Tian'anmen Tragedy: a Conspiracy by Falun Gong Cult (03/01/2001)
2004-03-09 11:52
Police investigations have found that the
self-immolation tragedy by
five Falun Gong practitioners last month in Tian'anmen Square was a
direct result of incitement and spiritual control by cult leader Li
Hongzhi, and a conspiracy by his diehard followers.
The direct organizers of the tragedy, Liu Yunfang and Xue Hongjun,
have been arrested, while another mastermind of the horrible scene,
Wan Jindong, has been hospitalized since he set himself ablaze
together with four others on January 23.
According to the investigations, Liu Yunfang, 57, was a former
factory worker in Kaifeng City, Henan Province in central China. He
started practicing Falun Gong in 1997.
Not long afterwards, he began to boast of his "heavenly eyes" that
allow him to see "life and substances in another space". He also
claimed to be one of the top ten disciples of Li Hongzhi.
Since May 2000, in his lectures Li Hongzhi has repeatedly urged
practitioners to "devote their lives wholly to Falun Gong" so that
they can achieve "nirvana".
Liu told his fellow practitioners Wang Jindong, Hao Huijun and Xue
Hongjun that he had realized what "nirvana" was. According to him,
it meant giving up everything and thereby gaining access to "
heaven".
Liu declared later that while he was practicing, he saw his spirit
carrying a lighter and gasoline to Tian'anmen Square and setting it
on fire. Whereupon he saw his "Buddha body" spraying fire from the
mouth and displaying a brilliant light."
Liu told this to Xue Hongjun, who then spread the story among other
Falun Gong practitioners.
Meanwhile, another practitioner, Wang Jindong, claimed that he had
come to realize that the supreme form of achieving "nirvana" was to
burn oneself in Tian'anmen Square, and still better, on the eve of
the Lunar New Year.
Following the latest instruction of Li Hongzhi which urged his
followers to sacrifice everything for Falun Gong, Liu, Wang, Xue and
Hao met on January 10, 2001, and agreed to burn themselves to death
in Tian'anmen on the eve of the Lunar New Year, which fell on
January 23.
Xue further suggested that more people should be organized to join
them. And so Liu Yunfang and Wang Jindong called Liu Baorong, Liu
Chunling and her 12-year-old daughter Liu Ying, while Hao Huijun
phoned her daughter Chen Guo, who was studying in Beijing and also a
practitioner.
On January 16, Liu Yunfang, Wang Jindong, Hao Huijun, Liu Baorong,
Liu Chunling and Liu Siying left Kaifeng for Beijing. Xue went to
the railway station to see them off, and said he would meet them in
"heaven".
The six arrived in Beijing the next morning, and met Chen Guo. They
found lodgings at the house of a Beijing practitioner, but were
transferred to another apartment by the local Falun Gong
organization on the same day.
The seven thereupon started their preparations. They bought 40
litters of gasoline, which they poured into 14 empty Sprite bottles.
Perfume was sprayed over the bottles to cover up the smell of
gasoline. The time for the self-immolation was fixed at 2: 30 p.m.,
January 23.
On the fatal day, Hao Huijun, Chen Guo, Liu Chunling and Liu Siying
took a taxi to Tian'anmen Square. They poured gasoline on their
bodies in a nearby toilet and set fire to themselves on the square.
About 10 minutes later, Liu Yunfang, Wang Jindong and Liu Baorong
arrived at the square in another taxi. The latter two set themselves
on fire, but Liu Yunfang did not. He didn't even pour gasoline on
himself.
Liu Chunling died on the spot, while the other four were seriously
injured and were immediately rushed to hospital.
"I did not set myself on fire, because the 'master' wanted me to
stay. He want me to live so that I can speak," Liu Yunfang explained
to the police.
"They had a deeper belief than I, so they attained 'nirvana'. I had
not reached their level so I changed my mind," Liu added.
Xue Hongjun was reluctant to admit his role in the tragedy. But
pressed by reporters, he gave a long sigh, and said, "I'm a sinner.
"
Upon learning that Li Hongzhi has denied that the victims were
followers of Falun Gong, Xue said, "They are telling lies. Li
Hongzhi is shirking his responsibility, but God will not forgive
him." His hands trembled with anger.
With her body entirely wrapped in bandage, 12-year-old Liu Siying
said her biggest wish is to go home and continue with her schooling.
"I must catch up with my lessons. My classmates are going into the
sixth grade, I don't want to be left behind alone," she said.
Chen Guo, a music college student, said she wanted to return to
school so that she could be a music teacher upon graduation.
However, doctors at the Beijing Jishuitan Hospital said the four are
still in a critical condition.
"We have transplanted skin for all four of them. But the burns are
massive, and the danger of infection is high," said Li Chi, the
doctor in charge of the burn unit.
Even they survive, they face a difficult life, as their faces are
seriously deformed and their hands are actually non-existent, the
doctor said.
five Falun Gong practitioners last month in Tian'anmen Square was a
direct result of incitement and spiritual control by cult leader Li
Hongzhi, and a conspiracy by his diehard followers.
The direct organizers of the tragedy, Liu Yunfang and Xue Hongjun,
have been arrested, while another mastermind of the horrible scene,
Wan Jindong, has been hospitalized since he set himself ablaze
together with four others on January 23.
According to the investigations, Liu Yunfang, 57, was a former
factory worker in Kaifeng City, Henan Province in central China. He
started practicing Falun Gong in 1997.
Not long afterwards, he began to boast of his "heavenly eyes" that
allow him to see "life and substances in another space". He also
claimed to be one of the top ten disciples of Li Hongzhi.
Since May 2000, in his lectures Li Hongzhi has repeatedly urged
practitioners to "devote their lives wholly to Falun Gong" so that
they can achieve "nirvana".
Liu told his fellow practitioners Wang Jindong, Hao Huijun and Xue
Hongjun that he had realized what "nirvana" was. According to him,
it meant giving up everything and thereby gaining access to "
heaven".
Liu declared later that while he was practicing, he saw his spirit
carrying a lighter and gasoline to Tian'anmen Square and setting it
on fire. Whereupon he saw his "Buddha body" spraying fire from the
mouth and displaying a brilliant light."
Liu told this to Xue Hongjun, who then spread the story among other
Falun Gong practitioners.
Meanwhile, another practitioner, Wang Jindong, claimed that he had
come to realize that the supreme form of achieving "nirvana" was to
burn oneself in Tian'anmen Square, and still better, on the eve of
the Lunar New Year.
Following the latest instruction of Li Hongzhi which urged his
followers to sacrifice everything for Falun Gong, Liu, Wang, Xue and
Hao met on January 10, 2001, and agreed to burn themselves to death
in Tian'anmen on the eve of the Lunar New Year, which fell on
January 23.
Xue further suggested that more people should be organized to join
them. And so Liu Yunfang and Wang Jindong called Liu Baorong, Liu
Chunling and her 12-year-old daughter Liu Ying, while Hao Huijun
phoned her daughter Chen Guo, who was studying in Beijing and also a
practitioner.
On January 16, Liu Yunfang, Wang Jindong, Hao Huijun, Liu Baorong,
Liu Chunling and Liu Siying left Kaifeng for Beijing. Xue went to
the railway station to see them off, and said he would meet them in
"heaven".
The six arrived in Beijing the next morning, and met Chen Guo. They
found lodgings at the house of a Beijing practitioner, but were
transferred to another apartment by the local Falun Gong
organization on the same day.
The seven thereupon started their preparations. They bought 40
litters of gasoline, which they poured into 14 empty Sprite bottles.
Perfume was sprayed over the bottles to cover up the smell of
gasoline. The time for the self-immolation was fixed at 2: 30 p.m.,
January 23.
On the fatal day, Hao Huijun, Chen Guo, Liu Chunling and Liu Siying
took a taxi to Tian'anmen Square. They poured gasoline on their
bodies in a nearby toilet and set fire to themselves on the square.
About 10 minutes later, Liu Yunfang, Wang Jindong and Liu Baorong
arrived at the square in another taxi. The latter two set themselves
on fire, but Liu Yunfang did not. He didn't even pour gasoline on
himself.
Liu Chunling died on the spot, while the other four were seriously
injured and were immediately rushed to hospital.
"I did not set myself on fire, because the 'master' wanted me to
stay. He want me to live so that I can speak," Liu Yunfang explained
to the police.
"They had a deeper belief than I, so they attained 'nirvana'. I had
not reached their level so I changed my mind," Liu added.
Xue Hongjun was reluctant to admit his role in the tragedy. But
pressed by reporters, he gave a long sigh, and said, "I'm a sinner.
"
Upon learning that Li Hongzhi has denied that the victims were
followers of Falun Gong, Xue said, "They are telling lies. Li
Hongzhi is shirking his responsibility, but God will not forgive
him." His hands trembled with anger.
With her body entirely wrapped in bandage, 12-year-old Liu Siying
said her biggest wish is to go home and continue with her schooling.
"I must catch up with my lessons. My classmates are going into the
sixth grade, I don't want to be left behind alone," she said.
Chen Guo, a music college student, said she wanted to return to
school so that she could be a music teacher upon graduation.
However, doctors at the Beijing Jishuitan Hospital said the four are
still in a critical condition.
"We have transplanted skin for all four of them. But the burns are
massive, and the danger of infection is high," said Li Chi, the
doctor in charge of the burn unit.
Even they survive, they face a difficult life, as their faces are
seriously deformed and their hands are actually non-existent, the
doctor said.