The Whole Story of the Self-Immolation Incident Created by "Falun Gong" Addicts in Tiananmen Square
Written by Xinhua News Agency correspondents. Originally published in the People's Daily, January 31, 2001

Evil Fire Caused by Ignorance

On January 23, 2001, or the Spring Festival Eve, Beijing was beautifully decorated and people across the country were joyously seeing in the first lunar Chinese New Year of the new century. In the afternoon, Tiananmen Square was peaceful. All of a sudden an alarming incident took place:

At 2:41 p.m., a man in his 50s, sitting cross-legged on the northeast side of the Monument to the People's Heroes with his face toward the northwest, poured liquid from a green plastic bottle over his body. Then flames engulfed him. Amidst the flames, the man shouted at the top of his voice: " 'Falun Dafa' is the law the people of the whole world must follow!"

A few minutes later, to the north of the Monument to the People's Heroes, four women poured gasoline over their bodies, and ignited it simultaneously. In the cold winter wind, they became fireballs right away. They ran around in the square screaming. One of them was a young girl, who begged a policeman to save her.

Almost at the same time, a middle-aged woman on the northeastern side of Tiananmen Square suddenly took out a Sprite bottle, poured some liquid into her mouth and spurted it all over her body. Smelling gasoline, a policeman on duty lost no time rushing over to wrest a lighter from her hand, thereby preventing her burning herself to death. Even when she was being escorted to a police van, the woman kept shouting, "Let me go to Heaven! Let me go to Heaven!"

On the northwestern side of the Monument, policemen on duty found two Sprite bottles full of gasoline in the possession of a man, along with a lighter and a razor blade.

The five "Falun Gong" practitioners who had set fire to themselves suffered serious burns. The policemen in Tiananmen Square tried every way to save them, regardless of their own safety. The four policemen who first saw the man to the northeast of the Monument grabbed fire extinguishers and ran to him immediately. One policeman risked his life to rush to the fireball to cover the man's head and body with a fire-extinguishing blanket. The man continued to shout the cult's slogans while trying to push away the blanket, refusing to be saved. In less than one minute, the policemen had put out the fire using four extinguishers successively, and sent the man to a hospital straight away in a police van.

More policemen came to the rescue with fire extinguishers, and one minute and a half later the flames on the four "Falun Gong" practitioners to the north of the Monument had been put out. However, despite the policemen's efforts, one practitioner (a woman) was burnt to death on the spot; the other four were seriously burned-almost charred beyond recognition. Another two practitioners failed in their self-immolation attempt.

In less than seven minutes after the incident, three ambulances from the Beijing First-Aid Center arrived, and took the injured practitioners to the Jishuitan Hospital, the best hospital for treating burns in Beijing.

The leaders of the Beijing Municipal People's Government urged that the hospital save them at any cost. The Jishuitan Hospital immediately organized a rescue team consisting of leading burn experts, and put them under special, round-the-clock care in special wards. Many doctors and nurses voluntarily returned to the hospital despite the Spring Festival holiday to participate in the emergency treatment, upon hearing the news. During the emergency treatment, the patients needed blood transfusions. So the Beijing Health Bureau offered timely help by transferring nearly 10,000 mm of blood plasma and several thousand mm of blood to the hospital.

Fearing that smoke inhalation might cause trachea haematoma in the patients, resulting in death, the team applied the appropriate treatment.

One of the patients, a 19-year-old college student named Chen Guo, never expected that her own gullibility and ignorance would bring her such pain. The doctors found that she suffered burns to 80 percent of her body, of which 50 percent were third-degree burns and those on her face and head fourth-degree burns. She was also suffering from shock.

Liu Siying, a girl of 12, suffered burns to 40 percent of her body, including fourth-degree burns to her head and face. She had difficulty in breathing. Her face and both hands were basically damaged.

Hao Huijun and Wang Jindong also suffered from inhalation injuries and serious burns.

To save their lives, the hospital decided to assign experts to perform particle skin grafting operations on them in two different operation rooms.

The medical personnel nursed the patients with great care. Seriously burnt, Chen Guo could only drink a small amount of milk. Every time, a nurse held a milk bottle and put a few drops of milk into her mouth. Once Chen Guo suddenly choked over milk, and the food in her throat sprayed onto the face of Nurse Hai Xiufang. Hai cleaned her face and continued to feed her. Though blind, Liu Siying wanted a toy one day. The medical personnel went to buy a toy bear right away, which could play beautiful music. Whenever a nurse gave her an injection, or drew blood from her, the bear played the music for her to reduce her pains.

A Carefully Calculated Plan for Going Up to "Heaven"

A preliminary investigation by the public security bureau showed that the seven "Falun Gong" practitioners involved in this self-immolation tragedy in Tiananmen Square are from Kaifeng, Henan Province. All of them are "Falun Gong" fanatics. The woman who died was Liu Chunling, 36 years old. She not only practiced "Falun Gong" herself, but also introduced it to her young daughter Liu Siying, a fifth-grade pupil at Kaifeng's Pingguoyuan Primary School. Wang Jindong was the organizer of the incident. Wang started to practice "Falun Gong" in 1996. On December 19, 2000, he and his family went to Tiananmen Square and held up a "Falun Gong" streamer.

Hao Huijun, 47 years old, was a music teacher in a middle school in Kaifeng. Her colleagues said that Hao used to be a good teacher, broad-minded and good at singing and dancing. But after she started practicing "Falun Gong" in 1997, she gradually became withdrawn and dispirited, and finally went insane. In December 2000 she participated in the gathering of "Falun Gong" practitioners in Tiananmen Square. Influenced by her, her daughter Chen Guo, who studied music in Beijing, became infatuated with "Falun gong" too. Chen Guo once went with her mother to cause trouble in Tiananmen Square.

According to the police investigation, the incident was a shocking and absurd action taken by "Falun Gong" practitioners who had been incited and spiritually controlled by Li Hongzhi, in the hope of reaching "fulfillment" and going to the "Heavenly Kingdom."

Liu Baorong, who tried but failed to burn herself to death, used to be a worker at the Kaifeng Yarn-Dyed Fabric Mill. She left the factory in 1984, after suffering an industrial injury. She started to practice "Falun Gong" in October 1995. After being re-educated, she has started to see through the cult nature of "Falun Gong." She said, "Every one of us who came to Tiananmen Square commit suicide did so in the hope of going up to 'paradise'."

As for this self-immolation incident, Liu Baorong said, "In his scriptures and speeches, Li Hongzhi mentioned time and again that some of his followers had not 'walked out' yet. I feared that if I delayed 'walking out' I would not be able to reach my true 'fulfillment'." She continued, "I thought 'fulfillment' meant 'going to paradise.' It was a good thing. It would be finished in the twinkling of an eye, so we will not feel any pain." That was why she tried to burn herself to death in Tiananmen Square.

Liu Yunfang, 57, was a temporary worker in a paint shop in Kaifeng. He told these correspondents: "I was ready to burn myself to death so as to go to 'paradise,' as promised by Li Hongzhi."

Before coming to Beijing, they made meticulous arrangements. Wang Jindong was in charge of buying the train tickets. On January 16, Hao Huijun, Liu Yunfang and Liu Baorong, led by Wang Jindong, boarded a train to Beijing together. Liu Siying and her mother Liu Chunling got on the same train. When the train started moving, the six "Falun Gong" practitioners bade farewell to another "Falun Gong" practitioner who had come to the railway station to see them off, saying "See you in 'paradise.'"

On the morning of January 17, Chen Guo met them at the Beijing West Railway Station, in accordance with the plan. With the help of "Falun Gong" practitioners in Beijing, they hid themselves in a residential building for seven days, preparing to burn themselves to death on the Spring Festival Eve in Tiananmen Square.

They laid low, so as not to arouse suspicion. A neighbor said, "I thought the place was empty. I did not see anyone coming or going during that time."

During this preparation period, these "Falun Gong" fanatics were busy discussing how to "go up to paradise," and live happily there ever after. They also encouraged each other. When Chen Guo worried that burning herself to death might be painful, Wang Jindong told her: "Ordinary people suffer pain. But 'Falun Gong' practitioners do not. You'll be in 'paradise' within a minute." Liu Baorong also advised her, "The important thing is for the god to come out. You mustn't think the way run-off-the-mill people think."

Liu Yunfang told the child Liu Siying that "paradise" was wonderful." In paradise, everything is made of gold. The roads are paved with gold, and the trees are made of gold too. If you reach your 'fulfillment,' you will be the 'King of the Law' in 'paradise.' At that time, many people will serve you¡­."

The police found a number of "Falun Gong" books, audio and video tapes, leaflets and other propaganda materials in the room they had occupied, such as Falun Fofa (Preached in the United States), Zhuan Falun, The Great Fulfillment of Falun Fofa, and a tape recorder for releasing propaganda materials.

Wang Jindong, who was once a driver, was the one who suggested committing suicide by setting themselves alight. He and Liu Yunfang bought the gasoline, and Hao Huijun purchased razor blades and lighters. They slit the linings and pockets of their overcoats, and tied plastic bags full of gasoline to their waists.

After several experiments, they discovered that gasoline still oozed out even if it was put in three layers of plastic bags. Then Liu Baorong suggested using 1.25-liter plastic bottles of Sprite soft drink, as Sprite was the same color as gasoline, and would not arouse suspicion. Then they decided the time and place for self-immolation in Tiananmen Square, and that each should take two lighters, in case one failed.

On the morning of January 23, with the help of a diehard "Falun Gong" practitioner in Beijing, they bought a box of bottled Sprite soft drink. They poured out the contents of the bottles, and filled them with gasoline. Then, taking razor blades and lighters with them, they went by taxi to Tiananmen Square. A meeting was being held at the time in the Great Hall of the People, and the square was packed with automobiles, so it was closed temporarily. After strolling around until the early afternoon, when the square was clear once more, they resumed their plan¡­.

Liu Baorong said that, according to the original plan, at 2:30 p.m. the seven of them would ignite themselves in different places in the square simultaneously. "However, my watch was wrong. Finding that no one had started to take action, I took out the Sprite bottle from my bag¡­.It was the police who saved my life." She said that she wanted to thank the police.

Liu Yunfang said, "When I was about to ignite the gasoline, the police stopped me, just in time."

With the help of the police, Liu Baorong and Liu Yunfang were saved from the evil "flames." However, this evil fire gobbled up five "Falun Gong" fanatics¡­.

Interviewing Liu Yunfang and Liu Baorong, these correspondents realized that those "Falun Gong" practitioners had lost their reason and common sense. When we went to Kaifeng to tell Wang Jindong's wife and daughter how badly burnt Wang Jindong was, his wife and daughter, also infatuated with "Falun Gong," looked numb, and displayed no sadness whatsoever. Were they proud of Wang's horrifying action?

Upon hearing the news that Chen Guo had badly burnt herself in Tiananmen Square, her relatives and teachers felt very sorry for her, and expressed their great indignation at the cult nature of "Falun Gong," which harms and kills people.

At Beijing's Jishuitan Hospital, we saw Liu Siying lying in the burns ward. Though she was suffering terribly, she still kept telling her nurse how fine the "Heavenly Kingdom" was. This na?ve girl, who has read Zhuan Falun many times, is deeply poisoned by the lies told by Li Hongzhi about the "Heavenly Kingdom."

At the mention of Liu Siying, Liu Baorong showed great sympathy for her, saying, "The girl is very intelligent. It was her mother who introduced her to 'Falun Gong.' Her mother is infatuated with 'Falun Gong.' Her mother ruined her. Li Hongzhi ruined her!"

A Tragic Result and Tears of Regret

Of the seven "Falun Gong" fanatics who went to Tiananmen Square to commit suicide, two were stopped before they could harm themselves, but the other five suffered a tragic outcome---one was burnt to death on the spot, and the other four were badly burned.

According to senior doctor Li Chi of Jishuitan Hospital's Burns Department, their rescuing efforts have resulted in keeping the four survivors in a fairly stable condition, but it does not mean that they are out of danger now. They still need several more operations and have yet to face the test of infection. Even if they can pull through, they will be disable to varying degrees, some of them even losing the ability to take care of themselves. "We are doing our utmost to rescue them," Li Chi told these correspondents.

Liu Baorong, a retired worker of 54, had a narrow escape thanks to the prompt action of the police. When recalling the tragedy, she was overcome with regret, saying, "According to 'Falun Dafa,' if practitioners attain a certain realm, there will only be white smoke when they go up to 'Heaven.' It will only take a minute for the soul to go up to 'Heaven,' leaving only bones. But when they were burning themselves, I saw only black smoke. I was shocked!"

We asked her: "What made you go to Tiananmen Square to commit suicide?"

"I was influenced by Li Hongzhi's scriptures.' Li Hongzhi told us to 'forget life and death,' 'tolerate the intolerable,' and 'attain fulfillment.'"

"Why did you choose Tiananmen Square?"

"We learned that an old female 'Falun Gong' practitioner in northeast China once had a dream. In her dream, she saw a streamer in Tiananmen Square, with the words: 'Place for Falun Gong practitioners to sign their names.' That was why we picked Tiananmen Square."

"How can you believe an old woman's dream?"

"We were very superstitious, and refused to come to our senses at that time. It seemed to us that only in Tiananmen Square would we not be afraid of death, and could go to the 'Heavenly Kingdom."

"What does the 'Heavenly Kingdom' look like?"

"According to Li Hongzhi, the 'Heavenly Kingdom' is a world of gold. Everything is made of gold. The roads are paved with gold. There are gold birds. Even human bodies are gold."

"Do you still believe that?"

"No. It is a lie."

"What do you think of your life now, after the incident?"

"Life is truly precious. We should not give up our lives to worship anybody. We went too far. Li Hongzhi is enjoying a comfortable life in the United States now, but we are suffering."

"What do you think of 'Falun Gong' after this incident?"

" 'Falun Gong' harms its practitioners, and others too, and brings calamity to the country and the people. After getting to know the truth and how badly those people were burned, the 'disciples of Dafa' should wake up and make their minds clear right away."

Chen Guo, who was burned almost beyond recognition, lay in a bed in the burns ward of Jishuitan Hospital. She has almost lost her ability to speak. Seeing her charred hands and face, we could hardly believe that she used to be a beautiful sophomore student at the Department of Folk Music of Beijing's Central Conservatory of Music, learning to play the pipa ( a traditional Chinese stringed instrument).

Chen Guo was introduced to music by her mother. At the age of 12, she went to Singapore to perform with the 'Milky Way Youngsters' Art Troupe of China Central Television. She was a good student at school. Later her mother began to believe in "Falun Gong." Under her mother's influence, she started to practice "Falun Gong" too. In 1998, her father, who loved her deeply, died of illness. After that, she became taciturn and withdrawn. In 1999, discovering that she was participating in "Falun Gong" activities, her teachers had heart-to-heart talks with her time and again. In a letter she wrote to her teacher, she said, "Of all sciences, 'Falun Dafa' is the most mysterious and most extraordinary science in the world, " and "my life was created by 'Dafa.'" When we went to see Chen Guo at the hospital, she could hardly speak, but nodded and shook her head most of the time during our interview.

"All your teachers and classmates like you. Is it true?"

She nodded her head.

"Did you practice 'Falun Gong' in the past?"

She nodded her head.

"Will you practice 'Falun Gong' in the future?"

She shook her head.

"Do you regret practicing 'Falun Gong'?"

"Yes." She made a great effort to get the word out.

"Will you play the pipa in the future?"

She nodded her head. However, her charred hands told us: Playing the pipa can only be a dream for the rest of her life. "Falun Gong" has ruined the bright future of a young girl who had the world at her feet.

Liu Siying is intelligent. She won many prizes at school. Her classmates called her "The Carefree One." But under the influence of her mother, she started to practice "Falun Gong" at home in March 1999. Tempted by the "World of the Wheel of the Law," and the "King of the Law," Liu Siying took the decision to burn herself to death to reach "Heaven." Other "Falun Gong" practitioners encouraged her, saying, "When you set fire to yourself, the important thing is for the god to come out. You mustn't think the way run-off-the-mill people think. In the twinkling of an eye, it will be all over."

"Did you feel pain when you were burning?"

"Yes."

"Then why did you set fire to yourself?"

"I didn't know it would cause pain."

"Which world did you want to go to?"

"A wonderful world."

"Why haven't you got there?"

"My mother deceived me."

The interview came to the end. We walked out of the ward with a heavy heart. If there had been no "Falun Gong," or if they had not been duped by the cult, these innocent people, including a child of 12, would not have suffered such a tragedy.

Banning "Falun Gong" that has brought calamities to the country and the people, and cracking down on its evil schemes is the Chinese government's firm stand. Those who still refuse to come to their senses, but continue to follow the cult will come to tragic ends too. The bloody lesson of this latest horrifying incident should remove the scales from the eyes of even the most diehard "Falun Gong" practitioners. They should refuse to be deceived by "Falun Gong" any longer.

History will always remember this tragic day.

(Compiled by New Star Publishers, March 2001)