Fengshi Yang
Opening remarks
The 19th anniversary of “Tiananmen, June 4th” Memorial Concert
6/1/2008
What is any moment without its promise, without its dreams, without its hope for the future? That moment is empty.
Please know, that such an empty moment does not exist, because every moment contains promise. Just like an acorn seed promises the oak tree; a baby promises an adult; and the student promises a mind that can think thoughts for the greater good of his people. But, not every promise becomes reality.
Nineteen years ago, Lady Liberty lived in Tiannamen Square. The moment was filled with promise and dreams and hopes for democracy in China. It was an astonishing moment in world history. The promise was great. But, it was never allowed to take root. So, China lost an opportunity; we lost courageous young souls who dared to dream of something miraculous for their country; and the world lost a chance to have the most populated country in the world turn into a democratic republic. We must remember this moment. We must honor our dead... we must honor our survivors. And we must keep vigil with the dream, with the promise of that moment.
All change requires loss. But, staying the same takes it toll, also. Why was China like Odysseus shipwrecked in a stormy sea... clinging ferociously to the shattered keel of his original ship...? What could have been our present moment now had China then the courage to try democratic freedoms? We will never know the answer to that question. But, we must hold on to our memories of the promise of that moment 19 years ago. We must remember those who gave their lives for the possibility of change, especially since that change has not yet happened.
Democracy is hard work. Freedom means the possibility of mistakes, the chance to agree to disagree and the opportunity to try again. Let us remember the promise from 19 years ago when Lady Liberty stood in Tiannamen. May she live again for the sake of our people, our troubled nation, and for the sake of world peace.
The world can tremble in many ways.
Whether it is the ideological challenge to the status quo
Or the literal quaking of the ground upon which one stands.
19 years ago
the world trembled
and then, held its breath
as the promise of the moment failed.
19 days ago
the land rumbled,
buildings tumbled
and the world trembled at the destruction and loss of life.
All must begin anew
for we are never the same after such an event.
We pray for those victims.
We pray for those in Sichuan province
who have no choice
but to exist in this strange new reality.
And we stand here today
keeping vigil with them
in our hearts and prayers.
We pause
for a moment of silence
as we light our candles
out of respect for the magnificent mystery of life.
Let us remember all those who suffer.
2008年6月5日
2008年6月3日
the TianAnMen Mothers Professor Ding ZiLin's Letter on June 4
The South Korea Chapter of the Overseas Chinese Democracy Coalition
Commemorates June 4; Representative of the TianAnMen Mothers Professor
Ding ZiLin's Letter on June 4
The South Korea Chapter of the Overseas Chinese Democracy Coalition
Commemorates June 4
On the evening of June 3, 2008, despite heavy rain, members of the
South Korea Chapter of the Overseas Chinese Democracy Coalition held
a "Commemorating June 4 Candlelight Vigil" in the Chinese church in
Seoul. During the commemoration, members held a 3-minute silence in
mourning of the 6.4 victims and the victims of the WenChuan
earthquake, in front of a display of candles made in the sign of "6.4."
Chapter member ZHENG Cai gave a speech titled "We Shall Remember 6.4
Forever"; Chapter committee member WU Jiang read a"6.4 Eulogy"; Deputy
Director DENG YunBi read the May 30, 2008 letter from representative
of the TianAnMen Mothers Professor Ding ZiLin (printed below);
Director WU ZhenRong delivered his speech titled "Why do we
commemorate June 4 every year?" The memorial service lasted for 50
minutes.
This is the 6th consecutive year of the 6.4 memorial service for the
South Korea Chapter since 2003, as well as their continuation of
democracy advocating work within the Chinese population in South Korea.
__ __ __
Letter from Professor Ding ZiLing
My dear compatriots and friends,
On this 19th anniversary I would like to thank you, on behalf of the
TianAnMen Mothers group, for your consecutive efforts in holding
annual memorial services at the same place for the past 19 years to
commemorate the deaths of the June 4 massacre in 1989. In the passing
of time, such gathering is gaining significance not only as respect
for the dead but also as hope for the future. It is not only a
demonstration of moral courage but also an expression for a consistent
conviction. I would like to thank you all for this, again on behalf of
every member of the TianAnMen Mothers.
We just went through an earthquake of extraordinary scale in our own
country where grief for the dead was universal. Such a calamity has
left on our land tens of thousands of dead again. What we find
difficult to address is that so many children were among the dead. All
those fresh lives were buried under the fallen structures. Mothers
wept for the loss of their children. All these tragedies bring out
sympathy from every kind-hearted person.
As mothers who lost their children 19 years ago, we know the pain at
the time of the calamity and from the death that came with the
calamity. Our hearts are now very fragile and are not so strong any
longer when the bad news of losing lives comes in bunches. Yesterday,
China had TianAnMen mothers. Today a new group of Sichuan Mothers came
into being. Is this the destiny of the Chinese race?
The natural calamity is horrible since it is so difficult to predict.
But the human made horrors are even more horrible since they should
not have happened. Hundreds and thousands of young men and women, and
innocent civilians died from the bullets of the "Republic's army" and
the wheels of the tanks. That was criminal. Those children of today's
tragedy could have survived. They died from the natural calamity and
human made calamity --- the tofu-type building projects.
Most of the numerous abnormal deaths are due to a sick system and a
wrong concept.
The Chinese political system protects nothing except power and money.
What are lacking in the mind of Chinese race are the respect and
concern for life, and the respect and fear of death. For thousands of
years, especially in the past more than half-century, life and human
value are not respected and are either seen as trivial as a piece of
grass or as in the hand of fate in the minds of people of all status.
People cannot forget Deng Xiaoping's tough expression of exchanging
twenty years of stability for two hundred thousand lives. After 19
years, people will still remember the cold blooded order of "positive
media coverage" while so many have died in the earthquake.
Systems and concepts are difficult to change. But the change is
inevitable. What June 4 has brought about proves that change is a
must. This earthquake proves again that the change is a must.
Today we get together to appeal to our compatriots for enhancing the
respect for life and concern and reminding people of the fear for
death. We appeal so that our system can change its nature according to
the universal value of mankind. Only with this universal value can we
have the security for every life and we will be free of the fear for
the immediate death, of ourselves or our loved ones.
Thanks you very much.
Ding Zilin
May 30, 2008
------------------------------
Commemorates June 4; Representative of the TianAnMen Mothers Professor
Ding ZiLin's Letter on June 4
The South Korea Chapter of the Overseas Chinese Democracy Coalition
Commemorates June 4
On the evening of June 3, 2008, despite heavy rain, members of the
South Korea Chapter of the Overseas Chinese Democracy Coalition held
a "Commemorating June 4 Candlelight Vigil" in the Chinese church in
Seoul. During the commemoration, members held a 3-minute silence in
mourning of the 6.4 victims and the victims of the WenChuan
earthquake, in front of a display of candles made in the sign of "6.4."
Chapter member ZHENG Cai gave a speech titled "We Shall Remember 6.4
Forever"; Chapter committee member WU Jiang read a"6.4 Eulogy"; Deputy
Director DENG YunBi read the May 30, 2008 letter from representative
of the TianAnMen Mothers Professor Ding ZiLin (printed below);
Director WU ZhenRong delivered his speech titled "Why do we
commemorate June 4 every year?" The memorial service lasted for 50
minutes.
This is the 6th consecutive year of the 6.4 memorial service for the
South Korea Chapter since 2003, as well as their continuation of
democracy advocating work within the Chinese population in South Korea.
__ __ __
Letter from Professor Ding ZiLing
My dear compatriots and friends,
On this 19th anniversary I would like to thank you, on behalf of the
TianAnMen Mothers group, for your consecutive efforts in holding
annual memorial services at the same place for the past 19 years to
commemorate the deaths of the June 4 massacre in 1989. In the passing
of time, such gathering is gaining significance not only as respect
for the dead but also as hope for the future. It is not only a
demonstration of moral courage but also an expression for a consistent
conviction. I would like to thank you all for this, again on behalf of
every member of the TianAnMen Mothers.
We just went through an earthquake of extraordinary scale in our own
country where grief for the dead was universal. Such a calamity has
left on our land tens of thousands of dead again. What we find
difficult to address is that so many children were among the dead. All
those fresh lives were buried under the fallen structures. Mothers
wept for the loss of their children. All these tragedies bring out
sympathy from every kind-hearted person.
As mothers who lost their children 19 years ago, we know the pain at
the time of the calamity and from the death that came with the
calamity. Our hearts are now very fragile and are not so strong any
longer when the bad news of losing lives comes in bunches. Yesterday,
China had TianAnMen mothers. Today a new group of Sichuan Mothers came
into being. Is this the destiny of the Chinese race?
The natural calamity is horrible since it is so difficult to predict.
But the human made horrors are even more horrible since they should
not have happened. Hundreds and thousands of young men and women, and
innocent civilians died from the bullets of the "Republic's army" and
the wheels of the tanks. That was criminal. Those children of today's
tragedy could have survived. They died from the natural calamity and
human made calamity --- the tofu-type building projects.
Most of the numerous abnormal deaths are due to a sick system and a
wrong concept.
The Chinese political system protects nothing except power and money.
What are lacking in the mind of Chinese race are the respect and
concern for life, and the respect and fear of death. For thousands of
years, especially in the past more than half-century, life and human
value are not respected and are either seen as trivial as a piece of
grass or as in the hand of fate in the minds of people of all status.
People cannot forget Deng Xiaoping's tough expression of exchanging
twenty years of stability for two hundred thousand lives. After 19
years, people will still remember the cold blooded order of "positive
media coverage" while so many have died in the earthquake.
Systems and concepts are difficult to change. But the change is
inevitable. What June 4 has brought about proves that change is a
must. This earthquake proves again that the change is a must.
Today we get together to appeal to our compatriots for enhancing the
respect for life and concern and reminding people of the fear for
death. We appeal so that our system can change its nature according to
the universal value of mankind. Only with this universal value can we
have the security for every life and we will be free of the fear for
the immediate death, of ourselves or our loved ones.
Thanks you very much.
Ding Zilin
May 30, 2008
------------------------------
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