum to play tennis her own way.

The State Tennis Administration Center director Sun Jinfang said sourly after the Australian Open final: "History will remember Li Na, but going solo is not a panacea."  At the same time, Sun praised Li Na for continuing to hand over a portion of her winnings to the State Tennis Administration Center.

Li Na plays for herself, not for the motherland.  She faces her challenges on her own, not under the guidance of coaches and leaders who would want her to forget the spirit of the sport and her own individual worth.  Li Na does not thank the motherland.  She has frequently shown her contempt for the immature patriotism expressed by Chinese sports fans.  Her success tells us that enjoying the competition is far more important than patriotism.  Also, success and self-actualization in an individual sport ultimately depend on individual effort and won't be conferred by the state.

We congratulate Li Na.  Her success is not just about her results.  She and her companions have shown us the direction of Chinese sports.  As for those patriots who have repeatedly frustrated Li Na from courtside, we hope that they can "shut up" soon enough.

• [037]  The Impact Of A Celebrity Microblogger (2011/1/29)

Ning Caishen, with 2,122 microblog posts so far and 418,990 followers

January 29, 2011 12:05 (28,073 forwards, 5,368 comments): A friend sent a text message from Cairo: Due to the chaos in Cairo, Wang Xuejin has been trapped at the Cairo Airport for 15 hours already.  The telephones are not working.  We just saw that the whole country is engulfed in chaos, with arson and bombings sweeping through the city.  We came here with the State Film Authority to attend the Film Festival held by the embassy.  Our embassy in Egypt are indifferent to our lives.  They are hiding themselves to save their own lives.  We are hungry and scared.  The airport is an island where there is no entry or exit.  Help us!  Tell each other and forward the message!!

January 29, 2011 14:51 (491 forwards, 257 comments): January 28.  A friend who just finished attending the Sino-French Film Festival said on Weibo: "We are going to Egype!  The embassy leader said it will be alright."  Today I woke up t noon and saw the message from my friend calling for help.  I was shocked.  I could not get through to his mobile phone.  I posted his message for help on Weibo.  Just now, Sohu Entertainment said that they have reached the embassy safely.  Very delighted!  I pay the highest salute to the embassy for their effectiveness!  I hope everybody is well and will come back soon for the Chinese New Year.

January 29, 2011 15:05 (332 forwards, 386 comments): Because I was very anxious about the safety of my friend, I immediately re-posted the text message calling for help from my friend in its entirety.  Here, I want to solemnly apologize to the embassy for the extreme words used in that text message!  I also wish all those Chinese persons trapped in Egypt will return safely home soon.

******

The Little Tiger from Tang Bo's Home: 5,625 microblog posts and 5,092 followers

January 29, 2011 09:47 (1,086 forwards, 215 comments): Early in the morning I got this text message from a friend who is in Egypt: "Due to the chaos in Cairo, Wang Xuejin has been trapped at the Cairo Airport for 15 hours already.  The telephones are not working.  We just saw that the whole country is engulfed in chaos, with arson and bombings sweeping through the city.  We are hungry and scared.  The airport is an island where there is no entry or exit.  Help us!"  I don't know if they have reached safety yet.  I am very worried.  These are Chinese filmmakers attending the Cairo Film Festival.  I hope that our local embassy can help them!

January 29, 2011 14:07 (370 forwards, 129 comments): Ning Caishen and I received the same text message from the filmmaker in danger.  I deliberately excised a phrase because I want to avoid unnecessary trouble.  At a moment like this, should I use the power of my microblog to help a compatriot?  Or should I speculate on or condemn this friend who was seeking help.  Each Chinese person with a sense of responsibility and an ability to distinguish ought to know what to do.

(The People's Republic of China Embassy in the Arab Republic of Egypt)  January 30, 2011.

Clarification:

...

On January 28, there were mass demonstrations against the government in the Cairo area.  The police used tear gas to disperse the demonstrators.  These demonstrations escalated as both sides were engaged in a stalemate.  There were casualties and a great deal of chaos.  The Egyptian government sent in the army into Cairo and elsewhere.  They also announced a curfew from 6pm to 7am the next day, with all persons and vehicles banned on the streets.

At this moment, the group attending the China Film Week under the Sino-Egyptian cultural exchange program arrived at just past 3pm at the Cairo airport.  Our embassy diplomats went to the airport at great peril to mee the group.  At that time, the Egyptian authorities declared curfews in Cairo and other places.  The airport was locked down with nobody allowed to enter and exit for their own safety.  Under these perilous circumstances, someone told our embassy diplomats repeatedly to say that they must leave the airport.  They wanted our embassy to contact the Egyptian authorities to provide a police escort to proceed to the city.  They also requested to have four to five personal guards.  Our embassy diplomat contacted the Egyptian authorities, communicated these demands and asked that they be met.  The Egyptian police stated clearly that the demonstrators were targeting the vehicles for attack, vandalism and arson.  Therefore having a police escort will only increase the threats to their lives, especially if they are going to be in the streets during curfew time.  Therefore, our diplomats patiently tried to convince those persons that they should consider their personal safety first under these special circumstances and stay at the airport.  Our embassy diplomats cancelled the original itinerary of these persons and arranged for them to stay at the airport VIP lounge.  At a time when there were few available flights out, we arranged tickets for them to depart the next day.  At a time when all communication means were cut off, our embassy diplomats ran around all over the airport to handle all the processes that these persons needed to go through.  Our embassy diplomats got almost no rest whatsoever that night.  Finally, our embassy diplomats saw their airplane leave the airport before they returned back to the embassy at 11am on January 29 at a very tense time with massive presence of police and soldiers in the streets.

Our embassy can understand that our citizens are worried at being trapped at the airport.  We emphasize here that the Chinese embassy will always provide all the necessary assistance to the Chinese citizens who are in Egypt.

• [036]  The Edelman Trust Barometer (2011/1/29)  (Slideshare: 2011 Edelman Trust Barometer Findings)

It is upsetting some people because of the high degree of trust in the Chinese government.

From the comments:

yjna2006: Edelman Digital: We believe that your results about people trust in Chinese government and media in China are totally unreliable and irresponsible,which will definitely harm your reputation. Most Chinese people feel they sound ridiculous. Some people thought the translation is wrong, in fact I was the one who thought the translation had problem so I spent some time to find your original version. The problem is that your results diviate from the truth too much!! Your survey must have some problems. 1. sample bias: the people you surveyed are not representative. 2. political issue: people you surveyed do not want to take the risk to say something bad to the government. you should know China is a country of authoritarianism. 3. question problem: people may have not really understand the question you asked, 4. others: some orther factors, i.e. Chinese people do not like research institutions abroad, and so on. So the simple way to do this is to get somebody who understand Chinese and check the Chinese website (www.yahoo.com.cn) , whenever you find a news about the Chinese government, some comments may be followed, though most comments are deleted by network security checkers, you can still see almost nobody favors Chinese government!

[ESWN: What do the Chinese people really think?  Well, you wouldn't go to one website and use the comments there to generalize to the whole population.  If you went to websites such as KDnet, you get the liberal viewpoints; if you went to websites such as WYZXSX, Strong Nation or Iron Blood, you get the ultra-nationalistic viewpoints.  They reflect what a relatively small group of the 1.4 billion Chinese people.

Here is the sample methodology: "The 2011 Trust Barometer survey measures a distinct audience – informed publics who meet the following criteria: college-educated, top quartile of income by age group, and follows business/news media and policy issues at least several times a week. Additionally, the study was conducted by phone in three urban areas within China: Beijing, Guangzhou and Shanghai. Therefore, the results are not reflective of the general population."

So there you have it -- this is a survey of informed affluent persons in three large Chinese cities.  This is all there is about it.  There is no need to refute the results by saying that Chinese Internet users (400 million plus of them) really think this way or that way -- you don't know that based upon visiting a few websites.]

• [035]  The Truth Within The Cacophony (2011/1/29)  (People's Daily)

On the morning of December 25, 2010, 53-year-old villager Qian Yunhui was killed by a construction truck on Hongnan Highway by Zhaiqiao village, Puqi town, Yueqing city, Wenzhou city, Zhejiang province.

This incident became a hot local issue which was quickly hyped up on the Internet.  Some netizens suspected that this was a deliberate murder and not just an ordinary traffic incident.  They raised certain questions: Why was the construction truck going down the wrong way on the highway?  Why was the position of the body of the deceased so unusual?  Why did the surveillance camera at the intersection fail to work?  Why was the driver taken away so quickly?

On December 27, the Yueqing city government held a press conference to announce: the death of Qian Yunhui occurred during an ordinary traffic incident.  On December 29, the Wenzhou city government also held a press conference and the conclusion of the city investigator squad was the same.

But the matter did not stop there as rumors abounded on the Internet.

On January 28, our reporter interviewed the relevant police investigators.

Question: Rumor #1: Qian Yunhui was held down on the ground for the truck to crush him to death?

Answer: This rumor was passed from mouth to mouth with embellishments along the way.  The villagers said that the villager Qian Chengyu witnessed the incident, and they heard the story of Qian Hunhui being held down by four persons to crush to death from him.  But Qian Chengyu said: He never used the term "held down."  According to him, he saw a vehicle stopped fourteen to fifteen meters ahead of him.  He went from the back of the vehicle to the front and saw Qian Yunhui underneath the wheel.  Because of his close friendship with Qian Yunhui, he felt bad and he also through that this must be murder.  But he did not personally see the incident happen.

The other "eyewitness" Huang Diyan was not at the scene at the time of the incident.

There was a bus carrying security guards at a short distance from the scene.  One security guards got off the bus to urinate.  He turned around when he heard a braking sound and saw someone was down.  He went back to the bus to notify his companions and they went over to look.

Neither Qian Chengyu nor the security guards saw anyone in the driver's cabin of the truck.

Question: Was the rumored murder method plausible?

Answer: It is impossible.  If four persons held one person down on both sides of his body, the first people to get hit by the truck would those holding him down.

Question: Rumor #2: The construction truck was going down the wrong way of the highway.  There were no brake marks.

Answer: At the time, there was construction on the right side of the road.  The vehicle had to come down on the left side.

As for the braking, the inspection of the scene showed that there was a clear skid mark from the front wheel, but not so obvious on the rear wheels.  Possibly the overloaded truck was unable to brake effectively.  According to the photos taken by the police, there was a brake mark 5.4 meters long for the left front wheel.  The mark was smooth with no sign of tire patterns, showing that it was made by sliding and not rolling.  This is sufficient to show that the driver had the brakes on at the time.  In the micro-recording made by the deceased, there was also the sound of braking.

Question: There is a rumor that the construction truck had been waiting at the scene.

Answer: The construction truck could not have been waiting there.  This was proven by the surveillance videos taken along the route.  This is the normal route between the stone quarry and the construction site.  The truck went past this spot every day.  The police obtained the surveillance videos along the route.  Two videos recorded the presence of this construction truck.  The first video showed that a vehicle left the stone quarry entrance at around 9:38.  The other video showed a construction truck passing by the Huayi village entrance at about 9:42.  The details of the truck in these videos match those of the truck involved in the incident.  Zhaiqiao village is just down the road from Huayi village.  The police believed that the timings shown on the videos flow continuously to the time when Qian Yunhui was struck.  The truck came directly from the stone quarry and was not waiting at the Zhaiqiao village entrance.

Question: From the viewpoint of the criver, Qian Yunhui was going from right to left.  If the driver veered to the left, why was Qian Yunhui swept under the left wheel?

Answer: To avoid hitting the person, the driver could not veer right because there was materials stacked on the roadside.  So he can only veer left.  The driver braked about five meters away from Qian Yunhui.  But Qian continued to walk ahead to outrun the car.  The driver braked but the truck was severely overloaded and the road was wet from the rain.  So the truck could not stop in time.  The left front safety bumper hit Qian Yunhui.  He got swept under the left front wheel because he was hit by the safety bumper on the left side.

Question: Rumor #3: The body of the deceased was at an angle of 90 degrees to the truck.  This is not what happens in a normal traffic incident.

Answer:  According to the visual inspection, the body and the wheel were not perpendicular to each other.  Instead, the head was pointed forwards and the feet pointed backwards.  This is consistent with the body being dragged along the ground in a traffic incident.  After the person was knocked down on the ground, the truck continued to come.  The left wheel made contact with the neck of the deceased and propelled the body forward.  The body and feet were not subjected to any forced, so they were bent to a certain angle.  This is not inconsistent with what happened.

Based upon the visual inspection of the body of the deceased, there was a contusion on the left thigh at a distance of 84 centimeters from the ground.  The safety bumper was 74 centimeters from the ground.  There was a scrape mark on the top left corner of the safety bumper, which was consistent with the contusion on the thigh.  This was the initial point of impact between truck and person.  Qian Yunhui was standing at the time when his body was hit on the left side by the truck.

Question: Rumor #4: the surveillance camera at the intersection was not working

Answer: The camera did not disappear suddenly, nor was it not working suddenly.  The camera was installed on December 21.  At the time of the incident, it was still being tested and adjusted.  The police investigated the documents for procuring the equipment, and found the date was consistent with the installation date.  At the time of the incident, the testing was not yet completed.  While the camera had real-time viewing capability, the recording function was not turned on.  So there was no recorded data.  Netizens suspect that the camera was recording but the data had been deleted.  The police obtained the computer diary for the command center and did not find any indication of deletion.  The operating system retains the record of any deletions or other commands.

Question: Rumor #5: the driver was taken away quickly.

Answer: The driver Fei Liangyu was not taken away quickly.  He got out of the truck first.  He checked the condition of Qian Yunhui and then he called the police.  The call was made at 9:46.  The police call center had the telephone record and we have verified that it was his voice.  The driver did not leave after he got out of the truck.  He remained a short distance away to wait for the traffic police.  About seven or eight minutes later, the traffic police arrived at the scene.  He went up to the traffic police and identified himself as the driver involved in the incident.  Because the excited villagers were clashing with the security guards, the traffic police put him into their police vehicle to make sure that he can testify later as well as protect his well-being.

The police found Qian Yunhui's watch

Our reporter found from the Wenzhou public security bureau that on January 14 the Yueqing city "Qian Yunhui" investigation team obtained the multifunctional watch worn by Qian Yunhui.  The micro-recording in the watch accurately recorded the entire process of how Qian Yunhui died in the traffic incident on December 25, 2010.  This provided further evidence in support of the police conclusions.

According to the police, villager Wang Liquan removed the watch from Qian Yunhui before the police arrived and gave it to his wife Chen Yating to hide.  Chen Yating subsequently asked the neighbor named Chen to hide it in his own.  On the night of January 13, Wang Liquan told the investigators about the watch.  On January 14, the neighbor named Chen was persuaded by town workers to voluntarily turn over the watch to the local police.

The details of the audio-visual data on the watch will be disclosed in the court trial scheduled for February 1.

Keep your commonsense, recognize the rumors

Rumors were flying all over the place in the case of Qian Yunhui.  At first, someone gave false testimony.  More importantly, there were people who only wanted chaos and used the Internet media to manufacture and disseminate rumors.

Rumors are stopped when people are smart.  Rumors are usually full of holes because they are false.  Smart people can often detect the flaws.  In the case of Qian Yunhui, the flaws are quite obvious:  Most murders take place in the dark, but Qian Yunhui died in broad daylight on the side of a major road.  Even the dumbest person would not choose to commit murder at such a time and location.  The initial lie was that four security guards held Qian Yunhui down to be run over by a truck.  Under normal circumstances, these four persons will be around Qian Yunhui.  When the truck rolls over, at least two of the security guards will be close to the truck than Qian Yunhui.  How did they get off safely?

Commonsense is the most effective tool against rumors.  If everybody keeps their commonsense, they can be smart and recognize the rumors.

• [034]  How Free Is The Chinese Internet? (2011/01/26)

On the day of January 26, 2011, the fugitive Lai Changxing opened a Sina.com microblog.  His user name has a "V" suffix, meaning that his identity has been verified.  For more information on "China's most wanted fugitive" Mr. Lai, see Wikipedia.

What other notorious figures will be getting their Chinese microblogs next?  Enquiring minds want to know ...

• [033]  The Liaoning Self-Immolation (2011/01/25)  (Note:  There is no credible background story)

• [032]  Was Her Anus Stitched Up?  (2011/01/24)

(Shenzhen Post)  Red Packet Resulted in Woman’s Anus Sewed up in Shenzhen Hospital  July 30, 2010.

Shenzhen Municipal Health, Population and Family Planning Commission made announcement to the media on July 29 that the report about a mother who had just given birth to her baby was revenged by a nurse midwifery by sewing up her anus for the likely reason that the money in the red packet was too little was not true.

It is recognized after investigation, the delivery woman’s anus has no sign of sewing up. The problem is that the nurse midwifery made hemostasis treatment by ligation for the piles of the woman, which is beyond her duty.

The nurse midwifery surnamed Zhang, who had kept silent since the burst of this incident, showed up before the media yesterday, certifying on her honor that she did not do anything like sewing up the delivery woman’s anus and had returnrf the red packet to Mr. Chen, husband of the delivery woman. The expert group of Shenzhen health department confirmed after investigation that the woman’s anus has no sign of having been sewed up.

At the news briefing, the journalists were shown a picture of the piles and they asked the experts on site whether it’s ligation or sewing up. The experts demonstrated the difference between ligation and sewing up but could not exactly judge the case only on basis of the photographs.

(Shenzhen Post)  Woman’s Anal Opening Indeed Stitched   August 18, 2010.

A woman was suspected of being revenged by a nurse midwife by sewing up her anal opening after giving birth to her baby in Shenzhen in July this year only for the reason that the money in the red packet to the nurse midwife was not enough.

There has been a new development in the case now. Mr. Chen, the husband of the woman identified as Lin, showed a piece of forensic identification at the Luohu Police Station in Shenzhen, saying “black thread transfixion” could be seen on the anal opening of Lin. Transfixion means stitching using needles, which toppled what nurse midwife said that “she never used needles”.

Mr. Chen showed the original piece of the identification opinion notice issued by Shenzhen Police Station Luohu Branch, which said “I have assigned/ employed people of special knowledge to examine and identify the wound of my wife. The identification opinion is that circular hemorrhoids could be seen around the anal opening of Lin, which is at nine o’clock direction. Black thread for transfixion could be seen and no bruise is seen on the around skin.”

Head of Phoenix Hospital, Ms. Zhao said she had not received the identification report and would not make any comment.

Mr. Chen said the result of the test proved that his wife had indeed suffered the transfixion. He would reserve the right to take the hospital to the court.

(Ta Kung Pao)  January 23, 2011.

The Luowu (Shenzhen City) court recently heard the case of Phoenix Hospital nurse Zhang against Mr. Chen and two other Shenzhen media outlets over defamation.  The court decided that Mr. Chen should pay 30,000 yuan to Ms. Zhang as compensation/apology.  The case against the two media outlets was quietly withdraw.

The Luowu Court believed that this was a case of defamation.  According to an investigation by the authoritative Shenzhen department, there is no evidence that Ms. Zhang sewed up this woman's anus.  As such, Mr. Chen must buy a newspaper advertisement to apologize to Ms. Zhang in addition to paying her 30,000 yuan for mental anguish.   Mr. Chen says that he will appeal the decision.

• [031]  My Motherland (2011/01/23)

Performance of <My Motherland> by Lang Lang

 

(SpeakEasy, The Wall Street Journal)  Did Pianist Lang Lang Dis the White House?  By Cathy Yan.  January 22, 2011.

Chinese-born pianist Lang Lang in many ways embodies the Sino-American comity that both President Hu Jintao and President Barack Obama emphasized during their summit this past week—which is no doubt why he was chosen to perform at the White House state dinner for Mr. Hu on Wednesday.

So it comes as a bit of a surprise that he is now being praised by nationalist Internet users in China for a perceived anti-U.S. slight supposedly implied in the 28-year-old’s choice of music that night.

As part of the state dinner’s “quintessentially American” program (PDF), Mr. Lang was invited along with a number of U.S. jazz musicians in an “Evening of Jazz.” He and the legendary jazz pianist Herbie Hancock played a four hands version of a Maurice Ravel song, exchanging hugs afterward (see video of the performance here, and on Mr. Lang’s website here). Journalist James Fallows, who was at the dinner, describes the evening here).

Then, the plot thickened—at least, that’s how some read it. After bilingual comments to the assembled VIPs in which he said it was a “great honor” to be playing, he proceeded to perform a solo piece, which he introduced as a “Chinese song called ‘My Motherland.’” The song is not just any old song. As Chinese netizens have pointed out, “My Motherland” is the theme song for a famous anti-U.S. movie about the Korean War from 1956, titled “Battle on Shangganling Mountain.” In any case, the irony of playing an ode from an anti-American Chinese movie at a White House event dedicated to Sino-U.S. cooperation and friendliness has set the Chinese web abuzz—and more than a few people are convinced it wasn’t an accident.

Both the Sina and Sohu news portals reposted an article that they attributed to the Beijing Evening News, with the headline: “Lang Lang Played ‘My Motherland’ at White House, Flaunting National Power.”
“Those American folks very much enjoyed it and were totally infatuated with the melody!!! The U.S. is truly stupid!!” wrote a user named You’re In My Memory on Sina’s micro-blogging site. This particular post was re-posted many times.

Mr. Lang’s representatives could not be reached. A spokesman at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing said that they were not aware of what songs Lang Lang played at the state dinner.

[ESWN Comment:  Let me act as an apologist for Lang Lang.

Fact #1: What year was the movie "Battle on Shangganling Mountain" made?  1956.  It is a black-and-white movie in which Guo Lanying sang the song to homesick Chinese soldiers.

 

Fact #2:  What are the lyrics to the song <My Motherland>?

(Wikipedia)  The translated lyrics to <My Motherland>

1.

This is a great river, its waves are wide and calm
The wind blows through the rice flowers, bearing fragrance to either shore
My home is right there by the water
I am used to hearing the punters' whistle
and seeing the white sails on the boats

This is a great river, its waves are wide and calm
The wind blows through the rice flowers, bearing fragrance to either shore
My home is right there by the water
I am used to hearing the punters' whistle
and seeing the white sails on the boats

This is the beautiful motherland
The place where I grew up
In this expansive stretch of land
Wonderful landscape can be seen everywhere

2.

Young ladies are like flowers
Young men have a big heart and grand visions
In order to construct a new realm
They have waked the sleeping mountains
And made the rivers change their appearance

This is the motherland of heroes
The place where I grew up
In this stretch of ancient land
There is youthful vigor found everywhere

3.

Great mountains, great rivers and an amazing place
Every road is flat and wide
When friends are here, there is fine wine
But if the jackal comes
What greets it is the hunting rifle

This is the strong motherland
The place where I grew up
On this stretch of warm and friendly land
The sunshine of peace is everywhere

Question: Do you detect the scent of Chinese national chauvinism in these lyrics?  How important is "if the jackal comes, what greets it is the hunting rifle" in the full context?

Fact #2: When was Lang Lang born?  According to Wikipedia, June 14, 1982.

Speculation: Did Lang Lang see the old movie <Battle on Shangganling Mountain>?  Not sure, because this was an old black-and-white move made twenty-six years before he was born.

Speculation: Does Lang Lang know the song<My Motherland> while growing up?  With absolute certainty, because it was sung many many times on different occasions (such as the CCTV Spring Festival Gala) in the context of love for the motherland.  Here is an example of the song as sung by Song Zuying (snidely referred to as the First Lady of China).

 

Here is another version by Peng Liyuan, the wife of the anointed future Chairman/President Xi Jiping:

 

Speculation: Would it be so shocking that Lang Lang does not know about the Korean War origins of this song?  Even if he personally did, should he care since so many of those his age won't know?  And even if they know, they don't care.]

(NPR)  January 24, 2011

MELISSA BLOCK, host:

A hot question buzzing on the Internet in China this week is this: Did the Chinese-born pianist Lang Lang mean to send a pointed message with the song he played at the state dinner at the White House last Wednesday.

(Soundbite of song, "My Motherland")

BLOCK: The song is called "My Motherland." It was written for a Chinese movie about the Korean War from 1956.

(Soundbite of song, "My Motherland")

(Soundbite of film, "Battle on Shangganling Mountain")

(Soundbite of music)

Unidentified Woman: (Singing in foreign language)

BLOCK: The film portrays the war as a triumph over U.S. imperialism and has been used as anti-American propaganda. But I when I reached Lang Lang today, he said he had no idea about any of that.

Mr. LANG LANG (Pianist): The truth is, I only know this piece because it's a beautiful melody. And, actually, I played many times as encore before because it's, artistically, it's a beautiful piece. I never thought about, you know, and I never knew about anything about, you know, the background.

BLOCK: Well, some people, as you know, on blogs in China, are seizing on this, saying that it was a moment for a world famous pianist to sort of drop a note of nationalism, of Chinese nationalism into the States here.

Mr. LANG LANG: You know, that's the last thing I want to do because, first of all, you know, I grew up as a teenager in America. I mean, I studied at Curtis. And I feel both China and America is my home. And, you know, I have a really wonderful emotions towards American people. And I have a lot of my great friends, my teachers, are all from here.

So for me, you know, to be invited to play at White House is a great honor. And especially, you know, to play for president of my homeland and also the country which I live, which is America. So, I only wanted to bring the best, you know, of the music melodies. And that's it, you know. I am absolutely say it from bottom of my heart that, you know, I think music, it's a bridge between our cultures.

BLOCK: The song that you played, in the movie, in the "Battle on Shangganling Mountain," which came out in 1956, it is a very nationalistic song and it...

Mr. LANG LANG: You know, I never know about that movie. I just learned it afterward. It's like, 1956. This is when my mother was two years old. I mean, this is 55 years ago. And when I grew up, I only hear this as a beautiful melody. That's it. And this piece is very popular as a traditional Chinese song.

BLOCK: I've been told that this song is a favorite at karaoke bars.

Mr. LANG LANG: Yeah. I mean, it's just, you know, it's a song that, like, everyone in the Chinese world knows about the melody. You know, I mean, that's the truth. I mean, I choose it because its beautiful melody. I have this connection through the melody. It's a really beautiful melody.

BLOCK: Well, Lang Lang, what were your - how did you react when you heard that in China, on the Web, people were adding meaning to this choice thinking you were sort of thumbing your nose at the United States in some way? What did you think?

Mr. LANG LANG: I feel very sad. You know, I very sad. And, you know, and I must say, disappointing. Because, you know, as a person, what I'm trying to do, and what my missions are, you know, making music. And, you know, I'm very honored that people inviting me to play in those great events and to connect us to classical music and to music, to Chinese music and to American music, to, you know, to world music. And once, you know, people use it as a political issue, that makes me really sad because I am a musician. I'm not a politician.

• [030]  The Battle Of The Videos (2011/01/23)  (South China Morning Post)

Activist Chu Hoi-dick has criticised police for doing nothing while he scuffled with a security guard at a Yuen Long village, which is being razed to make way for the HK$66.9 billion high-speed railway to Guangzhou.

An edited video provided by Chu shows a security guard tossing him to the ground. But the MTR Corp released a video last night showing that Chu started the confrontation.

Chu said he did not edit the video, which was taken by other activists.

In Chu's video posted on YouTube, he climbs up a fence to try to stop workers from pulling down another activist. The video then cuts to a scene showing Chu being grabbed by a guard who jostles with him and tosses him to the ground.

Police officers did not take any action, and some stood by with their arms crossed.

"He lifted me up and threw me to the ground with some judo-like technique. The weirdest thing is that there were many police but no one responded," Chu said.

But in the unedited MTR Corp video, taken from a different angle, Chu appears to try to pull the guard away from the barricade first, but fails. The guard then grabs him and tosses him to the ground.

But Chu last night said he was not trying to pull the security guard away from the fence - he was trying to rescue a fellow activist. "I was trying to pry the guard's hands off the leg of the other activist on top of the fence," he said.

He plans to make a report to the police and will release the entire video after seeking legal advice.

Chu said he suffered injuries to his neck, hip and right hand. He received three stitches on his hand and said he could now barely move his neck.

A Transport and Housing Bureau spokeswoman said the land on which the scuffle took place was voluntarily surrendered by a villager and was now an office on the construction site. Workers were trying the fence off the area to protect the office and facilities.

She said someone tried to stop the fences from being finished and it was Chu who tried to push away the guard first. She said the guard's actions were self-defence. "We regret that someone is trying to publish an edited video to mislead the public, lawmakers and media," she said.

The MTR Corp said the security guard, who was hired by a construction contractor, was also injured.

Lawmaker Lee Cheuk-yan said it did not matter who started the confrontation first. "The main point is that police were standing aloof."

Police said the incident happened suddenly and the officers nearby could not intervene in time. The incident is being investigated by the Yuen Long Regional Crime Unit. Officers at the scene asked Chu if he wanted an investigation, but Chu did not provide any information and said he would decide later, police said.

On this YouTube video, the action takes place at around 4:10 in Chu's video which was taken from the side of the fence.  The same action takes place at around 5:10 in the MTR Corp video taken from in front of the fence.

 

• [029]  Rush Limbaugh Imitating Hu Jintao (2011/01/23)

 

(Salon.com)  Rush Limbaugh's ching chong Chinaman embarrassment  Andrew Leonard   January 19, 2010

I'm not sure what is more appalling: Rush Limbaugh's 30-second-long imitation of China's President Hu Jintao speaking in Chinese, delivered on his radio show today in the most abominable display of evil Oriental stereotyping this side of Fu Manchu, or the fact that Limbaugh obviously feels his audience would relish an indulgence in racist mockery that most third grade boys would be ashamed of. It's bad enough that Limbaugh went there. But it's much worse to contemplate that his show boasts around 15 million listeners, most of whom, presumably, were not appalled.

But if you want a reality check as to exactly how low one of the most influential conservative voices in the United States can go, check it out. It's not long, but it's got lots of spunk, and is as deliciously pungent as an unmucked stable. And let's be fair, Limbaugh puts his heart in it. This isn't just a tossed off "chop-socky" -- it's a bravura performance.

I hold no particular brief for Hu Jintao. His tenure at the top of the Chinese Communist has coincided with a fierce crackdown on dissent. As China's economic power grows, so too, it seems, does its defensiveness and unwillingness to compromise, and Hu Jintao must bear at least some responsibility for that. But this is just embarrassing. I'm sure the clip is already surging through the Chinese Internet, and hundreds of millions of Chinese citizens are contemplating the fact that one of the heroes of the newly ascendant Republican party is a nativist ignoramus intent on purposely humiliating the current leader of the world's next great superpower.

[ESWN Comment: This video is not going viral in China because the Chinese people don't even have the context (that is, they have never been insulted with "Ching Chang Chong" before).  What exactly is "Ching Chong" anyway?  Here is Urban Dictionary:

• A way to verbally insult someone who has Asian Heritage. Usually finished by saying "Wing Wong". White/Black Person:"Yo Ching Chong, give me some rice you wing wong."
   
• When some gayass chants some random 'Chinese noises' like 'ching chang chong' to really piss off a Chinese person. Used by racist ppl, and just as often, little naive ignorant kids who think it's funny (who promptly get a beatdown). In 2002, Shaq told a reporter (aired nationally), "Tell Yao Ming, ching chong yang wah ahs ho!!" ]

• [028]  <Chengdu Business News> Reporter Fired For Reporting False News (2011/1/23)  (Chinese RFI)

On December 12, 2011, eighteen Fudan University students got lost during an outing in Huangshan (Yellow Mountain).  During the rescue mission that took place in the middle of the night, one police officer unfortunately died.

This story was duly reported in the news.  The rescued Fudan University students were rather indifferent to the death of the police officer, and this triggered public discontent about the morality of university students.  The whole affair became a hot subject which was followed up by various media outlets around China.

The <Chengdu Business News> reporter Long Can went to investigate in Huangshan and wrote the news report entitled <The truth about the "18 Fudan hikers trapped in Huangshan" -- nobody responded to three calls to the police for help; one text message shook up both cities; who made the Huangshan rescue team take life-threatening risks?>.

In that report, Long Can said that after the Fudan University students got lost, they called the local police three times.  For whatever reasons, their calls did not draw attention.  At that moment, one student thought about a relative in Shanghai.  "His Second Uncle (note: the husband of the second sister of his mother) has a lot of influence.  If I ask him to help, it will absolutely work."  So he sent a text message to his "Second Uncle" in Shanghai.  This person immediately called the police, and both Shanghai and Anhui immediately responded.

The message for help was relayed by the Shanghai City Communist Party Committee to Anhui province where the Anhui provincial governor Wang Shanyun, the executive deputy governor Sun Zhigang and the deputy governer Hua Jinahui all issued directives that went down quickly down various levels.  Huangshan city mayor Song Guoquan, the Huangsan public security bureau director and other officials rushed over to the mountain.

In Huangshan, it is dangerous to go up the mountain when it rains.  Given the attention from the senior officials, the police organized rescue teams to go up the mountain that night.  Ultimately, they located the missing students.  On the way down, one police officer died.

After the <Chengdu Business News> report came out, people wondered whether "Second Uncle" is a senior government/party official who should be held responsible for the unnecessary death of the police officer.

The Shanghai police said that the <Chengbu Business News> report was inaccurate.  They said that they have "never ever received" any report from any "so-called influential persons" related to the rescued students.

<Chengdu Business News> said that they conducted an internal investigation in December.  The reporter Long Can produced screen captures of his online interview with the relevant principal.  "Second Uncle is very influential" was a direct quotation.

<Chengdu Business News> said that the reporter Long Can should not "simply reprint" the allegation of the principal just because this was an "objective record."  <Chengdu Business News> also claimed that the result was that the "influential Second Uncle" has now become the key focus in the incident with which netizens are criticizing the police action.

As a result, the newspaper decided to fire reporter Long Can.

In truth, Long Can's report never hinted or emphasized that "Second Uncle" is a senior government official.  It merely said that the senior government officials "paid a high degree of attention" and the rescuer were sent out "because of the attention from various levels of government."

It is noted that apart from the method used by the <Chengdu Business News> reporter/editors, the Internet also magnified/distorted the story during the process of dissemination.  Netizens concluded that "Second Uncle" must be a senior Shanghai government official because there is a pre-existing distrust of the government.

The Shanghai City Communist Party Publicity Department wrote to the Central Publicity Department to criticize this fake news story.  A senior official within the Central Publicity Department classified this as a "fake news story."  Although <Chengdu Business News> tried to settle the matter amicably, Shanghai and the Central Publicity Department did not yield.  As a result, the reporter was fired and many editors were criticized/fined/demoted/transferred/fired.

• [027]  Translation Problems (2010/1/21) 

(The Wall Street Journal)  Selected excerpts from the White House press conference by Barack Obama and Hu Jintao.  (YouTube)

...

MR. GIBBS: Ben Feller with the Associated Press.

Q Thank you very much. I’d like to address both leaders, if I may.

President Obama, you’ve covered the broad scope of this relationship, but I’d like to follow up specifically on your comments about human rights. Can you explain to the American people how the United States can be so allied with a country that is known for treating its people so poorly, for using censorship and force to repress its people? Do you have any confidence that as a result of this visit that will change?

And if I may, on an unrelated topic, I’d like to know what you make of the speculation that the gentleman in front of me, Ambassador Huntsman, might run against you in 2012.

And, President Hu, I’d like to give you a chance to respond to this issue of human rights. How do you justify China’s record, and do you think that’s any of the business of the American people?

PRESIDENT OBAMA: First of all, let me just say I think Ambassador Huntsman has done an outstanding job as ambassador for the United States to China. He is a Mandarin speaker. He has brought enormous skill, dedication, and talent to the job. And the fact that he comes from a different party I think is a strength, not a weakness, because it indicates the degree to which both he and I believe that partisanship ends at the water’s edge, and that we work together to advocate on behalf of our country.

So I couldn’t be happier with the Ambassador’s service. And I’m sure he will be very successful in whatever endeavors he chooses in the future. (Laughter.) And I’m sure that him having worked so well with me will be a great asset in any Republican primary. (Laughter.)

Let me address the other issue, and a very serious issue. China has a different political system than we do. China is at a different stage of development than we are. We come from very different cultures with very different histories. But, as I’ve said before and I repeated to President Hu, we have some core views as Americans about the universality of certain rights — freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of assembly — that we think are very important and that transcend cultures.

I have been very candid with President Hu about these issues. Occasionally, they are a source of tension between our two governments. But what I believed is the same thing that I think seven previous Presidents have believed, which is, is that we can engage and discuss these issues in a frank and candid way, focus on those areas where we agree, while acknowledging there are going to be areas where we disagree.

And I want to suggest that there has been an evolution in China over the last 30 years since the first normalization of relations between the United States and China. And my expectation is that 30 years from now we will have seen further evolution and further change.

And so, what my approach will continue to be is to celebrate the incredible accomplishments of the Chinese people, their extraordinary civilization; the multiple areas in which we have to cooperate not only for the sakes of our countries but also for the sakes of the world; to acknowledge that we’re going to have certain differences and to be honest as I think any partner needs to be honest when it comes to how we view many of these issues.

And so that frank and candid assessment on our part will continue. But that doesn’t prevent us from cooperating in these other critical areas.

I apologize. I thought we had simultaneous translation there. So I would have broken up the answer into smaller bites.

...

MR. GIBBS: Hans Nichols from Bloomberg.

Q Thank you, Mr. President, President Hu. President Obama, with your respect and permission, because of the translation questions, could I direct one first to President Hu?

PRESIDENT OBAMA: Of course.

Q Thank you.

President Hu, first off, my colleague asked you a question about human rights, which you did not answer. I was wondering if we could get an answer to that question.

And then also, on Capitol Hill, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, House Speaker John Boehner are not attending tonight’s state dinner. Many on Capitol Hill see China as an economic threat. What can you do to allay their fears?

PRESIDENT HU: (As translated.) First, I would like to clarify, because of the technical translation and interpretation problem, I did not hear the question about the human rights. What I know was that he was asking a question directed at President Obama. As you raise this question, and I heard the question properly, certainly I’m in a position to answer that question.

President Obama and I already met eight times. Each time we met, we had an in-depth exchange of views in a candid manner on issues of shared interest and on issues toward each other’s concerns. And on the issues we have covered, we also discussed human rights.

China is always committed to the protection and promotion of human rights. And in the course of human rights, China has also made enormous progress, recognized widely in the world.

China recognizes and also respects the universality of human rights. And at the same time, we do believe that we also need to take into account the different and national circumstances when it comes to the universal value of human rights.

China is a developing country with a huge population, and also a developing country in a crucial stage of reform. In this context, China still faces many challenges in economic and social development. And a lot still needs to be done in China, in terms of human rights.

We will continue our efforts to improve the lives of the Chinese people, and we will continue our efforts to promote democracy and the rule of law in our country. At the same time, we are also willing to continue to have exchanges and dialogue with other countries in terms of human rights, and we are also willing to learn from each other in terms of the good practices.

As President Obama rightly put it just now, though there are disagreements between China and the United States on the issue of human rights, China is willing to engage in dialogue and exchanges with the United States on the basis of mutual respect and the principle of non-interference in each other’s internal affairs. In this way, we’ll be able to further increase our mutual understanding, reduce our disagreements, and expand our common ground.

As for the latter question about the attendance at the state dinner by some Congress people, as to who will attend and who will not attend, and for what reasons, I think President Obama is certainly in a better position to answer that question. (Laughter.)

...

Q (As translated.) Because of the on-and-off interpretation from the simultaneous booths, I would like to ask the Chinese consecutive interpreter to interpret my two questions correctly and accurately. (Laughter.)

(China Times)   January 21, 2011

When Hu Jintao came to visit the previous time, the White House emcee misspoke the name of the country as the Republic of China; when Hu spoke, someone created a scene.  This time, the welcoming ceremony went very smoothly, but there were some minor incidents at the joint press conference in the afternoon.

The first question came from an American reporter who asked Obama and Hu to discuss the issue of human rights.  Obama thought that there was simultaneous interpretation service, so he responded immediately in a comprehensive manner without waiting for the interpretation of the question into Chinese first.  After he finished speaking, the Chinese interpretation began.  Obama realized what was going on and apologized.  The emcee then asked a Chinese reporter to pose a question.  This meant that Hu had no opportunity to respond on the human rights question.

The third question came from an American reporter who said: "Chairman Hu did not respond to the human rights question."  Hu Jintao looked perplexed and said that he did not hear the human rights question.  Then he began to speak readily.  The fact is that all the questions were selected before hand.  Thus, Hu came prepared with a printed speech in front of him.  He did not have to evade this question.

Later someone asked Hu Jintao about US Congress Speaker of the House John Boehner and others not intending to attend the state dinner.  Hu replied: "A certain Congressman does not intend to attend the state dinner this evening.  As to whether this Congressman will attend or not, and for what reasons ... I think you ought to go ask him."  The 'him' that Hu referred to should be the Congressman himself, but the simultaneous interpretation was rendered as "you ought to go ask President Obama."  This created laughter in the room.

Those who don't understand Chinese do not realize the mistake.  The American reporters thought that Hu Jintao was teasing Obama because Boehner (Republican Party) has never gotten along with Obama (Democratic Party).  Boeher had declined to attend the previous two state dinners (for the Indian Prime Minister and the Mexican President).  A few days ago, Obama invited Boehner to travel with him on Air Force One and the latter declined as well.

The last question came from a Chinese reporter who specifically asked the interpreter "to interpret my question correctly and accurately" and that drew laughter.  At the end of the press conference, Obama apologized for the technical problems and he thanked people for their patience.

• [026]  Accurate Earthquake Predictions In China (2010/01/19)  (Daqi)

January 19, 2011 12:21  Today at 12:07, he China Earthquake Administration recorded a magnitude 4.8 earthquake nine kilometers deep on the border of Anqing city and Huaining county in Anhui province.

Immediately someone brought back a statement from the Anqing Earthquake Administration:

May 19, 2010 10:36  Recently, certain Anqing county residents said that someone has been spreading rumors about an imminent earthquake in Anqing and its surrounding areas.  The Anqing City Earthquake Administration leader said that the provincial/city experts met, analyzed and determined that won't be a magnitude 5.0+ earthquake here in the short term.

A resident in Huaining county complained that recent rumors about an imminent earthquake in Huaining/Tongcheng caused his family to sleep badly at night.  At the same time, certain Tongcheng residents were in a state of panic.  The Anqing Earthquake Administration researcher Shen Degao said that Anqing is not located in a seismically active zone and there has not been many earthquakes there in history and those earthquakes that did occur were of small magnitudes.

Clearly this 'rumor' got the timing wrong.  The rumor surfaced in May 2010 and an earthquake occurred on January 19, 2011.  The citizens should not have to live outdoors from May to January until the earthquake occurred.

Someone else brought up a more contemporaneous prediction:

January 18, 2011 20:13:55  On the day of January 19, 2011, there may be an earthquake epicenter somewhere in China.

This 'rumor' is unspecific about the location.  All 1.4 billion Chinese citizens should not have to live outdoors on January 19, 2011.

An accurate earthquake prediction is one that is reasonably correct with respect to (1) the time; (2) the location; and (3) the magnitude.

• [025]  The Scholars/Civilians Yueqing Observer Team's Report On The Case of Qian Yunhui (2011/01/19) (ChineseElections.org)

... 3.1 Members: Xiao Shu, Southern Weekend commentator; Pu Baoyi, media worker; Chen Jieren, China Politics and Law University Legal News Research Center researcher; Shi Weijiang, Shanghai lawyer.

4. The investigation experience

4.1 Xiao Shu and volunteers Liu Cheng and Ye Yin arrived in Wenzhou city on the afternoon of December 30; Shi Weijiang arrived in Wenzhou at 6pm; Lu Wenju arrived in Wenzhou at 10pm or so; Pu Baoyi and Chen Jieren arrived in Wenzhou on January 1.

4.2 On the night of December 30, 2010, Xiao Shu, Shi Weijiang, Liu Cheng, Ye Yin and Lu Wenju agreed on these actions: contact the Wenzhou city government and public security bureau the next morning and ask to see evidence in the government's hands (within legally permissible limits).  The reason was that the next day was Friday and a three-day New Year holiday was coming up after that ...

4.3 At 9:30am on December 31, 2010, Xiao Shu called Wenzhou City External Publicity Office director Zhang Chunjiao about gaining access.  One hour later, Zhang did not call back.  Xiao Shu called Zhang again.  Zhang said that he had spoken with the Yueqing Public Security Bureau and they will meet with the observer team.  Xiao Shu asked for a contact telephone number for the Yueqing Public Security Bureau.  Zhang said to go there directly.

4.4  At some time after 11am on December 31, 2010, Shi Weijinang called Wenzhou City Public Security Bureau spokesperson Huang Xiaozhong, Public Security Bureau Director Ye Hanbing, Wenzhou City vice mayor Peng Jiaxue who is in charge of public security and Wenzhou City Communist Party Secretary Chen Deyong.  All calls were either not picked up or automatically forwarded.  The observer team failed to get the government to let them meet with the eyewitnesses.

4.5  At noon on December 31, 2010, Xiao Shu, Lu Wenju, Ma Shen and Shi Weijiang discussed and decided to go directly to Zhaiqiao village, Puqi town, Yueqing city.  They were taken there in two cars ...

4.6  Along the way, Professor Guo Weiqing and two doctoral candidate students arrived in Wenzhou.  They were told to proceed directly to Zhaiqiao village.

4.7  At around 3pm on December 31, 2010, Xiao Shu, Lu Wenju and Shi Weijiang met at the village entrance along with the Southern Metropolis and CCTV reporters.  They met at the village entrance.  Professor Guo Weiqing and his students also got there at the same time.  The observer group was split into three teams.  Team one consisted of Professor Guo and his students, and they went to the village entrance to listen to the villagers and others.  Team two consisted of Xiao Xu, Liu Cheng and the CCTV reporters, and they went to the home of Qian Yunhui with the goal of asking the Qian family members to direct them to eyewitnesses (other than Qian Chengyyu) as well as people who had spoken to Qian Chengyu.  Team three consisted of Shi Weijiang, Ye Yin and the Southern Metropolis Daily reporter Zhang Guodong, and went to the home of Qian Chengyu to meet his relatives.

4.8  At some time past 3pm on December 31, 2010, Team Two met with Fu Guoyong, who had previously arranged with Xiao Shu to meet at the home of Qian Liangyu.  Fu gave Xiao Shu the message from Yu Jianyong, who advised the observer team to withdraw immediately because his experience told him that an mass incident was imminent.  Following Yu Jianyong's direction, Xiao Shu took his team with Yu who was staying low (Xiao Shu and his teammates had no idea that Yu Jianyong was nearby).  Yu called Shi Weijiang (Team Three) and re-iterated his viewpoints.  Shi agreed.  Shi had not see any relatives at Qian Liangyu's home.  On the way back, Shi Weijiang came across China Economic Times reporter Liu Jianfeng.  Shortly afterwards, he came across Xu Zhiyong.  Liu Jianfeng suggested that Shi Weijiang should go to the home of Wang Liquan.  Meanwhile the other members of the observer group withdrew from the village ...

4.9  At around 4pm on December 31, 2010, Shi Weijiang went to the home of Wang Liquan in the company of Liu Jianfeng and Southern Metropolis Daily reporter Zhang Guodong.  They met with Wang Liquan's wife Huang Xuefen and conversed.  Huang spoke about Wang Liquan's situation prior to his arrest.  Shi Weijiang concentrated on the law enforcement procedures of the police.  He learned that there had been no formal written notice many days after Wang was detained, and no reason was given for the detention.  Huang said that there had been no written notices either on the previous occasions that Wang was detained.  Shi Weijiang proposed to introduce a lawyer.  Huang was scared.  Even repeated explanations, Huang still refused to sign the attorney form.  Shi Weijiang recorded the process on video.  The accompanying reporters can testify that this is true.

4.10  At around 5pm on December 31, 2010, Shi Weijiang and Zhang Guodong came to the home of Qian Chengyu.  On they way, they ran across Qian Chengu's sister Qian Chengfeng and her husband.  At the Qian home, they also met with Qian Chengyu's mother and daughter.  Shi Jianjiang interviewed Qian Chengyu's sister.  He learned that Qian Chengyu was at his sister's house prior to being detained.  She said that Qian Chengyu was detained on the third day after the incident (as shown on the detention notice).  Prior to being detained, Qian Liangyu told his sister what happened:

Qian Chengyu's brother-in-law quoted: "I didn't see the person being hit.  By the time I saw it, they were gone.  When they saw that the person was dead, they left."

Shi Weijiang asked the sister Qian Chengfeng to repeat what Qian Chengyu said in his original words:

Qian Chengfeng said: Four persons were horsing around  They were pushing, shoving, pulling, dragging.  The vehicle approached slowly.  The persons who were pulling and dragging dispersed.  Then I saw the village director underneath the vehicle.  Qian Chengyu said, "Sister, even a chicken would be screaming if crushed by a vehicle, much less than a human.  (How come he didn't hear the village director scream?)  Heavens!"

Question: "Did he describe what these four persons were wearing?"

Answer: "He didn't say."

Question: "What were these four persons wearing?"

Answer: "They wore helmets."

Other facts mentioned in the conversation:

4.10.1  Qian Chengyu's family told Shi Weijiang said that Qian Chengyu had missing teeth in the television interview.  The family said that his teeth were perfect before.  (The observer group watched the video many times.  Qian Chengyu's lower teeth were intact, but his upper teeth could not be seen clearly.)

4.10.2  Qian Chengyu's family said that Qian Chengyu did not participate in the public disturbance.  Several days later, the sole eyewitneess Qian Chengyu was detained.

4.10.3  Qian Chengyu's mother said that Qian Chengyu is honest and does not like to lie.  But she did not hear Qian Chengyu speak about the incident.

Preliminary analysis of the conversation with Qian Chengyu's sister: This is hearsay evidence and has limited effectiveness.  It is only credible in combination with other evidence.

The statement of Qian Chengyu's sister is consistent with what she told China Economic Times reporter Liu Jianfeng at around 5pm on December 29, 2010.

4.11  At around 7pm on December 31, 2010, Shi Weijiang returned to Yueqing city.  The team members met and they held very different readings of the situation.  Doctor Yu Jianyong and others believed that the situation in Zhaiqiao village was about to get out of control, they refused to stick to issuing uniform statements to the outside world, they refused to accept all the rules and regulations of the observation tam and they proposed to stop the fieldwork and return home to study the land problems based upon the materials on hand.  Shi Weijiang did not believe that the situation was so serious and insisted on continuing to observe in the field.  Since the two sides were unable to reach consensus, any discussion about the principles and division of labor was tabled.

4.12  At some time past 8pm on December 31, 2010, Xiao Shu, Shi Weijiang and others met with two other CCTV reporters and discussed their observations.  The reporters said that met with Qian Chengyu and the police also let them view the relevant videos.  They said that Qian Chengyu said the same thing to them as he told the other CCTV program (that is, he did not see the so-called murder carried out by four persons) but he also denied that he participated in any disruption of public order.  However, the CCTV reporter provided a valuable tip: they saw Qian Chengyu making an action like the throwing of a rock in the police video from the scene ...

4.13  At some time past 10pm on December 31, 2010, Xiao Shu, Shi Weijiang and others were called by Professor Yu Jianyong to go to his hotel room.  Professor Yu and others had already drafted a letter to the Yueqing authorities to ask them to gently handle the tributes that the Zhaiqiao villagers will be paying to their former director Qian Yunhui on the seventh day of the death.  After discussion, the eight members of the observation group signed the statement to the Yueqing authorities asking for dialogue and negotation.

...

4.15  On the morning of January 1, 2011, Shi Weijiang returned to Shanghai due to an illness in the family.  Pu Baoyi and Chen Jieren went to meet with Qian Chengyu's lawyer Peng Jian about the latter's meeting with his client.  Peng Jian said that Qian Chengyu told him that he was on the side of the road where the vehicle was and he saw the vehicle moving slowly.  At that time, there four persons in security guard uniforms looking panicky about 17 to 18 meters behind the vehicle.  As he went towards the vehicle, the vehicle stopped.  He got to the front left wheel of the vehicle and saw someone underneath.  So he yelled, "Help!  Help!"  Lawyer Peng Jiang said that he was not tortured during detention.  Based upon Xiao Shu's recommendation by telephone, Pu Baoyi and Chen Jieren went to observe the seventh-day mourning at Zhaiqiao village.  Their overall assessment was that the situation was under reasonable control without any violence.

4.16  At noon on January 2, 2011, the scholars/civilian observation group withdrew from Zhaiqiao village based the judgment and advocation of Yu Jiangyong ...

...

4.19  On January 11, 2011, the lawyer of Wang Liquan went to see his client ... Wang Liquan siad that he spoke to Qian Yunhui at past 8am that morning to discuss petition materials.  He did not make that call that took place after 9am.  He said that he was innocent of disturbing the public order.  The police told him that they had a video of him assaulting someone.  He looked at the video and did not find any such activity.  His lawyer did not talk to him about Qian Yunhui's multi-functional watch while the police were present.

4.20  On the morning of January 13, 2011, reporter Liu Jianfeng published his <Investigative records about the witnesses in the case of Qian Yunhgui>.  On the evening of January 13, Phoenix TV broadcast a program on the death of villager director Qian Yunhui, during which it was mentioned that the watch of Qian Yunhui may be in the possession of Wang Liquan.  At just past 1am on January 14, the police nabbed Wang Liquan's wife and young son.  At noon on January 14, they took Wang Liquan's elder son away.  Xiao Shu heard the news and contacted the Yueqing police many times via text message to demand an explanation as well the release of Wang's family members.  At 5:20pm, the police texted Xiao Shu to say that all of Wang's family members have been freed.  According to an informed source, Wang's family members were not interrogated.  However, Wang's home was searched and Qian Yunhui's watch was taken away.  But this could not be verified with the police ...

...

7.1  Analysis of the process

The present evidence indicates that Qian Yunhui was killed when he hit by the truck driver by Fei Liangyu.  Was it intentional or accidental?  The principal evidence comes from the eyewitnesses, the autopsy and the signs at the scene.

7.1 Eyewitnesses

Based the evidence at hand, there is no eyewitness who has no material interest in the case.

Fei Liangyu was the driver.  He is the person with the most personal interest.  Whether this case was murder or accident, he is maximally interested in making this a traffic incident.

If this was a murder, then the four security guards are suspects.  Therefore they have vested interests.  But if this was a traffic incident according to the official version, then the four security guards did not directly observe the incident -- they can only be said to be among the earliest people to arrive at the scene.  They are not eyewitnesses.

The eyewitness Qian Chengyu is a Zhaiqiao villager with a certain affection for director Qian Chengyu.  He also has a vested interest because the director had been fighting for their collective rights.

7.1.2  The assessment of Qian Chengyu's testimony

Qian Chengyu's sister told China Economic Times reporter Liu Jianfeng and the members of the observation group mostly the same thing.  Before Qian Chengyu was detained, he told his family members that Qian Yunhui clashed with several persons and the vehicle moved slowly.  After Qian Chengyu was detained, he said something different from what he said before.  Other villagers besides the sister also heard Qian Chengyu said something similar.  Thus, Qian Chengyu is presently regarded as the most valuable eyewitness.

We are basically certain that Qian Chengyu's testimony changed from before to after his detention.

The observation group does not have any evidence that Qian Chengyu was threatened during his detention.  But according to the Phoenix TV with the son-in-law of Qian Yunhui about being assaulted during his assault (plus other improper law enforcement by the Yueqing police), so we cannot exclude the possibility that Qian Chengyu was assaulted.  Even if Qian Chengyu was not physically assaulted, it is common to see a witness changing his testimony while under detention (coercion).

According to information from a source whose identity we cannot divulge, Qian Chengyu had called the family of Qian Yunhui to ask them settle quickly so that he can get out of jail sooner.

... Thus, we are unable to judge the testimonies of Qian Chengyu until as such time that he is free.

7.1.3  Huang Diyan

The observation group was unable to hear the testimony of the so-called second eyewitness Huang Diyan.  Here we cite different versions for your edification.

The first version came from China Economic Times reporter Liu Jianfeng:

The observation group can sense that everybody was fearful in Zhaiqiao village.  After Huang Diyan said that she was an eyewitness, she was detained from 9am on December 29 to 1:30am on December 30.  She changed her testimony afterwards.

The police have no right to detain eyewitnesses.  There was no reason for the Yueqing police to detain her.  According to Liu Jianfeng's description of how he observed Huang Diyan shivering, it may be reasonable to assume that the police was not asking Huang Diyan for a normal statement and that she changed her testimony against her will.

The second version came from Southern Weekend reporter Zhai Huijun and a CCTV investigative reporter.  Zhai wrote that he believed in Huang's testimony at first.  The next day, he received a text message from China News Weekly reporter Wang Jing to the effect that Huang is beginning to act silly, saying that her mind is warped and she can't remember anything.  That evening, another reporter said that someone promised Huang 6,000 yuan to become an eyewitness.  The CCTV reporter also told the observation team that Huang admitted that someone told her to say it; furthermore, Huang did not appear to be mentally stable.

We hold our doubts about the different testimonies of Huang Diyan both before and after.

7.1.4  Wang Liquan

Wang Liquan has the strongest ties with Qian Yunhui because they petitioned and went to jail together.  He knew Qian very well.  Our previous analysis about the detention/arrest/jailing of Qian Yunhui is equally applicable to Wang Liquan.  There is no clear evidence so far that Wang Liquan was involved in causing a public disorder such that he should be detained ... Though Wang has been detained, he has not called his family to tell them to compromise.  This means that he is relatively independent as compared to Qian Chengyu.  This has to do with the fact that Wang and Qian Yunhui had been fellow warriors for many years.  Conversely, this showed that Qian Chengyu was easier to influence from the outside.

7.1.5  Xu Xiangzhong

Many reports indicate that Xu Xiangzhong was probably the last person to call Qian Yunhui.  So far, Xu Xiangzhong and the Yueqing police have not published Xu Xiangzhong's telephone call record.  Under the rules of evidence, this is unfavorable to Xu.  Even though there is no way to confirm this as true, we cannot preclude the possibility that Xu invited Qian Yunhui to come out to meet.

7.2  Important physical evidence.

7.2.1  The Yueqing police has not released any autopsy reports nor allowed the family of Qian Yunhui to view the body.

7.2.2  The organization who conducted the assessment for the Yueqing police was unable to determine the speed of the vehicle.  This may support the previous assertion by Qian Chengyu that the truck was moving slowly, and it may also support the contention by the police that this was a traffic incident.  For this reason, this piece of evidence has no effect.

7.2.3  The observation group was unable to obtain the high-resolution photographs taken by the Yueqing police.  The observation group was unable to come to any conclusion based upon the photographs that are posted on the Internet.

7.2.4  Assessment of signs at the scene

Because of the attempt to seize the body of Qian Yunhui, the scene was ruined.  Both sides bear some responsibility.  The police have the legal right to preserve a crime scene.  But that does not mean that the police should try to seize the body.  They could have done so through negotiation.  The villagers also lack sensible leaders who can preserve the scene, or otherwise take photos.  Considering that the villagers are not professionals, the police ought to bear most of the responsibility.

7.2.5  Qian Yunhui's multi-functional watch

Since there is no evidence that this watch is in the possession of the Yueqing police or that the watch contained any audio/visual recording, this report will not analyze this.

7.3  Summary of analyses

Based upon the above, the Yueqing police are suspected of manipulating the key witnesses; the Yueqing police also rashly ruined the scene of the incident; they also declined to provide key evidence to the scholars/civilians observation group (even though they were quite willing to provide the same evidence to the CCTV reporters), thus invoking suspicion of manipulation of evidence.

The observation group believes these suspected manipulations may have occurred for one of two reasons: (1) Qian Yunhui died during an ordinary traffic incident.  Due to his special status/background, it became an emergency event with unpredictable consequences.  The Yueqing police got nervous and over-reacted while ignoring the legal constraints.  (2) This incident was fishy and therefore aroused a lot of suspicion.  The observation group is unable to figure out the reason or motive.  But as long as the suspicions of manipulation are out there, any evidence produced by the Yueqing police in support of a case for traffic incident is not going to be considered objective and truthful.  The members of the observation group cannot eliminate reasonable doubt.

Because of the previous road blockages, petitions, faked signatures of Qian Yunhui, etc, because of plausible vested interests for a deliberately caused death, because of certain suspected manipulations of evidence and because of coincidences such as the surveillance camera not working at the time, the observation group cannot preclude the possibility that death did not occur as a result of an ordinary traffic incident.

Based upon the above analyses, and considering that there is only indirect testimony, or testimonies from eyewitnesses who have changed their statements, or the absence of video recordings, or the lack of an autopsy report, the observation group is unable to determine if this death was not due to a traffic incident.  Liu Jianfeng's report has the identities of many witnesses under confidentiality agreements and therefore unverifiable, so we cannot use any of those testimonies in this report.

8.  Conclusions from the first phase of observation

8.1  Based upon the current evidence available to the observation group, we cannot conclude that Qian Yunhui's death was due to a traffic incident.

8.2  Based upon the current evidence available to the observation group, we cannot conclude that Qian Yunhui's death was due to murder.

8.3  Ultimately, the observation group believes the truth will emerge only after Qian Chengyu and Wang Liquan are free and the fearful atmosphere around Zhaiqiao village has vanished.  Perhaps the truth lies in one of the many current versions, but we cannot confirm any at this time ...

8.6  The above represents the consensus of four members of the observation group: Xiao Shu, Pu Baoyi, Chen Jieren and Shi Weijiang.  There is no dissent among the four members.  But the above does not necessarily represent the opinions of other members of the observation group.

• [024]  Certain Details In The Case Of Qian Yunhui (2011/01/17)  (Caijing)

The Security Guards

At around 9am that morning, Qian Yunhui got a telephone call.  He walked out of his house as he spoke.  Due to his persistent petitioning over the years, he usually slept in different places out of concern for personal security.  His wife has had two operations.  Since Qian Yunhui got out of prison in 2010, his children noticed that he has been more caring for his family.  On this morning, he returned from the outside and made noodles for himself and his wife.

According to the Wenzhou police, Qian Yunhui's last call came from a villager named Wang and it was about village business.  The police did not give Wang's full name but most people think that it was Wang Liquan.

Wang Liquan is presently detained at the Yueqing Detention Center.  His lawyer Yu Zhiuyuan told our reporter that Wang Liquan told him on January 10, 2011 that he was working at a factory in Hongqiao town fifteen kilometers away.  They spoke several times about petitioning.  Wang is not sure whether Qian went out of the village on account of his call.

Qian Yunhui got to the village entrance and made a right turn, walking down Hongnan Road westbound towards the adjacent Hua'er village.  A grocery store owner confirmed that he saw that Qian Yunhui passing by on the north side of the road.  A short while later, someone saw him on the south side of Hongnan Road.  Nobody knew why he crossed the road over to the side that had no buildings.

At the same time, five buses belonging to the Yueqing City Security Services Company were in the vicinity of Zhaiqiao village.  Each bus carried 18 to 20 security guards who were dressed like SWAT police officers.

The Zhaiqiao village did not agree with the laying of electric cables on their section of Hongnan Road.  So these security guards were hired to "patrol" here every day.  Two of the buses were parked in an empty lot more than 50 meters away from the Zhaiqiao village entrance, perpendicular to Hongnan Road.

At the time, it was cloudy and raining.  The Wenzhou authorities claimed that Qian Yunhui had his umbrella out.  After the incident, a broken umbrella rib was found, partially bent out of shape with scrape marks.

The Town Vice Mayor

On December 17, 2010, the Zhaiqiao villagers brought electricity poles over to block vehicles from going down Hongnan Road to the Yueqing Electricity Power Plant.  Over the next days, the power plant coal trucks and the Yueqing Lingang stone trucks could not pass.  The police came and removed the poles by force.  So the local government sent out security guards as well as Puqi town government workers to patrol around the village entrance.  There were clashes at which Qian Yunhui was present.

On December 21 and 22, the conflicts escalated.  In a courier package that Qian Yunhui sent to Beijing before his death, there was a compact disc with a video showing two command vehicles, sixteen buses of various sizes and many groups of persons standing guard by the roadside.  The package also contained a stack of flyers entitled "Video contents."  According to the flyer, on December 22, Yueqing city Puqi town party secretary Xie Xiangzhong led a team of people who were dressed as if they were armed police in order to take over the basic farmlands of Zhaiqiao village.  The Wenzhou person Yuan Digui who got those flyers in Beijing said that Qian was already posting those flyers all over the vilage.

Yuan Digui is out of reach at this time. On December 29, 2010, Yuan told our reporter that Qian Yunhui was murdered because of these flygers.  He claimed that after Qian Yunhui posted many of these posters, the Puqi town government held an emergency meeting.  "Vice mayor Xu Xiangzhong was in the village 24 hours a day.  He stayed until 2am before going home."

The "Xie Xiangzhong" named in the flyers should be "Xu Xiangzhong."  Xu is the Puqi town deputy party secretary in charge of politics and law, thus to maintain stability.  He has been under suspicion ever since the incident.  On the Internet, the earliest rumor said: "Puqi town vice mayor Xie Xiangzhong directed a group of people to murder Qian Yunhui by running him over with a truck.  He commanded the action from his car.  The five person were SWAT policemen."

The "SWAT policemen" version evolved from the uniformed security guards.  On December 29, 2010, Xu Xiangzhong told our reporter that the incident took place on Saturday.  At the time, he was sleeping in his Hongqiao town home seven kilometers away from Zhaiqiao village.  At 9:40am or so, he called a call from the town administrative office worker Chen Guofeng who told him that Qian Yunhui was dead after being hit by a vehicle.  The Security Service Company deputy general manager also called him to say that he had been assaulted at the scene.  A distant relative Wang Hanbing also called and said, "I heard that you had been assaulted."

Xu Xiangzhong said that he was very perplexed.  He told Wang to come pick him up.  Wang Hanbing told our reporter that he suggested to Xu on the way: "Don't go to the scene now, because they will say that you were the commander."  So Xu asked Wang to take him to the border patrol office.

Qian Yunhui's brother-in-law Wang Lirui was very upset when he heard someone say that Xu Xiangzhong drove his car to the scene and directed the action.  He said "I won't let him off."  In order to see if Xu had been out of home that morning, he asked around and learned that a friend had taken Xu's car the night before.

On that day, Wang Lirui tracked down Xu's car at the town government office.  It had been raining that day.  He noted that the bottom of the car was dry.  He also took photos.

The Driver

At 9:38 on the same day, a construction truck that looked identical to the one involved in the incident came out of the Shantangshan Stone Quarry.  The quarry is located in Wandi village, Hongqiao town.  On the map, the route involves coming out of Wandi village, turning left onto Hongnan Road.  From there it is 4.7 kilometers past Hua'ao village, Huayi village, Hua'er village to Zhaiqiao village.

There are three surveillance cameras along the route: at the exit of the quarry, at the entrance to Huayi village and at the scene of the incident.  The police said that the camera at Zhaiqiao village only began testing on December 21 and did not have the capability to store data yet -- that function was only activated at 12:52 on the day of the incident.  This was to raise a lot of suspicion afterwards.

According to the surveillance video taken at the exit of the stone quarry, the construction truck contained a very big number "23" on the right hand side near the driver's seat.  This was just like the truck involved in the incident.

About four minutes later (at 9:42:09), the Huayi village surveillance video showed that construction truck passing by.  The netizens Wang Xiaoshan and Dou Hanzhang saw these two videos at the Yueqing Public Security Bureau.  They could see the truck coming down from the hill first.  Because it was a dirt road, the truck was not going fast -- 20 to 30 kilometers per hour.  When it passed the Huayi village entrance, it was going at 40 to 50 kilometers per hour.  "It went out a smaller vehicle."

Was this the truck that hit Qian Yunhui?  The license plate was not visible in the videos.  Dou Hanzhang took out his notebook computer and compared the images on the videos to the photos of the truck involved in the incident, and he did not detect any difference.  The two netizens then tested the travel time.  From the stone quarry to the entrance of Huayi village, it took 4 minutes 12 seconds at 42 kilometers per hour.  The scene of the incident was just ahead past the Hua'er village entrance.

It was raining that day, but not heavily.  In the two videos, some people had umbrellas out but others did not.

On the truck involved in the incident, there were two persons: the 32-year-old driver Fei Liangyu and his fellow townsman Huang Biao.  Fei Liangyu did not have an operator's license, but he was the truck owner.  In October 2010, he borrowed 400,000 yuan and bought the truck.  He came to Yueqing to transport rocks for the landfill project.  In the CCTV interview, Fei Liangyu said that he did not know either Qian Yunhui or Qian Liangyu, and he was not hired to "get rid of" Qian Yunhui.

Fei Liangyu said that because the right side of Hongnan Road was blocked, he drove on the left side of the road.  This was confirmed by an inspection of the scene.  Although only one-fourth of the road was taken over by construction near the Zhaiqiao village entrance, the construction took up half of the road completely further down the road so that vehicles can only drive down the left side against traffic.

When Fei Liangyu got near the Zhaiqiao village entrance, he saw someone quickly crossing the road from the right side.  "My first reaction was to sound the klaxon."

He said that the person "appeared" to have glanced at the truck.  "I immediately veered towards the left and stepped on the brake.  But I was not able to avoid him."  "It was raining.  The road was slippery.  This was an overloaded truck."

It is hard to show murder given the skid marks on the ground.  According to the Wenzhou police, the truck was permitted to carry 12.405 tonnes but it was actually carrying 35.020 tonnes (282% over capacity).  The Wenzhou Changxun Motor Vehicle Judiciary Assessment Office determined that the steering of the loaded truck was not bood.

At that moment, the security guard company worker Zhang Yuanzhang had gotten out of the bus in order to cross the road to go to the farm fields on the south side of the road in order to urinate.  He heard a sound of braking that was not particularly loud.

He turned his ahead and saw a red construction truck that had veered to the side of the road at the intersection of Hongnan Road and Zhaiqiao village entrance.  There appeared to be a person's head underneath the left front wheel of the truck.

The Eyewitnesses

Zheng Yuanzhang immediately turned around and raced back to the bus to say "something has happened."  Among the security guards, Zhang Hui was more daring and he headed towards the truck.  The others were told by their supervisor to stay put.  Zhang Hui walked down the left side of the truck from behind and came to the left front wheel.  He saw Qian Yunhui under the wheel.  He went to the right rear of the truck and took out his mobile phone to call the police.

At this time, Zhang Hui saw a tall man heading towards Zhaiqiao village.  Later on, it became known that this was villager Qian Chengyu.  Zhang Hui said that Qian Chengyu had already entered the village, but he came back to the truck to see.  Qian then raced to the village while yelling "Help!"

There is a discrepancy in the recollections of those present.  Some security guards said that only Zhang left the bus, but others say that some other security guards were also out of the bus.  Qian Chengyu told his lawyer Peng Jian that he saw four men in security guard uniforms about 18 meters behind the bus.

More than one Zhaiqiao villager said that Qian Chengyu told him that four men in security guard uniforms held Qian Yunhui down on the ground and waved the construction truck over to come over slowly and crush Qian Yunhui's body.

Qian Chengyu is presently detained by the police on suspicion of interfering with official business.  Lawyer Peng Jian told our reporter that Qian Chengyu has adamantly denied telling anyone that Qian Yunhui was held down on the ground to be run over.  "He said that he saw security guards leaving behind the truck.  He sensed that they were panicky.  Then he saw that someone was underneath the left wheel.  He found out that it was Qian Yunhui.  As our meeting came near the end, Qian Chengyu said in his own words that see anyone push and shove Qian Yunhui."

The Hua'er villager Huang Diyan had claimed that she witnessed the incident.  She claimed that at around 9:30, she was passing the Zhaiqiao village entrance on her way to pray.  She saw three persons wearing white gloves and black surgical mask holding an old man down on the ground.  The three persons were not wearing security guard uniforms.  Instead they wore a denim jacket, a green jacket and a grey jacket respectively.  But later on Huang Diyan changed her story: "Someone told me to say that I saw it, to testify for them.  A victorious case would mean that my daughter will recover from her illness."

The third self-proclaimed eyewitness is Qian Yunhui's relative who lives by the roadside.  On December 26, 2010, she told the Qian family that she saw three to four persons holding Qian Yunhui down, they prevented him from calling out for help, Qian struggled but could not get up and was ultimately crushed to death.  On January 8, 011, she insisted on this story.  But when pressed with questions, she smiled and mumbled to herself.  "There is nothing that can be done.  Her brain has always been quite muddled.  So even if she said so, nobody would believe her anyway."  Qian Yunhui's eldest daughter Qian Xudan expressed her helplessness.

At this point, all the the initial 'murder' testimonies from the eyewitnesses have all been shown to be false.

The Village Director

The whole village heard about the news after Qian Chengyu ran in and yelled.  A member of the Zhaiqiao Village Senior Citizens Association heard someone say: "Qian Yunhui has been killed after being run over.  Everybody, come quickly!"

A middle-aged villager arrived at the scene a quarter of an hour later.  There were several dozen villagers at the village entrance already.  Several security guards were being assaulted because the villagers thought that they were the murderers.  He told our reporter that he saw Qian Chengyu talking to a Hongqiao town traffic police officer but he did not know what they talked about.

The Yueqing police said that they received a report at 9:46.  They directed the Hongqiao traffic police which were closer to the scene and the Puzi Border Patrol Office to send two traffic police officers and nine police officers to the scene.  They arrived at 9:53.

According to the security guards at the scene, after the Zhang Hui called the police, they also reported to their captain and their manager.  The latter two quickly came over by car.  But as soon as they got to the village entrance, they were attacked by people who thought that they were the murderers.  When the security guards saw this happening, they got out of the buses to "rescue" the two.  The security guards then left in their buses.

Within the Qian family, the wife Wang Zhaoyan was the first to arrive.  Since she has been bed-ridden with illness, she was unable to speak to our reporter.  Qian Xudan, Qian Shengping and her husband also came.  It was around noon.  They wept and cried.  They did not pay attention to any police presence at the scene.

When Qian Yunhui died, his body was in an unusual position: His neck was right underneath the left front wheel of the construction truck, his head was slightly raised towards the left, some of his internal organs were squeezed out of his left chest, there was blood all over his body.  On the right side of the wheel, his right hand was pressed against the ground, his right leg was kneeling, the toes on his right foot was pointed to the ground and his back was lifted upwards.

By this time, the rumor that Qian Yunhui "had been held down on the ground to be run over by a truck" was spreading like wildfire.  People began to vent their rage by smashing cars and other ways.  "Soon the SWAT police came.  More than one hundred of them.  They clashed with the villagers."

The rough response of the local government riled the villagers.  According to the villagers as the police, the villagers began to throw rocks when the police attempted to remove the body.  The police had to withdraw.

At around 16:00 or so, several hundred police officers came armed with anti-riot shields.  They pressed forward in spite of the attacks from the villagers and they succeeded in taking away the body and removing the construction truck.  During this process, Qian Xuling and her husband Zhao Xu were taken away by the police.

Apart from Qian Xuling and her husband, the Yueqing police also detained Wang Liquan and other villagers including the alleged "eyewitnesses" Qian Chengyu and Huang Diyan.  This caused more rumors to swirl and even greater distrust of the local government.

Over the past seven years of so, Qian Yunhui was persistent in petitioning, "being sent to jail on three occasions."  In March 2005, he was sentenced by the Yueqing court to 18 months in prison for assembling a crowd to disrupt social order, with a two year suspension; in April 2006, he was taken to prison after a court revoked the suspension of his original sentence; in November 2008, he was sent to jail one last time.

Qian Yunhui is dead now.  He used to be the only hope for the villagers.  During the petitioning, they had been suppressed, powerless, hopeless.  For the villagers, the death of Qian Yunhui meant that their one last hope has also been dashed.  Even if the local and city government determined that this was just a "traffic incident," they had lost the trust of the villagers who will never believe them.

The mistrust got even greater when eyewitnesses and principals were detained while the government said nothing.  The villagers and Qian Yunhui's family are telling outsiders that it was murder.  Who are the murderers?  They don't know.  What was the motive for murder?  They don't know either.  How was the murder planned and executed?  They don't know either.

They only have doubts, they don't have reasonable proof.  But they have the power of emotions.  With these emotional powers, they convinced neighbors, friends and strangers -- those people who are willing to listen to what they say.

• [023]  XOXO Sets Record With Record (2011/01/17)

 (NOWnews)   January 11, 2011.

Bonnie and Fion are graduates of National Taiwan University.  While in school, Bonnie was one of the five "NTU Women" and Fion was one of the thirteen "NTU young sisters."  Now they are setting their eyes on a career in singing.  Their first music video <Mocha JAVA> was released on January 10.  To make this video, they spent more than NT$100,000 on their costumes.  They hired Jay Chou's director Jennifer to direct the show.  In total, this music video cost more than NT$1 million!

Bonnie and Fion participated in the planning of the entire project, including, the singing style, the lyrics, the costumes, etc.  They also set up and designed the official website.  They did not know how to dance before they made the decision to make this video, so they had to undergo a marathon training to learn to dance, working five hours a day.

For the first song <Mocha JAVA>, the filming took twenty hours.  In the video, they had to keep shaking their tits in seductive poses.  Afterwards, they said, "We're almost dead!"

Here is the video:

 

(NOWnews)  January 12, 2011.

According to the netizen "SIN*", XOXO's <Mocha JAVA> appears to be copying the song <Abracadabra> by the Korean girl group Brown Eyed Girls.  "SIN*" said "why does Taiwan need so many groups of this kind? ... Nowadays can you make a record because you can show your flesh?"  Netizen 'tinashen' wrote: "The songwriter ought to explain how many sections were 'consulted'."  Netizen 'servant of three cats' was more 'forgiving': "This is not plagiarism -- this is a cover version."

 

(NOWnews)  January 17, 2011.

In spite of all their efforts, viewers did not shower XOXO with appreciation for <Mocha JAVA>. 

Among the comments, "You can't fool me -- this must be sung in Thai" "I have no idea what they are singing about" "The song is copied, they don't have powerful voices, total failure" "Stick to studying" "The main problem is that they are upsetting people because they copied the Korean group BEG (note: Brown Eyed Girls) ... Those who like Bonnie and Fion will continue to support this.  Personally I like Bonnie but it is bad for the company to use a copied song ... Bonnie and Fion may not be aware ... therefore they are innocent ... the company is the big problem" "The song is not exceptional ... they are peddling flesh here but they are losing out to Japanese adult video stars ... I don't know what is going to happen next ..."

On YouTube, 2180 persons gave 'thumbs down' while only 140 gave 'thumbs up.'  This may be the only music video in history that has pretty girls making sexy moves but failed miserably among the viewers.

• [022]  English Language Test For Master Degree Admission (2011/1/15)  (ifeng)

Section I   Use of English

Directions：

Read the following text. Choose the best word(s) for each numbered blank and mark [A]， [B]， [C] or [D] on ANSWER SHEET 1. (10 points)

Ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle viewed laughter as “a bodily exercise precious to health.” But __1___some claims to the contrary， laughing probably has little influence on physical fitness Laughter does __2___short-term changes in the function of the heart and its blood vessels， ___3_ heart rate and oxygen consumption But because hard laughter is difficult to __4__， a good laugh is unlikely to have __5___ benefits the way， say， walking or jogging does.

__6__， instead of straining muscles to build them， as exercise does， laughter apparently accomplishes the __7__， studies dating back to the 1930's indicate that laughter__8___ muscles， decreasing muscle tone for up to 45 minutes after the laugh dies down.

Such bodily reaction might conceivably help _9__the effects of psychological stress. Anyway， the act of laughing probably does produce other types of ___10___ feedback， that improve an individual's emotional state. __11____one classical theory of emotion， our feelings are partially rooted ____12___ physical reactions. It was argued at the end of the 19th century that humans do not cry ___13___they are sad but they become sad when the tears begin to flow.

Although sadness also ____14___ tears， evidence suggests that emotions can flow __15___ muscular responses. In an experiment published in 1988，social psychologist Fritz Strack of the University of würzburg in Germany asked volunteers to __16___ a pen either with their teeth-thereby creating an artificial smile - or with their lips， which would produce a(n) __17___ expression. Those forced to exercise their enthusiastically to funny catoons than did those whose months were contracted in a frown， ____19___ that expressions may influence emotions rather than just the other way around __20__ ， the physical act of laughter could improve mood.

1．[A]among       [B]except        [C]despite       [D]like

2．[A]reflect       [B]demand       [C]indicate       [D]produce

3．[A]stabilizing    [B]boosting       [C]impairing     [D]determining

4．[A]transmit      [B]sustain        [C]evaluate      [D]observe

5．[A]measurable   [B]manageable    [C]affordable     [D]renewable

6．[A]In turn       [B]In fact        [C]In addition     [D]In brief

7．[A]opposite     [B]impossible     [C]average       [D]expected

8．[A]hardens      [B]weakens       [C]tightens      [D]relaxes

9．[A]aggravate     [B]generate       [C]moderate     [D]enhance

10．[A]physical     [B]mental        [C]subconscious  [D]internal

11．[A]Except for   [B]According to   [C]Due to        [D]As for

12．[A]with        [B]on           [C]in           [D]at

13．[A]unless      [B]until          [C]if           [D]because

14．[A]exhausts    [B]follows        [C]precedes     [D]suppresses

15．[A]into        [B]from          [C]towards      [D]beyond

16．[A]fetch        [B]bite          [C]pick        [D]hold

17．[A]disappointed  [B]excited       [C]joyful       [D]indifferent

18．[A]adapted      [B]catered       [C]turned       [D]reacted

19．[A]suggesting    [B]requiring     [C]mentioning   [D]supposing

20．[A]Eventually    [B]Consequently  [C]Similarly    [D]Conversely

Section II   Reading Comprehension

Part A

Directions：

Read the following four texts. Answer the questions below each text by choosing [A]， [B]， [C] or [D]. Mark your answers on ANSWER SHEET 1. (40 points)

Text 1

The decision of the New York Philharmonic to hire Alan Gilbert as its next music director has been the talk of the classical-music world ever since the sudden announcement of his appointment in 2009. For the most part， the response has been favorable， to say the least. “Hooray！ At last！” wrote Anthony Tommasini， a sober-sided classical-music critic.

One of the reasons why the appointment came as such a surprise， however， is that Gilbert is comparatively little known. Even Tommasini， who had advocated Gilbert's appointment in the Times， calls him “an unpretentious musician with no air of the formidable conductor about him.” As a description of the next music director of an orchestra that has hitherto been led by musicians like Gustav Mahler and Pierre Boulez， that seems likely to have struck at least some Times readers as faint praise.

For my part， I have no idea whether Gilbert is a great conductor or even a good one. To be sure， he performs an impressive variety of interesting compositions， but it is not necessary for me to visit Avery Fisher Hall， or anywhere else， to hear interesting orchestral music. All I have to do is to go to my CD shelf， or boot up my computer and download still more recorded music from iTunes.

Devoted concertgoers who reply that recordings are no substitute for live performance are missing the point. For the time， attention， and money of the art-loving public， classical instrumentalists must compete not only with opera houses， dance troupes， theater companies， and museums， but also with the recorded performances of the great classical musicians of the 20th century. There recordings are cheap， available everywhere， and very often much higher in artistic quality than today's live performances； moreover， they can be “consumed” at a time and place of the listener's choosing. The widespread availability of such recordings has thus brought about a crisis in the institution of the traditional classical concert.

One possible response is for classical performers to program attractive new music that is not yet available on record. Gilbert's own interest in new music has been widely noted： Alex Ross， a classical-music critic， has described him as a man who is capable of turning the Philharmonic into “a markedly different， more vibrant organization.” But what will be the nature of that difference？ Merely expanding the orchestra's repertoire will not be enough. If Gilbert and the Philharmonic are to succeed， they must first change the relationship between America's oldest orchestra and the new audience it hops to attract.

21. We learn from Para.1 that Gilbert's appointment has

[A]incurred criticism.

[B]raised suspicion.

[C]received acclaim.

[D]aroused curiosity.

22. Tommasini regards Gilbert as an artist who is

[A]influential.

[B]modest.

[C]respectable.

[D]talented.

23. The author believes that the devoted concertgoers

[A]ignore the expenses of live performances.

[B]reject most kinds of recorded performances.

[C]exaggerate the variety of live performances.

[D]overestimate the value of live performances.

24. According to the text， which of the following is true of recordings？

[A]They are often inferior to live concerts in quality.

[B]They are easily accessible to the general public.

[C]They help improve the quality of music.

[D]They have only covered masterpieces.

25. Regarding Gilbert's role in revitalizing the Philharmonic， the author feels

[A]doubtful.

[B]enthusiastic.

[C]confident.

[D]puzzled.

Text 2

When Liam McGee departed as president of Bank of America in August， his explanation was surprisingly straight up. Rather than cloaking his exit in the usual vague excuses， he came right out and said he was leaving “to pursue my goal of running a company.” Broadcasting his ambition was “very much my decision，” McGee says. Within two weeks， he was talking for the first time with the board of Hartford Financial Services Group， which named him CEO and chairman on September 29.

McGee says leaving without a position lined up gave him time to reflect on what kind of company he wanted to run. It also sent a clear message to the outside world about his aspirations. And McGee isn't alone. In recent weeks the No.2 executives at Avon and American Express quit with the explanation that they were looking for a CEO post. As boards scrutinize succession plans in response to shareholder pressure， executives who don't get the nod also may wish to move on. A turbulent business environment also has senior managers cautious of letting vague pronouncements cloud their reputations.

As the first signs of recovery begin to take hold， deputy chiefs may be more willing to make the jump without a net. In the third quarter， CEO turnover was down 23% from a year ago as nervous boards stuck with the leaders they had， according to Liberum Research. As the economy picks up， opportunities will abound for aspiring leaders.

The decision to quit a senior position to look for a better one is unconventional. For years executives and headhunters have adhered to the rule that the most attractive CEO candidates are the ones who must be poached. Says Korn/Ferry senior partner Dennis Carey：“I can't think of a single search I've done where a board has not instructed me to look at sitting CEOs first.”

Those who jumped without a job haven't always landed in top positions quickly. Ellen Marram quit as chief of Tropicana a decade age， saying she wanted to be a CEO. It was a year before she became head of a tiny Internet-based commodities exchange. Robert Willumstad left Citigroup in 2005 with ambitions to be a CEO. He finally took that post at a major financial institution three years later.

Many recruiters say the old disgrace is fading for top performers. The financial crisis has made it more acceptable to be between jobs or to leave a bad one. “The traditional rule was it's safer to stay where you are， but that's been fundamentally inverted，” says one headhunter. “The people who've been hurt the worst are those who've stayed too long.”

26. When McGee announced his departure， his manner can best be described as being

[A]arrogant.

[B]frank.

[C]self-centered.

[D]impulsive.

27. According to Paragraph 2， senior executives' quitting may be spurred by

[A]their expectation of better financial status.

[B]their need to reflect on their private life.

[C]their strained relations with the boards.

[D]their pursuit of new career goals.

28. The word “poached” (Line 3， Paragraph 4) most probably means

[A]approved of.

[B]attended to.

[C]hunted for.

[D]guarded against.

29. It can be inferred from the last paragraph that

[A]top performers used to cling to their posts.

[B]loyalty of top performers is getting out-dated.

[C]top performers care more about reputations.

[D]it's safer to stick to the traditional rules.

30. Which of the following is the best title for the text？

[A]CEOs： Where to Go？

[B]CEOs： All the Way Up？

[C]Top Managers Jump without a Net

[D]The Only Way Out for Top Performers

Text 3

The rough guide to marketing success used to be that you got what you paid for. No longer. While traditional “paid” media - such as television commercials and print advertisements - still play a major role， companies today can exploit many alternative forms of media. Consumers passionate about a product may create “owned” media by sending e-mail alerts about products and sales to customers registered with its Web site. The way consumers now approach the broad range of factors beyond conventional paid media.

Paid and owned media are controlled by marketers promoting their own products. For earned media ， such marketers act as the initiator for users' responses. But in some cases， one marketer's owned media become another marketer's paid media - for instance， when an e-commerce retailer sells ad space on its Web site. We define such sold media as owned media whose traffic is so strong that other organizations place their content or e-commerce engines within that environment. This trend ，which we believe is still in its infancy， effectively began with retailers and travel providers such as airlines and hotels and will no doubt go further. Johnson & Johnson， for example， has created BabyCenter， a stand-alone media property that promotes complementary and even competitive products. Besides generating income， the presence of other marketers makes the site seem objective， gives companies opportunities to learn valuable information about the appeal of other companies' marketing， and may help expand user traffic for all companies concerned.

The same dramatic technological changes that have provided marketers with more (and more diverse) communications choices have also increased the risk that passionate consumers will voice their opinions in quicker， more visible， and much more damaging ways. Such hijacked media are the opposite of earned media： an asset or campaign becomes hostage to consumers， other stakeholders， or activists who make negative allegations about a brand or product. Members of social networks， for instance， are learning that they can hijack media to apply pressure on the businesses that originally created them.

If that happens， passionate consumers would try to persuade others to boycott products， putting the reputation of the target company at risk. In such a case， the company's response may not be sufficiently quick or thoughtful， and the learning curve has been steep. Toyota Motor， for example， alleviated some of the damage from its recall crisis earlier this year with a relatively quick and well-orchestrated social-media response campaign， which included efforts to engage with consumers directly on sites such as Twitter and the social-news site Digg.

31.Consumers may create “earned” media when they are

[A] obscssed with online shopping at certain Web sites.

[B] inspired by product-promoting e-mails sent to them.

[C] eager to help their friends promote quality products.

[D] enthusiastic about recommending their favorite products.

32. According to Paragraph 2，sold media feature

[A] a safe business environment.

[B] random competition.

[C] strong user traffic.

[D] flexibility in organization.

33. The author indicates in Paragraph 3 that earned media

[A] invite constant conflicts with passionate consumers.

[B] can be used to produce negative effects in marketing.

[C] may be responsible for fiercer competition.

[D] deserve all the negative comments about them.

34. Toyota Motor's experience is cited as an example of

[A] responding effectively to hijacked media.

[B] persuading customers into boycotting products.

[C] cooperating with supportive consumers.

[D] taking advantage of hijacked media.

35. Which of the following is the text mainly about ？

[A] Alternatives to conventional paid media.

[B] Conflict between hijacked and earned media.

[C] Dominance of hijacked media.

[D] Popularity of owned media.

Text 4

It's no surprise that Jennifer Senior's insightful， provocative magazine cover story， “I love My Children， I Hate My Life，” is arousing much chatter - nothing gets people talking like the suggestion that child rearing is anything less than a completely fulfilling， life-enriching experience. Rather than concluding that children make parents either happy or miserable， Senior suggests we need to redefine happiness： instead of thinking of it as something that can be measured by moment-to-moment joy， we should consider being happy as a past-tense condition. Even though the day-to-day experience of raising kids can be soul-crushingly hard， Senior writes that “the very things that in the moment dampen our moods can later be sources of intense gratification and delight.”

The magazine cover showing an attractive mother holding a cute baby is hardly the only Madonna-and-child image on newsstands this week. There are also stories about newly adoptive - and newly single - mom Sandra Bullock， as well as the usual “Jennifer Aniston is pregnant” news. Practically every week features at least one celebrity mom， or mom-to-be， smiling on the newsstands.

In a society that so persistently celebrates procreation， is it any wonder that admitting you regret having children is equivalent to admitting you support kitten-killing ？ It doesn't seem quite fair， then， to compare the regrets of parents to the regrets of the children. Unhappy parents rarely are provoked to wonder if they shouldn't have had kids， but unhappy childless folks are bothered with the message that children are the single most important thing in the world： obviously their misery must be a direct result of the gaping baby-size holes in their lives.

Of course， the image of parenthood that celebrity magazines like Us Weekly and People present is hugely unrealistic， especially when the parents are single mothers like Bullock. According to several studies concluding that parents are less happy than childless couples， single parents are the least happy of all. No shock there， considering how much work it is to raise a kid without a partner to lean on； yet to hear Sandra and Britney tell it， raising a kid on their “own” (read： with round-the-clock help) is a piece of cake.

It's hard to imagine that many people are dumb enough to want children just because Reese and Angelina make it look so glamorous： most adults understand that a baby is not a haircut. But it's interesting to wonder if the images we see every week of stress-free， happiness-enhancing parenthood aren't in some small， subconscious way contributing to our own dissatisfactions with the actual experience， in the same way that a small part of us hoped getting “ the Rachel” might make us look just a little bit like Jennifer Aniston.

36.Jennifer Senior suggests in her article that raising a child can bring

[A]temporary delight

[B]enjoyment in progress

[C]happiness in retrospect

[D]lasting reward

37.We learn from Paragraph 2 that

[A]celebrity moms are a permanent source for gossip.

[B]single mothers with babies deserve greater attention.

[C]news about pregnant celebrities is entertaining.

[D]having children is highly valued by the public.

38.It is suggested in Paragraph 3 that childless folks

[A]are constantly exposed to criticism.

[B]are largely ignored by the media.

[C]fail to fulfill their social responsibilities.

[D]are less likely to be satisfied with their life.

39.According to Paragraph 4， the message conveyed by celebrity magazines is

[A]soothing.

[B]ambiguous.

[C]compensatory.

[D]misleading.

40.Which of the following can be inferred from the last paragraph？

[A]Having children contributes little to the glamour of celebrity moms.

[B]Celebrity moms have influenced our attitude towards child rearing.

[C]Having children intensifies our dissatisfaction with life.

[D]We sometimes neglect the happiness from child rearing.

Part B

Directions：

The following paragraph are given in a wrong order. For Questions 41-45， you are required to reorganize these paragraphs into a coherent text by choosing from the list A-G to filling them into the numbered boxes. Paragraphs E and G have been correctly placed. Mark your answers on ANSWER SHEET 1. (10 points)

[A] No disciplines have seized on professionalism with as much enthusiasm as the humanities. You can， Mr Menand points out， became a lawyer in three years and a medical doctor in four. But the regular time it takes to get a doctoral degree in the humanities is nine years. Not surprisingly， up to half of all doctoral students in English drop out before getting their degrees.

[B] His concern is mainly with the humanities： Literature， languages， philosophy and so on. These are disciplines that are going out of style： 22% of American college graduates now major in business compared with only 2% in history and 4% in English. However， many leading American universities want their undergraduates to have a grounding in the basic canon of ideas that every educated person should posses. But most find it difficult to agree on what a “general education” should look like. At Harvard， Mr Menand notes， “the great books are read because they have been read”-they form a sort of social glue.

[C] Equally unsurprisingly， only about half end up with professorships for which they entered graduate school. There are simply too few posts. This is partly because universities continue to produce ever more PhDs. But fewer students want to study humanities subjects： English departments awarded more bachelor's degrees in 1970-71 than they did 20 years later. Fewer students requires fewer teachers. So， at the end of a decade of theses-writing， many humanities students leave the profession to do something for which they have not been trained.

[D] One reason why it is hard to design and teach such courses is that they can cut across the insistence by top American universities that liberal-arts educations and professional education should be kept separate， taught in different schools. Many students experience both varieties. Although more than half of Harvard undergraduates end up in law， medicine or business， future doctors and lawyers must study a non-specialist liberal-arts degree before embarking on a professional qualification.

[E] Besides professionalizing the professions by this separation， top American universities have professionalised the professor. The growth in public money for academic research has speeded the process： federal research grants rose fourfold between 1960and 1990， but faculty teaching hours fell by half as research took its toll. Professionalism has turned the acquisition of a doctoral degree into a prerequisite for a successful academic career： as late as 1969a third of American professors did not possess one. But the key idea behind professionalisation， argues Mr Menand， is that “the knowledge and skills needed for a particular specialization are transmissible but not transferable.”So disciplines acquire a monopoly not just over the production of knowledge， but also over the production of the producers of knowledge.

[F] The key to reforming higher education， concludes Mr Menand， is to alter the way in which “the producers of knowledge are produced.”Otherwise， academics will continue to think dangerously alike， increasingly detached from the societies which they study， investigate and criticize.“Academic inquiry， at least in some fields， may need to become less exclusionary and more holistic.”Yet quite how that happens， Mr Menand dose not say.

[G] The subtle and intelligent little book The Marketplace of Ideas： Reform and Resistance in the American University should be read by every student thinking of applying to take a doctoral degree. They may then decide to go elsewhere. For something curious has been happening in American Universities， and Louis Menand， a professor of English at Harvard University， captured it skillfully.

G  → 41.   →42.   →  E  →43.   →44.   →45.

Part C

Directions：

Read the following text carefully and then translate the underlined segments into Chinese. Your translation should be written carefully on ANSWER SHEET 2. (10 points)

With its theme that “Mind is the master weaver，” creating our inner character and outer circumstances， the book As a Man Thinking by James Allen is an in-depth exploration of the central idea of self-help writing.

(46) Allen's contribution was to take an assumption we all share-that because we are not robots we therefore control our thoughts-and reveal its erroneous nature. Because most of us believe that mind is separate from matter， we think that thoughts can be hidden and made powerless； this allows us to think one way and act another. However， Allen believed that the unconscious mind generates as much action as the conscious mind， and (47) while we may be able to sustain the illusion of control through the conscious mind alone， in reality we are continually faced with a question： “Why cannot I make myself do this or achieve that？ “

Since desire and will are damaged by the presence of thoughts that do not accord with desire， Allen concluded ： “ We do not attract what we want， but what we are.” Achievement happens because you as a person embody the external achievement； you don't “ get” success but become it. There is no gap between mind and matter.

\Part of the fame of Allen's book is its contention that “Circumstances do not make a person， they reveal him.” (48) This seems a justification for neglect of those in need， and a rationalization of exploitation， of the superiority of those at the top and the inferiority of those at the bottom.

This ，however， would be a knee-jerk reaction to a subtle argument. Each set of circumstances， however bad， offers a unique opportunity for growth. If circumstances always determined the life and prospects of people， then humanity  would never have progressed.      In fat， (49)circumstances seem to be designed to bring out the best in us and if we feel that we have been “wronged” then we are unlikely to begin a conscious effort to escape from our situation .Nevertheless， as any biographer knows， a person's early life and its conditions are often the greatest gift to an individual.

The sobering aspect of Allen's book is that we have no one else to blame for our present condition except ourselves. (50) The upside is the possibilities contained in knowing that everything is up to us； where before we were experts in the array of limitations， now we become authorities of what is possible.

Section Ⅲ Writing

Part A

51. Directions：

Write a letter to a friend of yours to

1) recommend one of your favorite movies and

2) give reasons for your recommendation

Your should write about 100 words on ANSWER SHEET 2

Do not sign your own name at the end of the leter. User “LI MING” instead.

Do not writer the address.(10 points)

Part B

52. Directions：

Write an essay of 160---200 words based on the following drawing. In your essay， you should

1) describe the drawing briefly，

2) explain it's intended meaning， and

3) give your comments.

Your should write neatly on ANSWER SHEET 2. (20 points)

答案部分由跨考教育提供

1-5，ACDBA 6-10 CADCB 11-15 BCACA 16-20 BCADB

21-25 DBCAA 26-30 CCBDB 31-35 CCBDB 36-40 CBCCC

41-45 BDCAE

翻译：

46、艾伦的贡献在于提供了我们能分担和揭示错误性质的假设--因为我们不是机器人，因此我们能够控制我们的理想。

47、我们可以单独通过意识维持控制的感觉，但实际上我们一直面临着一个问题，为什么我不能完成这件事情或那件事情。

48、这似乎可能为必要时的忽视正名，也能合理说明剥削，以及在顶层的人的优越感及处于后层人们的劣势感。

49、环境似乎是为了挑选出我们的强者，而且如果我们感觉受了委屈，那么我们就不可能有意识的做出努力逃离我们原来的处境。

50、正面在于我们处于这样的位置，知道所有事情都取决与我们自己，之前我们对着一系列的限制，而现在我们成了权威。

51. Directions:

Write a letter to a friend of yours to

1) recommend one of your favorite movies and

2) give reasons for your recommendation.

You should write about 100 words on ANSWER SHEET2.

Do not sign your own name at the end of the letter. Use”Li Ming”instead.

Do not write the address.(10points)

Sample Essay:

Dear friends:

Recently a lot of new movies, you concern?

I recently saw a movie is especially suitable for you.Its name is "If You Are The One". First of all it has very powerful cast. Storyline is very tight. Characters' language is classic and thought-provoking. But, I most like it because it's morals. Dear friends, do you to love the understanding of what? Love is romantic, is costly, is simple, or plain? I think in this movie can be reflected. Perhaps now we still can't clear love, but love is already brimming with our lives, is a part of life. I want to watch the movie, we can understand a lot. Dear friends, do you also see this movie, remember to write and tell me how you feel. Miss you!

52、Direction

Write an essay of 160-200words based on the following drawing .In your essay ,you should

1) describe the drawing briefly

2) explain its intended meaning and

3) give your comments

You should write neatly on ANSWER SHEET2.(20points)

Sample Essay:

Our surroundings are being polluted fast and man's present efforts can not prevent it. Time is bringing us more people, and more people will bring us more industry, more cars, larger cities and the growing use of man-made materials.

What can explain and solve this problem? The fact is that pollution is caused by man -- by his desire for a modern way of life. We make "increasing industrialization" our chief aim.  So we are often ready to offer everything: clean air, pure water, good food, our health and the future of our children.  There is a constant flow of people from the countryside into the cities, eager for the benefits of our modern society. But as our technological achievements have grown in the last twenty years, pollution has become a serious problem.

Isn't it time we stopped to ask ourselves where we are going-- and why? It makes one think of the story about the airline pilot who told his passengers over the loudspeaker, "I've some good news and some bad news. The good news is that we're making rapid progress at 530 miles per hour. The

bad news is that we're lost and don't know where we're going. " The sad fact is that this becomes a true story when speaking of our modern society.

In my opinion, to protect environment, the government must take even more concrete measures. First, it should let people fully realize the importance of environmental protection through education. Second, much more efforts should be made to put the population planning policy into practice, because more people means more people means more pollution. Finally, those who destroy the environment intentionally should be severely punished. We should let them know that destroying environment means destroying mankind themselves.

• [020]  The Changzhou Police Microblog (2011/01/14)  (Yangzi Evening News)

"We will have an operation this morning directed against contraband wine.  We will make a live broadcast."  On January 12, the Changzhou city public security bureau announced that they will have an operation involving more than 200 police officers. They posted the entire process of the operation on microblog.

10:32 There will be an operation to makes arrests today! -- 6DD

10:37 We will be making live microblog updates.  Please pay attention -- 6DD

10.47 3DD is participating in this operation.  We report in to everybody!  -- 3DD

10.47 It is an awesome scene.  The harvest is bountiful.  The operation is in progress -- 3DD

10.56 The "Shining Sword" is striking straight and hard: On the morning of January 12, 2011, the Changzhou City Public Security Bureau detective division, the Zhonglou Public Security Bureau and the Xinbei Public Security Bureau combined to carry out "Operating Shining Sword."  More than 200 police officers will be going after 14 locations within our city that manufacture/sell fake "Wuliangye" and "Yanghe Blue Classic" white wine.

10:58  More than 200 police officers are in assembly.

10:59  Live report from the scene: Heading towards the crime scenes

11:00  Live report on "Operation Shining Sword":  After a simple planning meeting, my operation is ready to proceed -- 0DD

11:20  There are many contraband dens within this serene community

11:23  We visited several locations but found nothing.  These criminals are very crafty -- 6DD

11:27  It seems that 3DD is getting bountiful war trophies -- 6DD

11:29  We found something!  But we can't open the door lock! -- 6DD

11:31  The plainclothes policemen had to break through the window -- 6DD

11:37  These contraband wine can cause a lot of damage if they enter the market.

11:40  The operation is in progress.  The various teams are reporting victories  -- 6DD

12:19  The confiscated contraband wine are being loaded onto trucks to be handled in a central location -- 6DD

Question 1: Why did they decide to do a live microblog broadcast?

Why did they choose to do a live microblog broadcast of a large-scale operation against contrabands?  According to the Changzhou police, some netizens saw the police assembling before the operation and began to follow them over the Internet.  Since some netizens wanted to know what was going on, the police provided a live microblog broadcast.

Question 2: Is there any special meaning in those abbreviations in the microblog posts?

In the microblog posts, the abbreviations 3DD and 6DD appear.  What do they mean?  According to an informed source, 3DD and 6DD probably refer to the 3rd Detective Division and 6th Detective Division.  0DD is likely to refer to the Changzhou Public Security Bureau Detective Division worker who is responsible for updating the microblog.

Question 3: Will a live microblog broadcast divulge secrets?

Some netizens say that secrecy should be maintained for such a large-scale operation.  When the operation is broadcast live on such a scale, the nature and targets of the operation will be revealved.  Some netizens say that the police were more interesting in putting on a public show.

The Changzhou Public Security Bureau Detective Division said that they knew exactly what was going on (that is, they knew exactly where their targets were).  Given that the microblog posts were time-lagged, the operation won't be affected.

• [019]  A Preliminary Analysis Of Liu Jianfeng's Investigation Report (2011/01/14)  (Wufatian's blog)

1. Eyewitness testimonies

Except for the first new eyewitness, the others did not see it happen and therefore their testimony is only hearsay.  The first new eyewitness spent as much as ten minutes watching the murder.  He did not interfere and he did not call the police.  This is hard to imagine.  Some people say that he was scared silly.  But can a person scared silly be able to see everything so clearly down to the finest detail?  He was so precise that I wondered if he was watching with a pair of binoculars. 

Xu Zhiyong's view is that Liu Jianfeng was misled by these so-called eyewitnesses. ... Xu Zhiyong said that he met with the first new eyewitness too.  After repeated questioning, he came to the exact opposite opinion ... Xu Zhiyong said that the only new in Liu's report was that Qian Yunhui went to the snack shop to buy cigerattes around 9am.  He knew everything else, and he even spoke to Liu Jianfeng.  Perhaps due to inexperience, Liu Jianfeng ultimately became the medium to spread rumors.

With respect to what Qian Chengyu's family said, Xu Zhiyong reported that they went to see the sister and the mother on the afternoon of December 30 and did not hear Qian Chengyu say that he was the initial eyewitness of the murder.  One day later, the sister and the mother told completely opposite stories to Liu Jianfeng?  So what is the truth?  Some people say that Xu Zhiyong was wrong and Liu Jianfeng was right.  But this kind of debate is futile, because in the end these two people only have hearsay.  The only thing that matters is what Qian Chengyu has to say for himself.

There are two translations of an audio tape recording of Qian Chengyu who was telling a traffic policeman about what happened.  Liu Jianfeng's version was "I was standing on the left side of the vehicle.  He was on the right side.  The vehicle is so big.  I couldn't see ... there was nothing that I can do.  The security guards took away.  The security guards blocked me so that I could not get ..."  Xu Zhiyong's version was "I stood there.  Yunhui was already turned over.  He tripped.  I don't know if anyone is inside the vehicle."  Qian Chengyu also told the Legal News Daily reporter who had asked for evidence of a murder: "The vehicle was driven to the other side of the road without braking.  Isn't this murder?  It is 100% murder."  So his words either at the scene or to the reporter did not indicate that he witnessed a murder.

2. Material evidence

With respect to Qian Yunhui's mobile telephone, how come the relatives have it and not the police?

If the police were negligent, then Qian Yunhui dropped the mobile phone on the ground and the relative picked it up.  The mobile phone has the intact original evidence.  So why was the record of the last call missing?

If the police actually got it first, then they deliberately dropped it back down on the ground at some point for the relative to find.  Look, if the police want to modify the mobile phone (such as deleting call records), why don't they just take it back to the police station and they can do whatever they want there?

[ESWN comment: Everybody wants to know who made that last telephone call to Qian Yunhui.  Everybody is starting with Qian's wife saying that he got a call around 9am and walked out the door while still talking.  The last call shown on the mobile phone was with villager Wang Liquan at 8:30am-8:31am.  Therefore everybody is assuming that the ~9:00am call has gone missing.

But now let us recall that the snack shop owner said that Qian Yunhui came in at 9am to buy cigarettes.  So how can Qian be at home doing the call and buying cigarettes at the snack shop at the same time?  Maybe Qian's wife got the time wrong?  Maybe the time of the call was actually 8:30am?]

Also many people say that there were impact marks on the truck.  Please do not be selectively blind because the photos were posted before already:

3.  Audiovisual evidence

With respect to Qian Yunhui's micro-camera, why does the informed source Zhang Qiang (pseudonym) say that there is a 50% chance that Qian recorded his own death?  It is easy enough to resolve -- either he did or he did not. Why do we require probabilities?  To put it simply, did he record or not?  Yes or no?

4. The time of the incident

The China Economic Times reporter said that the incident took place at 9:30-9:33 and the truck was already waiting at the scene at 9:25.  Wang Xiaoshan saw the surveillance videos in which the truck left the stone quarry at 9:38 and passed the Huayi village entrance at 9:42:09.  The police said that the incident took place at 9:45.

If the incident really did take place at 9:30-9:33, then (1) the Wandi stone quarry modified its video to show a later time; (2) China Mobile modified its video at Huayi village to show a later time; (3) the police modified their activity logs to show later times.  When the Wenzhou police entered the investigation, they were presented with these falsified records or else they also participated in the conspiracy.

...

To commit this murder, they select an intersection in broad daylight where many people come and go.  They use a big construction truck and they bring in several dozen special police officers.  They must be pretty stupid to do this on such a mass scale.  They could have just interfered with the village committee election, or fabricate some charges to get some jail time.  They have done this several times already?  So why commit murder now?  Even if some government leader has rust in his head and wants to kill, he only has to give some lackey 20,000 yuan to do the job silently on a dark night.

Right now, you need to find two drivers (one of whom was even unlicensed which automatically makes it a criminal case) and you need to involve the traffic police officers, the regular patrol officers, the Wandi stone quarry, the Yueqing Security Guards Company, China Mobile, the Yueqing traffic police division, the Yueqing criminal investigation division (CID) and the Wenzhou Public Security Bureau.  What a monumental project!  What if someone among the two drivers and their families, the more than 20 special police officers, the China Mobile workers, the surveillance camera monitoring workers, the 100 or so security guards, the 1,000 or so Yueqing police officers and the even more numerous Wenzhou police officers should find a conscience and leak the truth?  The whole elaborate plan would collapse in a flash.

A famous reporter told me that the Yueqing police, the Wenzhou police and even the entire Zhejiang government are involved in fabricating the evidence in this case.  I said, "Your imagination is so vivid.  It is a waste of your talent not to go make sci-fi films."

• [018]  Liu Jianfeng's Investigation Record For The Case Of Qian Yunhui (2011/01/13)

(Wang Keqin's blog)  The investigation records of China Economic Times reporter Liu Jianfeng.  January 13, 2010.

At 9am or so on December 25, 2010 at the entrance to Zhaiqiao village, Puqi town, Yueqing city, Zhejiang province, 53-year-old old former village diredtor Qian Yunhui was found dead under the left front wheel of a heavy Jiefang brand loader-truck with license plate Anhui K5B323.

Since the deceased Qin Yunhui had been petitioning for many years, and his body was in what villagers regard as a peculiar position, and since the eyewitness Qian Liangyu insisted that it was murder, the villagers wanted to preserve the scene and set up a criminal investigation.  But the police determined that this was a traffic incident and wanted to clear the scene.  So there was a clash between the police and the villagers that day.  This was what the villagers called "the seizing of the body" incident which drew the attention of the whole world.

On December 29, this China Economic Times reporter arrived in Zhaiqiao village.  Over eight days, he obtained exclusive interviews with several eyewitnesses who were at the scene.  This article contains mainly the investigative records with those witnesses at the scene.

1. The scene (based upon the information released by the police and the photos provided by the family of the deceased)

The truck driver Fei Liangyu, male, born on August 29, 1979, resident of the Donghai brigade, Zhangzhuang village, Huangqiao town, Yingshang county, Anhui province.  The police found that he was driving without a permit.  The Jiefang brand construction truck with license number Anhui K5B323 is a loader truck registered to the Changshun Motor Transportation Limited Company in Yingshang county, Anhui province.  The actual owner is Fei Liangyu.  The truck is insured.

In the photos, the deceased is found to be have his chest pressed against the ground.  His neck was under the left front wheel.  His internal organ tissues have spilled out to his neck and shoulders.  His left shoulder is thrust out.  His rear end is slightly raised underneath the bottom of the vehicle.  His lower limb is bent.  His right knee and the top of his lower right leg touched the ground.  The tip of his right foot also touched the ground.

The section of the road is 16 meters wide, of which 1/4 on the right was occupied by some assorted materials.  The road surface was wet due to rain.  The photos and the videos from the scene showed that the deceased lying  underneath the left front wheel which had gone out of the hardened portion of the road.  The left front wheel had left a mark on the soil.  There was some loose soil about 15 mm high plowed up by the wheel underneath the neck of the deceased.  There were no other obvious marks left by the other wheels.

According to the photos from the scene, the top half body of the truck was painted in orange/red.  There were no scrape marks on the front orange/red part of the truck.

According to the information released by the police, there was a scrape mark on the black safety bumper in front of the truck.  There was also a scrape mark near the front axle underneath the truck.  The rib of the umbrella used by the deceased was partially flattened.  According to the police analysis, the left side of the body of the deceased collided with the front bumper of the truck, so that the body fell down on the right side and was dragged forward by the truck whereupon death occurred.

On December 26, the Yueqing traffic police division asked the Wenzhou Changxun Motor Judicial Appraisal Business Office to examine the truck involved in the incident.  On the afternoon of December 29, the appraisal results were sent to the family of the deceased Qian Yunhui.  There were four points:

1. The testing of the loaded truck showed that the braking capabilities were poor; the testing of the empty truck showed that the braking capabilities were normal.

2. The steering system operated normally.

3. The weight of the loaded truck was 60,020 kilograms (that is, 60.02 tonnes)

4. Due to insufficient information for appraisal, the speed of the truck at the time of the incident cannot be calculated.

There was a round-shaped street video surveillance camera right across the road from the spot of the incident.  On that day, the police told the villagers that this camera was still being tested and did not have the capability to record any videos.

2. The deceased Qian Yunhui

Qian Yunhui, born on October 24, 1957.  Elementary school education.

On April 12, 2004, Qianzhai villagers became unhappy with how the village committee handled the land requisition for the Zhenjiang Energy Electric Power Plant and held a meeting to call back the village committee.  Qian Yunhui began de facto to direct village affairs.

On April 26, Qian Yunhui and villagers Wang Liquan and Qian Chengqian went to petition in Beijing to defend their rights.  They were intercepted and brought home.  On April 28,the villagers blocked the government office building and demanded to release their people.  There was a bloody clash with the police with many villagers being injured.

On March 10, 2005, Qian Yunhui was sentenced to 18 months in prison for assembling a crowd to create a disturbance.  The sentence was suspended for a two-year probation period.

In April 2005, Qian Yunhui was elected village director.

In July 2008, Qian Yunhui went to Beijing to petition.  He was arrested and sentenced to two years in prison.

In 2008, the villagers boycotted the new village director election.  The Zhaiqiao village committee did not change as scheduled.

In April 2010, Qian Yunhui was still serving time in prison.  The Puqi town government tried to get the villagers to elect representatives and production brigade leaders, but the villagers boycotted those elections.

[December 29, 2010 morning; at Qian family house; villager Qian Fei (pseudonym)]

"The government wanted to hold the elections in April because they were afraid that the villagers would elect Qian Yunhui as village director again when he gets out of prison.  After getting out of prison in July 2010, Qian Yunhui continued to lead the way to defend our rights."

"On December 17, 2010, Qian Yunhui led the villagers to demand satisfactory compensation when 38 mu of land was requisitioned in order to expand the road from 8 meters wide to 16 meters wide.  Since they got no results, the villagers went to prevent the laying of cables by the roadside.  They blocked the construction trucks loaded with soil/rocks from passing through.  This affected the interests of multiple parties.  On December 21, they clashed with the auxiliary police and two villagers were arrested.  Beginning December 21, more than one hundred security guards wearing auxiliary police uniforms patrolled near the village entrance day and night."

[January 1, 2011; at Qian family house; Qian Yunhui's wife Wang Zhaoyan]

"A week before his death, he got a document which he said was evidence that a cadre broke the law.  The document had the seal of the cadre who was stationed in the village.  He went to see the vice town mayor who was stationed in the village.  I grabbed his hand and told him not to go, not to let them see the document.  But he went anyway."

"In the past, the relationship between the two was not very bad.  But on that day, Qian Yunhui slammed the document in front of vice mayor Xu and the two quarreled."

"Several months ago, Xu Xiangzhong came to see me and offered to take care of the family debts that were incurred as a result of the petition activities, plus all my medical bills as well as wage subsidies for Qian Yunhui.  I said, 'What about the matter of villagers being beaten?'  He said, 'You stay away from that.'  When Qian Yunhui heard that, he said to me: 'You better be clear in your head!'"

"Some time ago, someone say that the higher-ups wanted to give him a sum of money so that he won't do anything anymore.  Qian Yunhui refused.  But Qian Yunhui did not tell me about this himself."

"He was very stubborn.  He also knew that he was in danger.  During the week before his death, he did not leave the village on his own because he was afraid of being killed.  He did not sleep at home during the days before he died.  He did not take telephone calls from anyone except for two persons.  One is Wang Lequan with whom he petitioned together.  The other is vice mayor Xu."

"At around 9am on the morning of the 25th, Qian Yunhui got a phone call.  He walked out of the door while still speaking ..."

[December 29, 2010 press conference; the official information given to reporters]

Qian Yunhui was elected as village director in 2005.  Previously he had served 8 months of prison in 1992 for intentionally injuring another person.  In 2005, he was sentenced to 18 months for disrupting social order with a two year suspension.  In 2008, he was sentenced to 2 years in prison for illegal land transfer.  He was released on July 22, 2010.

3. The handling of the scene and the detention of the witnesses

[December 29, 2010 morning; Zhaiqiao village, the Qian family house; Qian Yunhui's youngest daughter Qian Xuling]

"I got to the scene before 11am.  There were a lot of people, there were traffic police."

"The villagers surrounded the scene.  They preserved the scene and demanded to set up a criminal case."

"My mother kept crying.  My mother has always been in poor health.  In the afternoon, I went to the hospital to get some intravenous drip for my mother.  A lot of police officers had the scene surrounded.  I was on the outside.  I asked the police to make way for me to enter.  I said that I am a family member.  They arrested me."

"At the police station, they said that the street surveillance camera recorded villagers assaulting people.  I said, 'You couldn't record how my father died in the morning.  But a little while after he died, you were able to record villagers assaulting people?'"

[December 29, 2010 afternoon; Zhaiqiao village, the Qian family house; Qian Yunhui's son-in-law Zhao Xu]

"The villagers were trying to prevent the scene from being disrupted.  Someone said to wait for reporters to come and take photos.  At 4pm, I was grabbed behind my neck.  If I moved, I got hit by a police baton.  After my statement was taken, I was locked up in the detention center.  I was beaten in the restroom.  I went to the restroom three times and I was beaten twice.  I asked to call my family and I was taken to the restroom and beaten again."

[December 29, 2010 morning; Zhaiqiao village, the Qian family house; Qian Yunhui's cousin]

"By the time that I arrived on the morning of December 25, the traffic police had already arrived at the scene.  They arrived around 9:50am.  After 10am, the traffic police said that this was a traffic incident.  Therefore the police would take the truck away while the family would take the body.  I disagreed.  The villagers said that this was murder -- Qian Chengyu told the traffic police at the scene that he personally witnessed several persons tussling each other on the road.  He thought that they were just horsing around.  The truck came over slowly and one person was crushed underneath the truck.  He approached and he saw that it was Qian Yunhui -- I demanded to see the street surveillance video.  I went with the traffic police to the police station.  They refused.  They wouldn't even let the traffic police go in."

"The people at the police station said that some of their officers were assaulted by villagers.  The street surveillance camera recorded it."

"Back at the scene, the captain said to go to the traffic police office to watch the video.  After I got to the city, it took several hours to take my statement.  I finally got permission.  But when the computer was started, there was no video information.  They said that that street video was not hooked up."

"Back to the scene again.  It was after 2pm.  The body and the truck were still in the original location.  More than 80 special police officers armed with batons and shields were nearby.  Everybody from the village was there.  The villagers surrounded the scene and did not budge.  The security division head Hou Jinhai came in plainclothes.  He was recognized.  Villagers attacked him and injured him.  At around 4pm, more than 1,000 police officers came with together with 11 police dogs.  More than a dozen villagers were seized."

"The scene was dismantled.  The truck and the body were taken away."

"Qian Chengyu was an eyewitness at the scene.  He was taken away the next day."

[December 29, 2010 afternoon; Wanzhai village, Puqi town; home of Qian Chengfeng; Qian Chengfeng]

"I am the sister of Qian Chengyu.  On that day, Qian Chengyu told me that he was somewhat faraway.  He saw four men tussling with one man, throwing him on the ground.  He thought that they were horsing around.  Then he saw a truck came over very slowly, very slowly to crush that person to death."

"He went over to take a look and saw that it was Qian Yunhui who was dead.  He was so scared that he went weak in his legs.  He did not notice how the four persons ran off.  Then he saw the driver and another person got out of the truck and ran away.  He yelled, "Help!  The villager director has been crushed to death!"  He gave chase after the driver but did not catch him."

"He did not dare sleep at home that night.  He came to my home.  Around 4pm on December 26, he came to my shop to help put up a sign.  Then he went back.  I went home at 5pm and I made dinner.  I went upstairs to get him.  I found that the television set in his room was on but he was not there.  All night his mobile telephone was off.  The mobile telephone was on again between 9am and 11am on December 27, but nobody answered."

"On the afternoon of December 27, someone told me that he saw Qian Chengyu at the town government office.  He had handcuffs and leg shackles on him."

[6pm, December 29, 2010; Qian Chengyu's home; Qian Chengyu's mother Wang Suihua]

"Qian Chengyu is 46 years old.  He has never liked to lie from a young age."

"On that day he did not tell me directly.  He told the police at the scene.  He said that he saw several persons fighting with one person, knocking him down until a car came over to crush the person to death.  He went over and then saw that it was Qian Yunhui."

"That day Qian Chengyu was very scared.  He kept going uneasily between the road and the home."

"He did not dare sleep at home that night.  He went over to his sister's home.  The next day he disappeared.  On December 27, someone told me that Qian Yunhui was arrested.  He was at the town government office, in handcuffs and leg shackles."

[December 31, 2010.  The family of Qian Chengyu was notified that he had been detained at 9am on the morning of December 27 on suspicion of assembling a crowd to cause a disturbance]

[22:55 December 29, 2010 Wenzhou police press conference]

The Wenzhou public security bureau reported that the two police officers who were dispatched to the scene to investigate the incident were assaulted by the villagers and sustained multiple injuries.  The family of the deceased and other villagers set up a mourning hall at the scene, erected illegal road blocks and interfered with the police in their investigation.

"The first witness Qian Chengyu did not see anyone deliberately running over someone to cause him to die and he did not spread any rumors.  The reason why the first witness Qian Chengyu has been detained was that when certain villagers who did not know the truth assaulted the police officers, he was one of the participants."

4.  Investigation records of the eyewitnesses at the scene

[Recording by Qian Chengyu]

On December 30, 2010, this China Economic Times reporter obtained a tape recording from a villager named Wang.  This recording was made at 10:42 on December 25 and runs for 1 minute 47 seconds.  Many different voices can be heard, all speaking the local dialect.  According to the villagers, the indistinct basso male voice belongs to Qian Chengyu.

The villager named Xu translated some of the audible sentences: "I was standing on the left side of the vehicle.  He was on the right side.  The vehicle is so big.  I couldn't see ... there was nothing that I can do.  The security guards took away.  The security guards blocked me so that I could not get ..."

On December 31, a civilian investigation team also obtained this recording.  On this tape, what they heard Qian Chengyu said was: "I stood there.  Yunhui was already turned over.  He tripped.  I don't know if anyone is inside the vehicle."

The villager named Wang who supplied the recording said that it was made while talking to the traffic police.  The conversation lasted a lot longer than two minutes, but he only recorded 1 minute 47 seconds of it.  He was afraid of drawing attention so he did not record too much of it.  He did not imagine that Qian Chengyu would be nabbed.

[Qian Chengyu was interviewed in the detention center by Legal News Daily and CCTV]

On December 29, Qian Chengyu was interviewed by CCTV and said: "The road was more than 16 meters wide.  I observed from four to five meters away that the vehicle had moved 60 to 70 centimeters ..."

He was also interviewed in the detention center by Legal News Daily.  On December 30, Legal News Daily reported: "Qian Chengyu said: '... the government took the land away and gave back so little money.  We disagreed.  The village director led the opposition.  He was murdered because of this.'  The reporter asked whether he was just speculating and what was the evidence.  Qian Chengyu said: 'The vehicle was driven to the other side of the road without braking.  Isn't this murder?  It is 100% murder.'"

[Huayi village resident Huang Diyan testifies publicly]

According to a December 29 Dongfang Zaobao report, Huang Diyan came at 4pm on December 28 to the spot at the Zhaiqiao village entrance where Qian Yunhui died.  She told everybody that she was returning from the buddhist temple at around 930am.  She personally saw three persons wearing black surgical masks and white gloves holding Qian Yunhui down on the ground.  Two of them were twisting his arms behind his back.  When she went over to try to stop them, one of them pushed her aside.  A construction truck parked on the side came over slowly and ran over the body of Qian Yunhui.  The driver, the passenger and the murderers got into a van and fled.

At 9am on December 29, Qian Yunhui's cousin said: "The husband of Huang Diyan said that she is not right in her head so people shouldn't believe her.  But the villagers at the scene said that she showed clear logic and quite alert.  She did not seem to have mental problems."

At noon on December 30, the husband of Huang Diyan told the China Economic Times reporter that a relative of Huang Diyan got a call from the police at 6pm on December 28.  At 9am on December 29, he and Huang Diyan were taken down to the public security bureau.  They were released to go home at 1:30 on December 30.

[December 29 evening, CCTV interviewed Huang Diyan at the public security bureau]

"Someone told me to perform a good deed so that my daughter could get better and me too.  I asked what kind of good deed?  He said that someone was murdered.  His hands were held back, his neck was grabbed, he kept yelling Help! Help!  I did not see it.  But these men told me to say that I saw it, to testify to it.  If the testimony leads to a victory, my daugher will get better.  So I testified."

[12:00 December 30, Huayi village Huang Diyan's home]

Huang Diyan's husband Wang Shigao said that they were released at 1:30am.  Before being released, they were interviewed on television.  Since she had already said that she did not see it, there was nothing more to say.  He refused to let the China Economic Times reporter enter.  The reporter promised not to ask any questions.  He only wanted to see the physical condition of Huang Diyan.  He was allowed to enter.

Noon, Huang Diyan's home, second floor, Huang Diyan was lying in bed on her side, Wang Shigao raised the two blankets on her shivering body.  Huang Diyan is fully clothed, shivering with her whole body with both hands on her mouth.

As Wang Shigao escorted the reporter out, he said that he cannot talk anymore about this incident because his entire family can be dead.

["New eyewitness #1" claimed to have witnessed the entire incident.  He has signed a confidentiality agreement with our reporter.  He guarantees that he will testify with a central government investigation team to the effect that he personally witnessed how Qian Yunhui was murdered.]

On December 30, the China Economic Times reporter located "New eyewitness #1".  The reporter offered a confidentiality agreement in which he promised not to disclose the identity, occupation and name in newspapers, Internet and other public venues.  In turn, he signed a letter of guarantee to the China Economic Times reporter that he will testify for the central government investigation team (under the assumption that his personal safety will be guaranteed) that he personally witnessed how Qian Yunhui was murdered.

"New eyewitness #1" said that he came to Zhaiqiao village to visit a friend.  He entered the village from the direction of the snack shop and headed in the direction of Nanyue town in parallel with the road (separated by a row of houses).  When he got near the village entrance, he witnessed the murder of Qian Yunhui.

"At 9:25pm, a construction truck was parked about 5 meters away from where Qian Yunhui died.  There was no one in the truck at the time."

"The murder took just two minutes or so."

"9:30-9:33 was when it occurred."

"Four men wearing helmets and blue special police uniforms with no badge numbers knocked Qian Yunhui down with their police batons.  They held him down and then waved the truck to come over slowly.  The two persons on one side quickly dashed away from the vehicle, while while the other two persons held down the other side of the body.  There were more than 20 other persons wearing special police uniforms behind the truck.  The truck ran over the body.  Two men came from behind the truck to see if death occurred.  By this time, Qian Chengyu had arrived at the front of the truck.  Qian Chengyu yelled, Who is this?  Who is this?"

"The driver got out of the vehicle, took out his mobile phone and called the police."

"The driver was taken away."

"The other people in police uniform stopped Qian Chengyu from giving chase to the driver."

"I saw four eyewitnesses who arrived at the scene.  Qian Liangyu was not the first eyewitness.  The first one was a woman.  She interjected but one of the persons wearing special police uniform pushed her away.  Twenty seconds after she appeared, Qian Liangyu showed up.  About twenty-five seconds after Qian Liangyu arrived, a third eyewitness appeared.  Another fifteen seconds later, a fourth eyewitness appeared."

"New eyewitness #1" was unwilling to state how many persons were inside the construction truck or who they were.  He said that he did not see the faces of the four persons wearing special police uniforms clearly, and he did not notice whether they were wearing surgical masks and gloves.

The reason why he had not come out yet to provide evidence was that he happened:

"When an eyewitness testified publicly that it was murder, the police did not immediately set up an investigation.  Instead, they sent in a lot of police to mess up the scene.  The eyewitness Qian Lianyu was arrested and the family of Huang Diyan is facing death threats.  I do not trust the Yueqing, Wenzhou and Zhejiang police.  Only if a central government investigation team comes down and the personal safety of my whole family is guaranteed will I testify to this team."

[January 1, 2011 afternoon; Nanyue town; "New eyewitness #2"]

"New eyewitness #2" is a Nanyue town resident.

"On that day, I was returning home from outside and I was passing through Zhaiqiao."

"I saw the scene.  There were men wearing blue uniforms in the front and back of the vehicle.  Someone was screaming 'Help' while giving chase in the direction of the back of the vehicle.  I went close to take a look and saw that Qian Yunhui's leg was still twitching.  I said, 'Why aren't you helping him?'  The men in blue uniform retreated towards the back of the vehicle.  An elderly woman was crying on the side: 'There is no justice under heaven  You have killed a living person.'  Another woman told her to stop crying and leave.  A man wearing slippers came by, took a look and left."

[January 2, 2011 morning; Zhaiqiao town; "New eyewitness #3"]

"It was just past 9:30am.  I heard Qian Chengyu yelling.  So I ran over to the road."

"I saw Qian Chengyu giving chase for several dozen meters and then turning back.  I went over to the vehicle.  Our village mayor Qian Yunhui had been crushed to death.  There were two women on the side.  They said that they had just gone to worship at the temple.  I did not notice whether anyone else was around.  I only learned Huang Diyan's name after she came out to testify."

"All the villagers came out.  I did not notice when the two women left.  Qian Liangyu told everybody that he personally witnessed several people knock Qian Yunhui down.  The vehicle came over very slowly very slowly and crushed the village mayor to death.  He said that two persons came out of the vehicle.  One was the driver, the other was the town vice mayor Xu Xiangzhong.  I said, 'Qian Chengyu, are you sure?  Do not lie.'  Qian Chengyu said, 'I personally saw it.  I don't care if I die!'"

[January 3, 2011 morning; Licun village; "New eyewitness #4"]

On the morning of January 3, 2011 at Huaqiu village, "New eyewitness #4" told the China Economic Times reporter:

"The vehicle was not going there.  It was parked there before the incident."

"I was by the roadside that day.  The vehicle did not pass by the road in front of me after 930pm."

"I saw it.  It was parked there until it happened."

"Right now nobody dares to speak out.  If you tell the truth, they accuse you of manufacturing rumors and they arrest you.  I have to wait until the central government team comes before I testify."

[December 30, 2010 noon; Qian family home; "New eyewitness #5"]

"It was Christmas that day.  The church rented a bus to go from Hongqiao to Nanyue for the followers to go for free.  I headed toward the road to take the free bus."

"As I got near, I heard Qian Chengyu calling for help and saying that the village chief had been run over.  I hurried over.  I saw several dozen security guards backing away.  Qian Chengyu was giving chase but the security guards were blocking him.  I saw with my own eyes that town vice mayor Xu Xiangzhong was at the scene."

[January 3, 2011; Tiancheng town; "New eyewitness #6"]

"I had to do something in Yueqing city that day.  I arranged with a friend to go to the Church of Christ in Nayue."

"The vehicle left Yueqing before 9:05am.  By 9:40, the vehicle got near the scene.  Many vehicles were blocked ahead.  They said that there was an incident and vehicles cannot move."

"I got out of the car and looked.  There were two women.  One was crying: 'There is no justice under heaven.  They crushed a living person to death'."

"I thought that the vehicle was very weird.  It went off the road to crush someone to death."

"I was watching and listening.  I heard that the deceased was murdered.  Two women returning from the temple saw it."

[The security guards that the police helped netizens to find]

On January 4, I asked the Yueqing Public Security Bureau Political Department to provide information on evidence and witnesses.  But they refused on the grounds that a press conference had already been held.  I quote the statements from the security guards that Wang Xiaoshan interviewed with the assistance of the police:

"The work clothes of the Yueqing Security Service Company have the words 'People's Republic of China Police' sewed on arm bands."

"Beginning the December 21, the construction company hired security guards to watch over the cable project on a 24-hours-a-day basis.  80 to 100 security guards were present at any time by the Zhaiqiao road.  The security guard company requires their workers to say inside their five big buses unless they have to go outside and relieve themselves ... Zheng's bus was about 40 to 50 meters away from the spot of the incident.  This was the closest of the buses.  He got out of the bus to urinate.  He heard the sound of emergency braking.  He turned around and thought that something must have happened.  He did not even urinate.  He got back into the bus and told his companions: 'Someone might have been hit.'  Wu called captain Shi who was on patrol one kilometer away.  Captain Shi got the call and issued the order: Nobody is allowed to get off the bus.  Cai called 110 to make a police report.  Zhang disobeyed the order and got out of the bus to check.  He went to the front of the bus and saw the deceased.  He bent over to take a closer look.  He said that he saw that the vehicle door was ajar.  There was no driver inside.  Zhang saw a tall villager behind him.  Zhang returned to the bus."

"Manager Sun and Captain Shi came over in an eight-person van.  Their mission had been to patrol the cable project.  They got the call and they told the driver to take them to the scene.  They got out of the van and saw a tall villager.  Captain Shi called 110 to make a police report.  The police call center said that they had already received a call and they were making arrangements.  The tall villager pointed at Manager Sun and Captain Shi and said, "They are too, they are too."  Several dozen villagers began to attack Manager Sun and Captain Shi.  Captain Shi was hit in the right forehead, Manager Sun was scratched in his neck and his gold neck chain was ripped off.  The security guards used their shields to retrieve Sun and Shi.  The security guards got back into their bus and left.  All five buses left.  Sun and Shi got into their 8-person van, turned around and left in the opposite direction.  The buses left around 10:01 or 10:02.  The police had not arrived yet."

5. Vehicle speed and video recording investigation

Based upon the information provided by the police, the incident took place at 9:45 on December 25, 2010.

On the afternoon of January 4, 2011, the China Economic Times reporter went to the Yueqing Public Security Bureau Political Department to request to see the 110 telephone logs, the communications between the police and the traffic police, the police log and the raw investigation reports of the traffic police at the scene.  The request was denied on the grounds that a press conference had already been held.

[Video recording and car speed]

On January 30, the China Economic Times reporter requested through a friend to see the surveillance video recordings along the route.  The following cites what netizen Wang Xiaoshan had to say about the two videos that he saw on December 31:

"The camera at the exit of the stone quarry showed that a truck that looked exactly the same as the one in the incident passing in front of the camera at 9:38.  The license number and the driver could not be seen.  on the right side of the truck, there is a large number '23' painted.  In the video, the vehicle was coming down the hill on a dirt road at relatively slow speed.  20 to 30 kilometers per hour. It was raining, but not heavily.  Some pedestrians opened their umbrellas, others didn't."

"The camera in front of Huayi village showed that a vehicle that looked exactly like the one in the incident passed by 9:42:09 on December 25.  It was traveling faster."

"The truck that passed in front of the Huayi village was estimated by us to be traveling at 40 to 50 kilometers per hour.  Deputy director Lin said that anywhere between 40 to 60 is possible.  It also passed a small vehicle.  The license number cannot be seen clearly."

"A field trial showed that it took 4 minutes 12 seconds to go from the stone quarry to the entrance of Huayi village."

In his microblog, he expressed his personal viewpoint: He thought that "it was very unlikely that these two video segments were forged.  If they forged it, they would have made the videos clearer so that you can at least see the license number.  They would also make sure that the two videos look the same. As to why they didn't publish it, my personal viewpoint is that the police are stupid."

On the evening of December 31, Wang Xiaoshan told the China Economic Times reporter that he cannot confirm that the vehicle in the videos is really the one involved in the incident.

On January 4, a certain anonymous person near the stone quarry told the China Economic Times reporter: "I can only tell you that the camera at the exit of the stone quarry has been under constant repair recently."  A Zhaiqiao villager was suspicious about why the Huayi village entrance camera was working.  He said that the cameras in the surrounding villages were installed around the same time.  So how come one can store video but the other cannot?

At noon on January 4, the China Economic Times reporter rented a car to go from the Wandi stone quarry to the scene of the accident.  The results of three repeated trials are basically consistent with what Wang Xiaoshan found.

The car went past the scene of the incident at 42 kilometers per hour.  According to the driver, there should be brake marks when someone brakes after seeing someone ahead.  The brake marks should be sufficient to estimate the vehicle speed.  But the Wenzhou Changxun Motor Vehicle Judicial Appaisal Business Office noted that "there is insufficient information to estimate the speed at the time of the incident."

[The whereabouts of the stone quarry workers are unknown, the original records are missing]

According to the administrative regulations at the stone quarry, a human recorder is supposed to note down when a truck exits.

On that day, it was reported that only one truck left the stone quarry.  Therefore, this reporter went to the Wandi stone quarry to seek the original records for December 25.

But the reporter was told that all the current stone quarry workers were hired after December 27.  The whereabouts of the former workers are unknown, and no one can tell where the original records are.

6. Investigation of the time of the incident

The police stated publicly that the incident took place at 9:45.

Several eyewitnesses told the China Economic Times reporter very clearly that the incident took place at around 9:30.  The eyewitness who signed the letter of guarantee to the reporter stated very clearly that the incident occurred between 9:30 and 9:33.

From January 1 to January 4, the China Economic Times reporter conducted an investigation about the two buses routes that pass by the scene of the incident.  The results of the investigation were consistent with what the eyewitnesses told the China Economic Times about the incident taking place around 9:30.

[Hongqiao to Nanyue route]

December 25 was Christmas.  The church provided a free bus to go from Hongqian town to the Church of Christ in Nanyue town.

The fleet captain named Hou refused to provide the detailed times of the buses around the time of the incident.  However, he and other drivers told the reporter that it takes about 20 minutes to go from Hongiao to Nanyue, and at most 30 minutes to get to the Church of Christ in Nanyue.  On January 4, the reporter personally confirmed this.  The buses left every five minutes.

On that day, the church rented five free buses for the followers.  These five buses ran on a rolling schedule.  Our reporter found two young Christians who provided service on the bus.  They said that the travel time was quicker than the normal paid bus service that day.  There was no traffic jam on the road until the death of Qin Yunhui occurred.

One of the Christians stayed on one particular bus.  The bus set out at 7:20 near the Church of Christ in Nanyue.  Here is the estimated schedule: at most thirty minutes to Hongqiao at 7:50; return from Hongqiao at 7:55 to arrive at the Church of Christ at 8:25; turn back at 8:30 to Hongqiao, return at 9:05.  There was no congestion around the scene of the incident before.  But now they were stopped because people were blocking the road.  Under normal circumstances it would take at most 30 minutes.  So the road was blocked beginning 9:35-9:40.  The scene of the incident was 3 to 4 minutes away from the Church of Christ in Nanyue.

[Yueqing to Nanyue route]

The China Economic Times reporter found a passenger in Tiancheng town who takes the Yueqing-Nanyue bus regularly to the Church of Christ in Nanyue.

"The bus took off before 9:05.  I am familiar with this route.  They usually dispatch a bus every 10 minutes.  This section of the road should take just over 20 minutes by car.  Since people get on and off buses, the bus trip is just under 40 minutes.  If the traffic is heavy, it may take 50 minutes."

"There was no traffic jam on that occasion.  It was very smooth.  We got blocked when we got near the scene."

"We got blocked around 9:40pm.  There were many vehicles ahead.  I estimate that the traffic jam must have started several minutes ago."

The China Economic Times reporter took the bus from Nanyue to Yueqing.  The trip took 38 minutes.  It took two minutes to go from the Nanyue bus station to the scene of the accident.

The investigation of the two public bus routes showed that traffic was blocked before 9:40pm.  In order to verify the basis of the police claim that the incident took place around 9:45, the China Economic Times reporter asked the Yueqing City Public Security Bureau Political Department to see the police activity log.  His request was turned down.

7.  The recording of the death and the last telephone call

[January 3, 2011 morning; the Qian Yunhui home; the second description by Qian's wife Wang Zhaoyan]

"He does not usually take calls from anyone except for two persons.  One is Wang Liquan with whom he petitioned together.  The other is vice mayor Xu ."

"At around 9am or so on December 25, Qian Yunhui got a telephone call.  He walked out of the door as he spoke ..."

[January 3, 2011 morning;  the owner of the roadside shopowner]

"It was just past 9am.  Qian Yunhui came and bought three packs of 14 yuan Lijuan cigarettes.  I just happened to be sold out.  So he went to the shop in Huaqiu village to buy it.  I did not pay any attention to him afterwards.

[December 29, 2010 morning; Zhaiqiao village; the Qian family home; Qian Yunhui's brother]

"Shortly after the incident that day, a relative found Qian Yunhui's mobile telephone lying on the dirt.  The phone was turned off and it had gotten wet.  The relative handed it to Qian Dazi (pseudonym) who handed it to Qian Zhigang (pseudonym).  Qian Zhigang and several others began to look up the call records."

[December 12, 2010 afternoon; Zhaiqiao village; Huang Zhigang (pseudonym) on the last telephone call]

"On that day, I and Qian Zhigang (pseudonym) and several others got a hold of the phone and we found a secluded place to study it.  We turned on the mobile phone but the number of the last call was missing."

"He was on the phone when he walked out of the door at 9am or so.   But the closest call in the record was the one made by Wang Liquan to him at 8:30-8:31."

"During this period, he was very cautious.  He would not cross a road by himself.  When he left the village, he was always with two or three other people.  He only took calls from Wang Liquan and the town vice mayor.  So who called him?"

[January 3, 2011 morning; the Qian home; Qian's daughter-in-law said that Qian Yunhui's ID had been stolen]

"Before 4pm on December 25, our whole family were on the road.  When we came back, we found that my father-in-law's briefcase on the second floor had been cleaned out."

"He put a lot of things in his briefcase.  His ID and other important documents.  We checked carefully.  We found out that each pocket of the briefcase was empty."

"On December 27, a reporter asked us whether we have the ID.  He said that we can use the ID to check the telephone call records at the telephone company.  I said that his ID and other documents were stolen from his briefcase.  I brought the briefcase over.  I found the ID on the outer pocket which wasn't even buttoned up."

[December 31, 2010 afternoon; Zhaiqiao village, the Qian home; Qian Yunhui's younger brother]

"A couple of days ago, a reporter told me down to the telephone company to check the call records.  The telephone company asked me to list the ten telephone numbers that Qian Yunhui called or received most recently.  I couldn't list them so they won't let me see the records.]

[December 29, 2010 night; Wenzhou police press conference]

According to the published reports, the police claimed that they have obtained the telephone call records.  The call was made to "the villager named Wang" sometime "before 8am" on December 25.

The Wenzhou police: "We identified Qian Yunhui's last telephone call.  The villager named Wang called him about certain village matters.  It was not a call from the town vice mayor as rumored."

[January 4, 2011 afternoon; Yueqing; Zhang Qiang (pseudonym) on a video recording of Qian Yunhui's death]

"The mobile telephone is presently hidden in a secret location.  It is believed that the last telephone call can be restored technically."

"A micro-camera was also removed along with the mobile telephone.  Qian Yunhui obtained this equipment for himself.  There is a 50% chance that he activated this camera.  The time is not right yet.  We cannot tell you whether Qian Yunhui recorded his own death on camera."

[January 7, 2011; the villager who knew about the micro-camera was nabbed]

Qian Chengqian knew that Qian Yunhui was carrying a micro-camera when he died.  He did not know where the camera is.  He was nabbed on the night of January 7, 2011.  Villagers provided this information to the China Economic Times reporter on the afternoon of the next day.

[January 11, 2011; Yueqing detention center]

Two Shanghai lawyers met with Wang Liquan.  He said: (1) he did not gather a crowd to disturb public order; he is innoncent.  (2) On that day, Qian Yunhui came to see him to prepare petition materials; (3) he did not make the call that made Qian Yunhui come out and die.

8.  Was the town vice mayor at the scene?

On January 3, a peer told the China Economic Times reporter that Xu Xiangzhong claimed that he was sleeping before 9:45 that day.  He provided four town government workers who could prove that he was not at the scene.

Because these four workers have direct interest with Xu, the China Economic Times reporter went on January 3 and 4 as a citizen to the Puqi town government and asked to meet with town vice mayor Xu Xiangzhong (who had just been promoted as deputy secretary) in the hope that he can reveal where he was on December 25.

On January 4, Xu Xiangzhong replied that the reporter ought to see the town publicity committee member Qian if he wanted to know.

Committee member Qian said in response to the citizen request to find about about the whereabouts of Xu Xiangzhong on December 25 that if Xu Xiangzhong is under suspicion, then the matter ought to be brought up with the public security apparatus.

On the afternoon of January 4, China Economic Times reporter went through the Yueqing City Party Committee publicity department to contact the Yueqing City Public Security Bureau Political Department.

The Political Department director named Lin told the China Economic Times reporter that the public security apparatus has surely investigated anything suspicious.  But he rejected the request by the reporter to show the relevant reports.  He said that the case has been declared to be a traffic incident and there has already been a press conference in which has released whatever they wanted to .

As to whether the Yueqing and Wenzhou public security organizations have done whatever is necessary for a crime investigation, he said that all that had been covered in the press conference.

[December 29, 2010 Wenzhou police press conference on the case of Qian Yunhui]

The Wenzhou police bulletin: "The reasons why 'murder' was eliminated were that during our investigation, (1) we rigorously scrutinized the truthfulness of the testimony of the suspect, conflict of interest between the suspect and the deceased, the likelihood that the suspect was hired for the job, etc.  We also investigated the history, work situation, social connections, etc of the suspect.  We eliminate the possibility that he deliberately committed this act.  (2)  We carefully and meticulously conducted an investigation of the scene.  We re-interviewed all the witnesses and investigated their claims.  We interrogated the eyewitness Qian Liangyu and the "second eyewitness" Huang Diyan who was suggested by netizens.  We determined that they did not witness any "murder" directly.  (3) The scene showed clear signs in which the vehicle braked suddenly, the body was dragged along the ground and the body collided with the vehicle.  These signs are inconsistent with someone being held down and ran over."

The Wenzhou police bulletin did not clearly state whether they interviewed all the residents in the surrounding area.

At the press conference, the police said: "They will not let a single point of doubt go pass ..."

(QQ)  Early at 1am on December 8, 2011 in Dongguan city, Guangdong province, more than 500 fully armed police, armed police and special weapons/tactical team police raided 19 target locations within a period of two hours.  More than 300 people were brought back for investigation ...

(Ming Pao)

According to information, the police were targeting a group whose members came mainly from Hunan province.  These people targeted middle-aged and old women.  They claimed to be "Living Gods" and "Living Miraculous Doctors" who can dispel bad fortune and cure rare diseases.

Over the past two years, this group was highly active in Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Weizhou, Zhongshan, Foshan, Dongguan, etc.  There were more than 100 cases reported in Dongguan alone.  These people took advantage of the superstitious beliefs of middle-aged and old women.  One of the members introduces herself as a kind neighbor and chats with the victim.  Sometimes, she will even cradle a baby in her arms in order to reduce suspicion.  She claims to know a "Living God" whom she introduces to the victim.  Then this "Living God" asks the victim to donate money to "receive blessings and dispel bad luck."

Last January, they took 60,000 yuan in cash and more than 20,000 yuan worth of jewelry from one victim.  Two months later, another victim lost 320,000 yuan.  According to the police, they began to track this group several months ago.  Three months ago, the police pretended to be construction workers and built a wooden shack near where the group members were staying.  The wooden shack had many holes in the walls through which the police recorded every move of these "Living Gods."  Then the police tightened the net and arrested 53 suspects.

• [015]  Rumor Monger Apologizes To "77 Yuan" (2011/01/11)  (KDnet)  (For background)

Letter of Apology

Ms. Guo Chunping:

Over the past several days, I have been reading the news and Internet reports about the 77 yuan/month low-cost renter.  I feel very ashamed and disturbed.  I did not realize that my untruthful post could hurt you so tremendously.  Please let me sincerely say "Sorry" with great embarrassment and regret.

On December 31, 2010, I saw the the television news report about Guo Chunping and the low-rent room.  Without careful consideration and without researching the low-rent housing policy in place in Beijing, I immediately jumped to the conclusion that this must be fake story.  Rashly I used the nickname "Leaking a secret" to post "77 yuan renter suspected of fakery, her true identity is a Beijing public servant" at the "Love Trucks/Cars Web Shenzhen Forum."  This was a "post" filled with speculations and preposterous inferences.

I have been uneasy the past few days.  I never realized that I could cause so much hurt to you and your family as well as so much vexation in society.  As a result of this incident, I have learned a very profound lesson.  The Internet provides a platform for people to express their opinions, but it should not be a platform for manufacturing and spreading rumors.  I am disgusted with my own irresponsible behavior!  I called on the broad masses of netizens to enhance their awareness of the law and their ethical standards.  They should boycott inaccurate information on the Internet, and work to distrust rumors.  They should refuse to spread rumors, especially not to manufacture rumors out of nothing.  They should be responsible for their own actions and speeches.

Here, I implore you to accept my sincere apology and I beg for your forgiveness once more.

Liu Xin

January 10, 2011.

• [014  Na Ying And The Beijing Traffic Police (2011/01/11)

(Southern Metropolis Daily)

Yesterday around 8pm, the singer Na Ying posted on her microblog: "I completed my make-up early today and I just arrived at the Spring Festival Gala for the Beijing Traffic Control Bureau at the National Sports Stadium.  I went backstage and discovered that I did not bring my costume!!!  Me?  Me?  At that moment, the entire Traffic Control Bureau rushed up to help!  A police car cleared the way to take my stupid assistant back home!  If you can't use the traffic police this way at this time, what can you use them for!"  Within three hours, this microblog post drew more than 1,000 comments, most of which are about the abuse of special privileges.

Some comments: "Oh, so the traffic police are supposed to serve the upper-class people!"  "Great, I didn't realize what the traffic police do until today."  "To use a public service for private purpose and to think that this is natural -- these are the so-called people with special privileges."

Twenty minutes after making the initial post, Na Ying responded to the negative comments with another post: "Don't fucking think that I misuse traffic police privileges!  Several roads were placed under traffic restriction!  Fuck!  Why don't you try it yourself!"  This second blog post drew 1,000 comments within several hours.

Some comments: "Yes, you didn't misuse traffic police authority.  This is how the traffic police are used in China."  "Because you had to fetch your dress, I was stuck in the traffic jam for two hours."  "You obviously misuse special privileges but you had the nerve to use foul language to justify yourself.  Everybody come and watch this public figure.  In a post of less than 30 words, she had two typos, three swear words and four exclamation marks.  Let us watch."

At some point past 11pm, those two microblog posts by Na Ying were deleted.

(Hecaitou at Southern Metropolis Daily)

... Internet public opinion varied.  A sizeable number of people supported Na Ying.  They thought that Sister Na was presenting her true self and there is no need to create a big fuss.  I feel that Na Ying was presenting her real feelings.  The proof was that the two microblog posts were deleted shortly afterwards.  How could they be disappeared if they didn't present her real feelings?  The straightforward Na Ying was expressing her real feelings without any disguise.  She was not the singer standing on the stage facing the audience and the media.  This is the naked truth.  Precisely because of this, we should reflect on her attitude.

In this society, people use connections, relations and means to achieve what they want each and every day.  Prior to Na Ying, nobody has said that they "used the traffic police."  In the words of Na Ying, the traffic police has been objectified.  A real person with flesh-and-blood and a family name/surname had gone to fetch her dress.  Only when that person is regarded as a tool will the reference be the collective 'traffic police' in the manner that one would use a car, or money, or an animal.  Between the word 'use' stands a celebrity on one side and an anonymous traffic policeman on the other side.  Clearly, Na Ying towers over everybody else.

The sentence "If you can't use the traffic police this way at this time, what can you use them for!" is even more interesting.  This implies that the concert was an extremely important event so that it is natural to use every possible resource and means.  What was Na Ying's position when she said that?  I don't think that she was speaking as a singer.  Instead, she seemed to be speaking on behalf of the organizers of the gala event, as if she was the organizing committee's chairperson.  Na Ying's logic is that her problems are those of the gala event.

The most intriguing thing about this affair is not the unimpeded speech by Na Ying but her personal thoughts afterwards.  From start to finish, she never showed any remorse.  She acted as if it was natural for a performer to forget to bring her costume.  When she did forget, she let others fetch it for her without expressing any gratitude (never mind expressing gratitude to the specific individuals who fetched it for her).  Why should she be grateful?  She merely "used the traffic police" like a tool.  Since when does one have to thank a shovel or a crowbar?  Na Ying was too busy showing off how the organizers went into a frenzy and how they made sure that there were green lights all the way on the trip.

Obviously Na Ying knows very well what is the misuse of special privileges.  But she could not help herself from showing off on her microblog.  She was proud of the fact that she was not the equal of other people.  She was proud that she could speed beyond the law in order to fetch her costume.  We can say that without the critical comments that came afterwards, she would have continued to enjoy that feeling that whole night.  She got all this because she performed a little something for the authorities.  For this small piece of action, she seemed to think that she is part of the authorities, an important cog in the whole machine.

There is no need to be too demanding on singers/performers when it comes to knowledge and character.  They are there to decorate festivities.  After all, why pick on a Christmas tree?  But Na Ying's authentic exhibition makes each of us think: What are we searching for in our years of struggle?  Are our efforts intended to make us better and unequal to others?  Are our efforts intended to make us super-citizens who enjoy the pleasure of always going beyond the normal rules?  Are we like Na Ying and her peers who have naturally accepted this viewpoint and live/work that way?  Could it be that apart from own selves, everybody else are merely tools to achieve our goals?  When the day comes that we are all using police cars, fire trucks and ambulances to fetch our clothing, can we still all travel down that road? 

(Southern Metropolis Daily)  January 12, 2011.

At 11am on January 10, the writer Zheng Yuanjie wrote on his microblog: "As a monitor of police conduct, I asked the Beijing Traffic Control Bureau about the incident involving a singer claiming that a police car cleared the way for her to retrieve her costume.  The Traffic Control Bureau replied as follows:  Last evening, the Traffic Control Bureau and a television channel jointly organized an evening gala show.  A certain singer forgot to bring her costume.  The singer came in a relatively large van, so the organizers sent out a black Passata sedan (license number Beijing K81680) take the singer's assistant (male) to fetch the costume."  Zheng Yuanjie said that he repeatedly pressed on the question about whether a police car cleared the way.  "We confirm that no police car cleared the way."  Netizens commented: "Did Na Ying make something up to show off?"  "So Na Ying was bullshitting?"

On January 11, Na Ying issued a <Statement of Apology>.  She wrote: "At the time, the organizers sent an ordinary black Passata to take my assistant to fetch my costume.  Without knowing the truth, I made a tease of a post.  After reading the netizens' comment, I rashly made another microblog post containing indecent language.  This displeased many netizens and created misunderstanding for the organizers.  I must consider this incident as cautionary."

Na Ying's apology was met with understanding and forgiveness by most netizens. 

• [012]  Wang Dan versus Wen Hui Po (2011/01/08)

(Ming Pao)

On the day before yesterday, Wen Hui Po published on page A15 an essay by Yang Zhenggang entitled <Wang Dan has poor character, what does he want to do in Hong Kong?>.  Yesterday Wang Dan wrote on Facebook that he is deeply angered by the charges.  "I can understand and respect differences in political position.  But I will not tolerate character attacks.  I ask those people who say that I have poor character to produce real evidence, or I will ask Hong Kong/Taiwan lawyers and friends in the judiciary to seek civil and criminal liability.  We are already overseas exiles who cannot go home, and these people still want to press on further.  Do they need to do that?"  He called upon netizens to collect these kinds of talk as evidence to use in litigation.

Here is the translation of the essay in Wen Hui Po.  Do you consider this libel?  And what are the prospects for suing someone in Hong Kong over this kind of exercise of free speech?  And can a Hong Kong citizen be sued in Taiwan for something that he wrote for a Hong Kong newspaper?

 (Wen Hui Po)

No sooner did Szeto Wah die than Wang Dan said that he wants to come to Hong Kong "to make a bow and light a joss stick."  He also declared that he will adhere to the "Three No's" principle (No meeting with reporters; no press conferences; no participation in public events) of low profile.  He is actually posing a problem for the Hong Kong government.  Even if he does not come here, he has already exploited the incident to enhance his own image.  But underneath Wang Dan's fake mask, he is basically a sordid businessman who is after money and sex.  He has been mocked as "seeking Taiwan money in the morning, sleeping with Taiwan men at night."  What would Szeto Wah think if such a person were to come to Hong Kong and pay respect?

<Beijing Spring> claims to be the "biggest overseas democracy movement publication."  It was established by the National Security Bureau of Taiwan with a funding of more than NT$ 20 million.  Its main mission is to support the Taiwan Independence, Tibet Independence and Xinjiang Independence movements and forces under the guise of "supporting the democracy movement."  It also collects intelligence about China, Taiwan and the United States for the intelligence agency in Taiwan.  Wang Dan is the publisher of <Beijing Spring>.  Wang Dan had repeatedly insisted that he did not receive aid from the Taiwan government.  But when Chen Shui-bian's "State Affairs Fund" became known, Wang Dan admitted under pressure that he had received US$ 200,000 in "political donations" from Taiwan.

"If you take someone's money, you must do favors for them."  Wang Dan was bought off by the most corrupt president in the history of Taiwan, Chen Shui-bian.  Naturally, this was an exchange of interests and a total sell-out of Wang's character.  He moved from just supporting "Taiwan independence" to unconditionally supporting Chen Shui-bian.  In 2002, Chen Shui-bian proposed the idea of "one country on each side of the Taiwan Strait" and there was a tense debate in Taiwan.  Suddenly Wang Dan showed upon Taipei and called for everybody to support Chen Shui-bian.  In March 2006, mainland China proclaimed the "anti-secession law" and the pro-"Taiwan independence" forces were demoralized.  When the Democratic Progressive Party saw that their people were becoming disheartened, they arranged for Wang Dan to speak at the Taiwan Parliament to support Chen Shui-bian's "abolition of national unification" and rally the pro-"Taiwan independence" forces.

Wang Dan sold his character and supported Chen Shui-bian and the pro-"Taiwan independence" without asking questions about right versus wrong.  Even fellow "overseas democracy activist" Wang Xizhe found it unbearable and wrote: "The Taiwan Parliament invites you, the Mainland Affairs Council invites you, the Democratic Progressive Party Central Standing Committee invites you.  If you don't support Taiwan independence, would the pro-Taiwan-independence people like you so much?  Your family name is Wang and so is mine.  How come the pro-Taiwan-independence people welcome your Wang but not my Wang?  Are you so lucky?"

Apart from being greedy for money, Wang Dan has also been reported to have a life of homosexual debauchery.  The <TVBS Weekly> magazine in Taiwan reported that Wang Dan has patronized gay scenes in Taiwan and dated many gay men.

Wang Dan swindles and bluffs under the title of "freedom/democracy warrior."  But secretly he is grabbing money and indulging in carnal pleasures.  The real reason why he is proclaiming aloud that he wants to come to Hong Kong to pay respect to Szeto Wah is merely to create a political storm and make himself even more famous.  He may not even care whether he gets to Hong Kong.

• [011]  More On The Petitioning Mental Patient With The Fake Daughter (2011/01/07)  Previous background at Fake Daughter Saves Real Father.  The priority was to get a person who was wrongfully hospitalized released first.  Then the attention should be turned to the issues that he was petitioning about.  Does anyone know or care what he petitioned about, beyond corruption in a generic sense?

(QQ)

At the Zhuxi public security bureau, our reporter saw the Guo Yuanyong files amounted to four full books.

According to Zhuxi county public security bureau deputy director Li Yingdong, Guo Yuanyong's so-called "petitions" were a series of letters, telegraphs, petitions and  ultimatums that he wrote in the 1990's.  These documents smeared many state leaders without any basis, using extreme and improper language.

Our reporter read a copy of a letter from Guo Yuanyong to the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference in which he wrote: "So-and-so is forming a small circle and violating party discipline.  He must be relieved of his position.  Otherwise we will not give up our extreme actions, and demonstrations, arson and murder will ensue."  The letter was signed as the "Zhuxi Petitioning Group Guo Yuanyong."  These letters and telegraphs filled up one full folder with these kinds of astonishing contents.

According to information, this endless stream of letters, telegraphs, petitions and ultimatums caused the Zhuxi county public security bureau to summon him for interrogation and to search his residence and office where they found 114 letters/telegraphs as well as 182 printed copies <The Ultimatum>.  The police determined that Guo Yuanyong had undergone a personal crisis after his 1994 divorce and became psychologically unhinged.

The Zhuxi public security bureau requested the Shiyan city judicial examination committee to make a psychological examination of Guo Yuanyong.  He was found to suffer from "schizophrenia with no sense of personal responsibility and bad prognosis."  In November 1996, Guo Yuanyong was sent to the Maojian Hospital to undergo compulsory treatment.  Between 1997 and 1998, Guo Yuanyong was released home several times from the hospital at the request of his family.  However, he was re-admitted each time because of subsequent abnormal behavior.

On the night of January 5, our reporter met Guo Yuanyong in his family home.  He was neatly attired and coiffured.  He sat and chatted with our reporter.  He said that he liked his home better than the hospital because of the family warmth.  Guo Yuanyong said that although he had been hospitalized for more than 10 yars, the government continued to pay his monthly salary and retained his housing privileges.

After almost one hour of conversation, our reporter felt that Guo Yuanyong had no problem communicating with people.  But it was hard to understand how he could have written all those weird things in the letters, which suggest that he had mental problems.  When the reporter asked him why he denounced the state leaders, Guo replied that he "could tell by watching television that those people have problems."  Guo's family said that Guo Yuanyong has a dual personality.  With friends and colleagues, he can be very kind and amiable.  But he can sometimes be unbelievably irritable.  When they went down to the public security bureau and read his letters, they were shocked too because they could not imagine that he was capable of writing that.

Li Yingdong said that the Zhuxi public security bureau took action with respect to Guo Yuanyong because he was a mental patient incapable of taking care of himself.

The "Guo Hanyan Wants To Save Her Father" post was planned and executed by two Hubei province Shiyan city netizens, Peng Baoquan and Chen Yonggang.

Peng Baoquan told our reporter that he met Guo Yuanyong at the Maojian Psychiatric Hospital last year.  At the time, Guo spoke and behaved normally.  After Peng got out, he spoke to Chen about "rescuing" Guo.  The information in the Internet post was provided by the family, reflecting the feelings of Guo's son and other relatives for him.  As to why a fictional daughter "Guo Hanyan" was created, Peng Baoquan said that he needed to draw attention.  As more netizens come in to be "spectators," the media will also pay attention.

Chen Yonggang said that he and Pen had visited the hospital, the Guo family and friends to gather evidence.  "We had previously written a post <Zhuxi cadre spend ten years in mental hospital>.  We got no response.  Not even one bubble.  This time, we changed the flavor and got an unanticipated reaction.  Internet exposure requires technique.  Most people don't even bother to read those 'exposé' posts anymore.  This time, we were even touched by our finished product.  That was how we can touch the hearts of all of China.  In the end, the results were great.  Guo was released within three days."

This intricate scheme by the two is controversial.  Someone called this "black humor" to invent a "Guo Hanyan" and hype this into a public opinion storm.  Another person said that these types of planned exposés ought to be based upon facts and reason, otherwise everybody is going to start making up "tear-jerking" stories to gain attention.  And that would be disrupting the normal order that we are trying to build for the Internet.

• [010]  The Big Cannon Of Foshan City (2011/01/06) (MOP) ... Yet another Chinese Internet user gets his freedom of speech suppressed ...

Yesterday our reporter learned from the Nanhai District Procuratorate that Lin Chenglong (better known under his Internet alias 'Foshan Big Cannon') was formally approved to be arrested for distributing obscene articles (including photos and essays).  Lin Chenglong is a 22-year-old male from Nanning city, Guangzi province and had previously worked for a company in Nanhai district, Foshan city, Guangdong province.

In March 2009, Lin registered himself under the nickname "Foshan Big Cannon" and proceeded to post his stories (including both text and photos) about patronizing prostitutes onto the Internet forums.

At the time when he was detained, Lin Chenglong had uploaded nine obscene photos and 48 obscene essays onto his blog in order to satisfy the vulgar taste of certain people.  His blog was read 124,000 times, his obscene photos were viewed 4,499 times and his obscene essays were read 7,025 times.  In addition, he reposted his obscene essays/photos to the Foshan Tiantianxin Forum and were read more than 50,000 times.

In the preliminary opinion of the Nanhai procuratorate, Lin Chenglong was describing the location, price and methods of patronizing prostitutes in great detail, thus leading others to participate/imitate his criminal activities.

On November 21, 2010, the police arrested Lin Chenglong at this workplace.

In addition, the Nanhai procuratorate also said that will activiely ask all those detailed clues about prostitution activities be investigated/prosecuted.

• [009]  "77 Yuan" Strikes Back (2011/01/06)  Who is "77 Yuan"?  Why is "77 Yuan" all over the microblogs nowadays?

(Ministry of Tofu)

 

 

China Central Television’s news said that on January 1, 2011, Chinese President Hu Jintao brought his new year wishes to a neighborhood in Beijing. There he visited a low-income family who lives in a low-rent department – 77 yuan (US$12) a month – because of the Party’s policy to ensure the people’s welfare.

On the news, Guo Chunping, lessee of the low-rent apartment who lives with her daughter, has a dialog with Presudent Hu Jintao.

Hu: When did you move in?
Guo: I have been living in this apartment for more than half a month.

Hu: How many square meters is this house?
Guo: Altogether  45 square meters. (450 square feet)

Hu: Two room?
Guo: Yes, two rooms.

Hu: How much (do you) pay for this apartment a month?
Guo:  (I) only have to pay 77 yuan(US$12) a month.

Hu: Can you afford paying 77 yuan a month?
Guo: Yes, I can afford it. That’s why I am very grateful that the Party and the government have built such a great country, and give us so good a home to live. I am deeply touched.

Hu: The party and the government have taken the people’s welfare very seriously, and have taken a series of steps. (Guo: oh…) And we will take further steps to resolve people’s difficulty in life. We feel happy too on seeing your housing improvement.
Guo: Thank you! Thank You! Our country has gotten better day by day. Before we didn’t even dare to imagine this.

Chinese netizens found it incredible that a Beijing apartment could be rented for 77 RMB per month.  They went ahead and conducted "human flesh searches" on Guo Chunping and her daughter, and came up with all sorts of apparent information about this whole thing being a hoax.  The following is the reaction of Guo Chunping.

(QQ)  January 6, 2011.

Clarification #1: The Internet photos of Guo Chunping and her daughter touring China

Certain persons have posed photos of Guo Chunping and her daughter taken at various scenic sights around China.  As a result, they concluded that Guo Chunping did not meet the requirements for getting low-rent housing.  Guo Chunping told the reporter that the Internet photos were forgeries.  "Where do I get the money to travel?  They even said that we traveled overseas.  Isn't that a fairy tale?"  She told the reporter: "I am willing to come out and do a media interview this time, because I want you to take a good photo of me and let people tell the real person from the fake person.  Everybody should take a look and see if I am the person on the Internet."  Our reporter noted that the person in the photo had some resemblance to Guo Chunping, but it was still very clear with a single glance that these were two different persons.

[The photo below is the one taken by this reporter.  The one underneath is a screen capture of mother and daughter from the CCTV video segment.  The ones further down are the ones found by "human flesh search."  You can decide for yourself whether these are the same persons.]

Guo Chunping shows her unemployment payment identification booklet

Clarification #2: She is getting 600 RMB per month in unemployment subsidies, and she is not a public servant

Some people claimed that "human flesh search" showed that Guo Chunping is a public servant with the Beijing Chaoyang district traffic police brigade.  Guo Chunping told the reporter that she is an ordinary unemployed person.  Previously, she had two jobs that she got through the government and a public interest group.  One of them was as a security guard in the community, and the other was as a cleaning woman for the town government. But she lost both of these jobs.  At this time, their sole income was the 600 RMB unemployment relief each month.  She told the reporter that she was a single mother who found it hard to sustain her family after losing her jobs.

Clarification #3: Her daughter was the one who entered the housing lottery draw

Some people checked the results of the inaugural lottery draw for Lijing Garden and failed to find the name Guo Chunping.  Therefore they suspected that she was not one of those people who got low-rent housing.  Instead she must be a "stooge" installed by the government.  Guo Chunping told our reporter that the Lijing Garden lottery draw was entered under the name of her daughter Guo Dandan in accordance with the regulations.  All applications are screened carefully by different levels of the government and her family meets all of those requirements.  The Chaoyang district housing department deputy director confirmed to our reporter that Guo Dandan's application was numbered '81.'  Therefore, Guo Chunping was fully qualified to obtain low-rent housing.

Clarification #4: High-priced sub-letting of low-rent housing was infuriating rubbish

Guo Chunping said that before moving into this low-rent apartment, she and her daughter had been renting and moving frequently.  "We didn't have any money and we lived in the places with the worst conditions.  This was devastating to my health.  I cannot do any heavy physical work because of my back condition."

Guo Chunping said, "The government gave me an apartment to stay in, and that is like giving me a home.  Before I did not have a place and I was jealous and sad when I hear people say 'I am going home.'  The government solved my housing problem.  I am very grateful.  I never imagined that so much pain would follow that happiness."

On the Internet, some people said that the Guo family did not stay at Lijing Garden because they are sub-letting the apartment at high price.  Guo Chunping said: "This is infuriating.  Where do I have another placed?  I got this place because I had nowhere else.  Previously my daughter and I had to co-rent with others.  If we sub-let this apartment to someone else, where will we go?" 

(Beijing Times)  January 6, 2011.

A worker Ms. Yang in Chaoyang district Sanjian town confirmed to our reporter that Guo Chunping was a cleaning workers from 2008 to 2009.  Ms. Yang said that she was aware of the Internet photos of a woman traveling, eating and drinking all over China.  She is certain that the woman was not Guo Chunping.  "At the time, I was responsible for her work.  I took her around the community to work.  The people in our office saw those photos and decided that it was absolutely not her."  Ms. Yang told our reporter.

Another netizen claimed that Guo Chunping was a worker with Chaoyang district traffic police brigade.  On the afternoon of the day before yesterday, a Beijing city traffic bureau Chaoyang district traffic detachment worker told us that there was no such entity as the Chaoyang traffic police brigade and that there is no employee by the name of Guo Chunping in the Chaoyang district traffic detachment.

In the brief interview with our reporter, Guo Chunping was depressed and teary.  She kept repeating: "All I told was the truth.  Why am I being suspected?"

Guo said that before the visit, the Neighborhood Office people told her that some leader was coming to see her.  On the day before Secretary-general Hu Jintao showed up, someone told her that a national leader could be coming.

"I was nervous at the time."  Guo Chunping said.  She did not sleep well because she kept thinking about what she was going to say.

At past 9am that day, Secretary-general Hu Jintao showed up at her place.  He was there for about 15 minutes, and he asked her about her family situation, including her rent.  "I said 77 RMB per month."  Guo Chunping said that she was telling the truth.

But Guo Chunping never imagined that the 77 RMB monthly rent would raise doubts and lead netizens to conduct human flesh search on her.  People said on the Internet that she was a public servant who frequently go on tour trips with her daughter.  "What will people think of me?"  Guo Chunping said.  Her relatives call her every day about the latest Internet sayings and that makes her feel very bad.

"I haven't been able to sleep well recently.  I get into bed and I think about this.  My parents are upset."  Guo Chunping said that she was just an ordinary person who does not want to self-promote like some movie star.  Nowadays reporters hang around in front of her home, sometimes for hours.  "It is cold outside, so I feel sorry for them."  Guo Chunping said that even though she ought to come out to state the truth, she was confused and not sure what to say.  Therefore, she has refused the interviews.

On the day before yesterday, Guo Chunping accepted one interview.  Afterwards, she told the reporter not to publish any photos of her.  Yesterday someone told her that they saw on a photo on the Internet of her holding her unemployment aid booklet.  "I felt like a criminal.  Do I have to prove my innocent to everybody?"  At this point, Guo Chunping broke into tears.

Last evening, Guo Chunping texted this reporter: "It is so cold outside.  I am sorry to make you take this trip for nothing.  I say 'Sorry' to you.  After thinking this through back and forth, I have decided not to take any interviews."

(Rednet)  January 5, 2011.

Today at noon, a female university student named Liu (a pseudonym) in Changsha city, Hunan province contacted our reporter.  She said that the Internet rumor that "Beijing low-rent householder Guo Chunping and her daughter went on tourist trips all around China" was inaccurate.  This is because the young woman in those photos were her and not "Guo Chunping's daughter."  She also said that she has no relationship whatsoever with Guo Chunping and her daughter.

Our reporter went to the personal blog of Liu.  There was a photo of her eating pizza that waqs identical to that in the top right hand corner of the composite photo going around the Internet:

This showed that this composite photo was at least partially inaccurate.

With those photos spreading like wildfire on the Internet, Liu is vexed in her studies and personal life.  She contacted our reporter to call upon netizens to delete those inaccurate photos.  Liu said that the Internet photos consisted of those taken during the conversation with Secretary-general Hu Jintao and the rest of them are of Liu, her mother and friends.  Liu wants to get her former tranquil life back.

• [008]  The Most Awesome Nailhouse In The Sky (2011/01/06)  (Daqi)

• [007]  Wikileaks On Xi Jinping (01/06/2011)

09BEIJING3128

ZCZCXRO9016
OO RUEHCN RUEHGH RUEHVC
DE RUEHBJ #3128/01 3201220
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 161220Z NOV 09
FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6865
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 06 BEIJING 003128

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/16/2034
TAGS: PGOV PINR PREL CH TW
SUBJECT: PORTRAIT OF VICE PRESIDENT XI JINPING: "AMBITIOUS
SURVIVOR" OF THE CULTURAL REVOLUTION

Classified By: Political Minister Counselor Aubrey Carlson. Reasons 1.
4 (b/d).

Summary
-------

¶1. (C) According to a well connected Embassy contact, Politburo Standing Committee Member and Vice President Xi Jinping is "exceptionally ambitious," confident and focused, and has had his "eye on the prize" from early adulthood.  Unlike many youth who "made up for lost time by having fun" after the Cultural Revolution, Xi "chose to survive by becoming redder than the red." He joined the Party and began mapping out a career plan that would take him to the top of the system. In our contact's view, Xi is supremely pragmatic and a realist, driven not by ideology but by a combination of ambition and "self-protection." Xi is a true "elitist" at heart, according to our contact, believing that rule by a dedicated and committed Communist Party leadership is the key to enduring social stability and national strength. The most permanent influences shaping Xi's worldview were his "princeling" pedigree and formative years growing up with families of first-generation CCP revolutionaries in Beijing's exclusive residential compounds. Our contact is convinced that Xi has a genuine sense of "entitlement," believing that members of his generation are the "legitimate heirs" to the revolutionary achievements of their parents and therefore "deserve to rule China."

¶2. (C) Xi is not corrupt and does not care about money, but could be "corrupted by power," in our contact's view. Xi at one point early in his career was quite taken with Buddhist mysticism, displaying a fascination with (and knowledge of) Buddhist martial arts and mystical powers said to aid health. The contact stated that Xi is very familiar with the West, including the United States, and has a favorable outlook toward the United States. He also understands Taiwan and the Taiwan people from his long tenure as an official in Fujian Province. End Summary.

Introduction
------------

¶3. (C) A longtime Embassy contact and former close friend of Politburo Standing Committee Member and Vice President Xi Jinping has shared with PolOff his first-hand knowledge of Xi's family background, upbringing, early adulthood, and political career, as well as his impressions and assessments of Xi's personality and political views. The information was acquired in multiple conversations over a two-year period 2007-2009. The contact is an American citizen of Chinese descent who teaches political science at XXXXXXXXXXXX.

Fifteen-Year Relationship with Xi
---------------------------------

¶4. (C) XXXXXXXXXXXX and Xi Jinping were both born in 1953 and grew up in similar circumstances. According to the professor, they lived with other sons and daughters of China's first-generation revolutionaries in the senior leaders' compounds in Beijing and were groomed to become China's ruling elite. The professor did not know Xi personally until they had both reached their late teens, when the professor began to hear about Xi from the professor's best friend, XXXXXXXXXXXX, who was later sent to the same village as Xi in Shaanxi province during the Cultural Revolution. (Note: According to the professor, Zhou Sanhua's father was a former editor-in-chief of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Daily.) By the time the professor and Xi had returned separately from the countryside, they had come to know each other personally, initially through Zhou Sanhua's introduction, and maintained a relationship for the next 15 years (ca. 1972 to 1987), even though their lives and careers took markedly different paths.

Revolutionary Fathers
---------------------

¶5. (C) Xi's father, Xi Zhongxun, was a communist guerilla leader in northwest China in the 1930s, when Mao and the CCP leaders reached Yan'an at the end of the Long March. Xi Zhongxun was one of the few local leaders to survive later purges, siding with the Mao Zedong faction and rising quickly through Party ranks to become a Vice Premier in the 1950s while still in his thirties. According to the professor, Xi Zhongxun was the youngest Vice Premier among the early generation of CCP leaders. Despite his association with Mao's group, said the professor, Xi Zhongxun was also "good friends" with Deng Xiaoping and was "actually closer to Deng
than to Mao."

BEIJING 00003128 002 OF 006

¶6. (C) The professor's father was also an early revolutionary and contemporary of Mao, from a neighboring county to Mao's in Hunan province. The professor's father participated in the revolution periodically but also spent time in Japan and Hong Kong, distinguishing himself as a labor leader. In 1949, according to the professor, his father agreed to return to Beijing at Mao's insistence and became the PRC's first Minister of Labor and a member of the first Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) Standing Committee.

¶7. (C) Despite Communist Party rhetoric regarding the creation of a "classless" society, the professor described, the pre-Cultural Revolution society and leadership compounds in which he and Xi Jinping grew up were, ironically, the "most precisely class-based mini-society ever constructed." Everything was determined by one's "internal party class status," the professor asserted, including the kindergarten one attended, the place where one shopped, and the type of car one could own. All of these "benefits" were determined by Party rank, such as Politburo Standing Committee member, Vice Minister, or Central Committee member. One's every action, every day, was in some way an indication of one's "class" status, the professor stated. The children of this revolutionary elite were told that they, too, would someday take their rightful place in the Chinese leadership. All of this came to an end in the Cultural Revolution, the professor said, but consciousness of membership in an entitled, elite generation of future rulers has remained among most of the members of this class.

Cultural Revolution and Return to Beijing
-----------------------------------------

¶8. (C) Both Xi Zhongxun and the professor's father were purged during the Cultural Revolution and spent time in prison, according to the professor. (Note: Xi Zhongxun was purged in the early 1960s, several years before the Cultural Revolution began, but things got worse for him and his family once the Cultural Revolution started.) The professor's father was falsely accused of supporting Liu Shaoqi and spent most of the Cultural Revolution years (1966-1976) in prison. Both Xi Zhongxun and the professor's father were later rehabilitated when Deng Xiaoping returned to power. Xi was rehabilitated by Deng in 1978 and was appointed by Deng as Party Secretary in Guangdong in the 1980s.

¶9. (C) In the early 1970s, the circle of youthful friends, including Xi Jinping and the professor, managed to return to Beijing from the countryside. The professor described themselves as "fugitives" of one kind or another. The professor himself served prison time and spent "years on the run" due to his father's status as a "counter-revolutionary." At this time, the professor said, he knew Xi, but they did not spend a great deal of time together.

¶10. (C) The professor said that he and others found dramatically different ways to "survive" the aftermath of the Cultural Revolution. While the professor and his closest circle of friends descended into the pursuit of romantic relationships, drink, movies and Western literature as a release from the hardships of the time, Xi Jinping, by contrast "chose to survive by becoming redder than the red."   (Note: The professor commented that, in a continuation of his attempt to deal with the Cultural Revolution, the professor eventually decided to "flee" China and pursue graduate study -- and a new life -- in the United States.) Unlike the professor and others who shared his Cultural Revolution experience in rural villages, Xi turned to serious politics upon his return to Beijing, joining the CCP in 1974 while his father was still in prison. The professor and his friends were reading DeGaulle and Nixon and "trying to catch up for lost years by having fun," while Xi was reading Marx and laying the foundation for a career in politics. Xi even went off to join a "worker-peasant-soldier revolutionary committee" (note: a label given provincial governing units during the Cultural Revolution), after which the professor had presumed he would never see Xi again. It was an "open secret," the professor said, that it was through the "worker-peasant-soldier revolutionary committee" that Xi got his "bachelor's education." The professor said Xi's first degree was not a "real" university education, but instead a three-year degree in applied Marxism. (Note: Xi's official biography provides no information on Xi between his assignment to Yanchuan county, Shaanxi province, in 1969, and 1975, when, it states, he became a student at Tsinghua University, graduating in 1979.)

Neighbors, 1977-1982
--------------------


BEIJING 00003128 003 OF 006


¶11. (C) When Xi and the professor's fathers were rehabilitated following the Cultural Revolution, the professor said, their respective families were relocated to the "Nanshagou" housing compound in western Beijing, directly across from Diaoyutai. The professor opened his Nanshagou apartment door one day in 1977 and there was Xi, standing across the hall from him. The two friends lived directly across from one another and, the professor said, talked almost daily for the next five years. Xi became a PLA officer "and wore his uniform every day," while the professor became a student at Beijing Shifan Daxue (Beijing Normal University). There were many prominent leaders in Nanshagou, including Wang Daohan, Jiang Zemin's mentor. Jiang frequently rode his bike there, and Jia Qinglin (currently Politburo Standing Committee member) also had a connection to Wang from that time, the professor said.

Sporadic Contact, 1982-1987
---------------------------

¶12. (C) From 1982 to 1987, the professor only saw Xi periodically, most memorably during a visit to Xiamen in the mid-1980s, where Xi was serving as a local official, and in 1987 when Xi visited the professor in Washington, D.C. In Xiamen, Xi treated the professor like royalty, but they did not spend much time together during the professor's visit there, and Xi said very little of substance. The professor, in turn, hosted Xi in Washington, D.C., where the professor was a graduate student. Xi's 1987 visit to the United States was the last time the two men met face to face. The last time the professor spoke with Xi was when his father, Xi Zhongxun, passed away several years ago, at which time the two spoke briefly over the phone when the professor called to offer his condolences. Xi was serving as the Party Secretary of Zhejiang Province at the time.

Xi's Family
-----------

¶13. (C) Xi was the middle child in a family of three children that included an older sister and a younger brother, all of whom were apparently from his father's second marriage, according to the professor. Xi's older sister, Xi An'an, at some point left China for Canada, and as far as the professor knows, still resides there. Xi An'an's husband was in the PLA, the professor said. Xi's younger brother, Xi Yuanping, moved to Hong Kong when it was under British rule. The last time the professor saw Xi Yuanping was in the 1980s, at a time when Xi's father Xi Zhongxun was still Party Secretary in Guangdong province. The brother had become both obese and
very wealthy, the professor said, sporting "expensive jewelry and designer clothing." The professor has lost contact with him since. (Note: Unofficial biographies published in Hong Kong claim Xi had other siblings as well.)

Marriage and Divorce
--------------------

¶14. (C) Xi Jinping's first marriage was to Ke Xiaoming, the daughter of China's 1978-1983 ambassador to Great Britain, Ke Hua. According to the professor, Ke Xiaoming was elegant and well educated. The couple initially lived with Xi's parents in the Nanshagou housing compound, but as his father's political fortunes rose, his parents moved to a new house in "East" Beijing, near the Drum Tower and close to the houses of Deng Xiaoping and Yang Shangkun, leaving the young couple to themselves in the Nanshagou apartment. The couple fought "almost every day," the professor said, and the marriage ended when Ke Xiaoming returned to England and Xi refused to go with her. The professor remarked that he thought Xi's "distant" quality contributed to the couple's divorce. He noted that he had watched Xi "drift" further and further from Ke Xiaoming, until she finally left for England. There was, "of course," no way that Xi would go with her, the professor said. Xi later married a famous PLA singer.

Xi's Early Career: Single-Minded Pursuit of Power
--------------------------------------------- -----

¶15. (C) According to the professor, Xi was always "exceptionally ambitious" and had his "eye on the prize" from the very beginning. Once Xi had returned from his education in the worker-soldier-peasant revolutionary committee, he carefully laid out a career plan that would maximize his opportunities to rise to the top levels of the Party hierarchy, first becoming a PLA officer in the late 1970s and then serving in a variety of provincial leadership positions, progressively rising through the ranks. By 1979, Xi was on the staffs of the State Council and the Central Military Commission (CMC), serving as an assistant to the CMC Secretary General and later Minister of National Defense

BEIJING 00003128 004 OF 006


(1982), General Geng Biao, a revolutionary comrade of his father's. The professor said he had the impression that Geng Biao had helped Xi Jinping get the PLA job, and that Xi Zhongxun had, in turn, given Geng's daughter a position in Guangdong when he was Party Secretary there.

¶16. (C) According to the professor, Xi subsequently became even more serious in plotting a career path to the top. By all appearances, with his father having been politically rehabilitated and rapidly regaining his power, Xi Jinping could have continued to rise quickly in the Central Party apparatus. Xi, however, reasoned that in the long run, staying in Beijing would limit his career potential. Xi told the professor that staying with Geng Biao would eventually shrink his power base, which would ultimately rest primarily on his father's and Geng's networks and political support. Moreover, in time, people would turn against him if he stayed in the Center.

¶17. (C) So in a calculated move to lay the basis for a future return as a Central leader, Xi asked for a position in the countryside and, in 1982, became a local official in Shijiazhuang, the capital of Hebei province. Xi later became the Deputy Party Secretary in Zhengding county, also in Hebei. Xi told the professor at the time that he "would be back one day." (Note: Xi later served for many years in Fujian province, becoming Governor in 2000, then moving to Zhejiang province in 2002 to be Party Secretary, and then to Shanghai as Party Secretary in 2007. He was elevated to the Politburo Standing Committee at the 17th National CCP Congress in October 2007 and was appointed Vice President at the National People's Congress in March 2008.)

¶18. (C) Xi told the professor at the time that going to the provinces was his "only path to central power." Xi thought it was important to know people in the Central Organization Department and to keep his eyes on the Center, even as he worked his way up the ladder as a local official. According to the professor, Xi "had promotion to the Center in mind from day one." Xi knew how to develop personal networks and work the system, first using his father's networks and later building his own.

Xi the Person
-------------

¶19. (C) The professor offered his personal assessment -- based on their similar upbringing and his long association with Xi during his formative years -- of Xi's personality and political views. Although he had not seen Xi in person in more than 20 years, "one cannot entirely escape one's past," he asserted, and "Xi does not want to." The professor on repeated occasions painted a portrait of Xi Jinping as an ambitious, calculating, confident and focused person who in early adulthood demonstrated his singleness of purpose by distinguishing himself from his peers and turning his attention to politics even before the Cultural Revolution had concluded. The professor marveled that Xi joined the Communist Party while his father still languished in a Party prison for alleged political crimes. At the time, the professor and his friend Zhou felt "betrayed" by Xi's embrace of the CCP, but both realized this was one way to "survive."  Xi chose to "join the system" to get ahead. Although Xi never said so explicitly, he sent a message that, in China, there was a better way forward than what the professor had chosen: namely, do not give up on the system. Xi was reserved and detached and "difficult to read," said the professor. He had a "strong mind" and understood power, but "from day one, never showed his hand."

¶20. (C) Unlike those in the social circles the professor ran in, Xi Jinping could not talk about women and movies and did not drink or do drugs. Xi was considered of only average intelligence, the professor said, and not as smart as the professor's peer group. Women thought Xi was "boring." The professor never felt completely relaxed around Xi, who seemed extremely "driven." Nevertheless, despite Xi's lack of popularity in the conventional sense and his "cold and calculating" demeanor in these early years, the professor said, Xi was "not cold-hearted." He was still considered a "good guy" in other ways. Xi was outwardly friendly, "always knew the answers" to questions, and would "always take care of you." The professor surmised that Xi's newfound popularity today, which the professor found surprising, must stem in part from Xi's being "generous and loyal." Xi also does not care at all about money and is not corrupt, the professor stated. Xi can afford to be incorruptible, the professor wryly noted, given that he was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. It is likely that Xi could, however, be
"corrupted by power."


BEIJING 00003128 005 OF 006


Xi's Political Instincts and Biases
-----------------------------------

¶21. (C) In the professor's view, Xi Jinping is supremely pragmatic, a realist, driven not by ideology but by a combination of ambition and "self-protection." The professor saw Xi's early calculations to carefully lay out a realistic career path as an illustration of his pragmatism. The most permanent influences shaping Xi's worldview were his princeling pedigree and formative years growing up with families of first-generation CCP revolutionaries in Beijing's elite residential compounds. These influences were amplified by Xi's decision in his early twenties to join the CCP and then the PLA. Xi solidified these views and values during his subsequent very successful 30-year career as a Party official, the professor concluded.

¶22. (C) Xi is a true "elitist" at heart, according to the professor, and believes that rule by a dedicated and committed Communist Party leadership is the key to enduring social stability and national strength, as in the (self-perceived) elite-dominated society of his youth, knit together by family ties, elders and male authority. After years of conversations with Xi, and having shared a common upbringing with him, the professor said, he is convinced that Xi has a genuine sense of "entitlement," believing that members of his generation are the "legitimate heirs" to the revolutionary achievements of their parents and therefore "deserve to rule China." For this reason, the professor maintained, Xi could never be a "true member" of current President Hu Jintao's camp, even if Xi did not give any indication of opposition to Hu Jintao now. Xi and other first-generation princelings derisively refer to people with non-Party, non-elite, commercial backgrounds like Hu Jintao as "shopkeepers' sons," whose parents did not fight and die for the revolution and therefore do not deserve positions of power.

¶23. (C) Xi knows how very corrupt China is and is repulsed by the all-encompassing commercialization of Chinese society, with its attendant nouveau riche, official corruption, loss of values, dignity, and self-respect, and such "moral evils" as drugs and prostitution, the professor stated. The professor speculated that if Xi were to become the Party General Secretary, he would likely aggressively attempt to address these evils, perhaps at the expense of the new moneyed class.

¶24. (C) Xi at one point early in his career was quite taken with Buddhist mysticism, according to the professor. In comments Xi made to the professor, including during the professor's visit to Xiamen while Xi was serving as an official there, Xi displayed a fascination with Buddhist martial arts, qigong, and other mystical powers said to aid health, as well as with Buddhist sacred sites such as Wutaishan. The professor said he does not know whether Xi was actually religious, or whether he was simply looking for a way to aid his health and well-being. Regardless, the professor said, he was extremely surprised by how much Xi knew about the subject and Xi's seeming belief in
supernatural forces.

Familiarity with the West and Taiwan
------------------------------------

¶25. (C) Based on personal experience, the professor noted, Xi is very familiar with the West, with a sister in Canada, an ex-wife in England, a brother in Hong Kong, many friends overseas, and prior travel to the United States. As far as the professor can discern, Xi's family and friends have had a good experience in the West. The professor contrasted Xi's experience and attitudes toward the West with those of people sent to the United States by their work units, such as the nationalist and sometime anti-U.S. Tsinghua University scholar Yan Xuetong. Xi was the only one of his immediate family to stay behind in China, the professor noted, speculating that Xi knew early on that he would "not be special" outside of China.

¶26. (C) Xi is favorably disposed toward the United States, the professor maintained, and would want to maintain good relations with Washington. The professor said Xi has "no ambition" to "confront" the United States. During Xi's visit to Washington, D.C., in 1987, he told the professor that he had no strong impressions of the United States. Although Xi was not particularly impressed by the United States, he had nothing bad to say about it either. Xi took a detached stance, as if observing from a distance, viewing what he saw as just a normal part of life, not strange, the professor said.

BEIJING 00003128 006 OF 006

¶27. (C) Xi also knows Taiwan and the Taiwan people very well, the professor said, noting that Xi was in Fujian province for more than twenty years. Attracting Taiwan investment to Fujian was an important part of his accomplishments as a Xiamen official.
HUNTSMAN
HUNTSMAN

[ESWN Comment: Who is the informant?  In Paragraph 3, "The contact is an American citizen of Chinese descent who teaches political science at XXXXXXXXXXXX."  In Paragraph 4, "XXXXXXXXXXXX and Xi Jinping were both born in 1953 and grew up in similar circumstances."  In Paragraph 6, "The professor's father participated in the revolution periodically but also spent time in Japan and Hong Kong, distinguishing himself as a labor leader. In 1949, according to the professor, his father agreed to return to Beijing at Mao's insistence and became the PRC's first Minister of Labor and a member of the first Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) Standing Committee."

In the Hong Kong newspaper Ming Pao today, the first Minister of Labor is Li Li San.

According to information (see Baidu Encyclopedia), the first Minister of Labor in the People's Republic of China is Li Lisan (李立三).  According to this blog, Li Lisan had two sons and five daughters.
 
Son #1: First wife's child; born in China in the late 1910's or 1920's; Harbin Industrial University philosophy/social sciences professor.
Son #2: Second wife's child; born in China in the 1920's; navy man; scientific researcher in Hunan.
Daughter #1: Third wife's child; born in the late 1920's; Nanjing Military District Hospital head nurse.
Daughter #2: Third wife's child; born in the late 1920's; Beijing Steel/Iron Research Center professor/senior engineer
Daughter #3: Third wife's child; born in the 1930's; Shanghai Tongjie University department head
Daughter #4: Fifth wife's child; Sino-Russian; born in the 1930's in Russia; Beijing Foreign Languages University Russian Faculty head
Daughter #5: Fifth wife's child; Sino-Russian; born in the 1930's in Russia; Beijing Number Two Foreign Language School teacher.

None of them matched the "professor's" background (age/occupation).  So this specific piece of information in the embassy cable about the professor being the child of the first PRC Minister of Labor is wrong.  But what do you expect anyway?  They actually thought Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction.]

[Addendum:  According to the Alone In The Fart blog, the more likely candidate is Yi Lirong.  According to this biography, Yi Lirong traveled from Hong Kong to Harbin to attend the China National Labor Conference in August 1948 and was elected as an executive committee member as well as the head of its labor security department.  He had also previously been in Japan In 1949, Yi Lirong was elected a member of the first Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) Committee, later serving as its secretary-general.

The above biography is filed under the category of "My father" by Xiaoxiong Yi, a professor of political science in America.]

• [006]  Was The Zhaiqiao Village Land Compensation 700 Million RMB? (01/05/2011)  (Mei Xinyua's blog)