Chen Guo before her self-burning.
Chen Guo, a sophomore in Central Conservatory of Music who had participated in the Tian'anmen Square self-immolation incident along with her mother Hao Huijun on January 23, 2001, was interviewed by Chinese and foreign reporters at a hospital in Henan's Kaifeng after more than one year's treatment.
Chen Guo lied on the bed, and her scarred head, face, arms and lower limbs were all bare. Both her arms laid naturally on her chest, while her deft hands, which had been skilled in playing Chinese lute, was lost for ever because of self-burning. Chen looked calmed at the reporters with her right eyes.
When a reporter asked, "How are you going now?"
"Everything is ok except for some occasional uncomfortable feeling with my eyes and arms," Chen Guo's voice was low but clear.
At her own request, Chen Guo and her mother stayed in a single room. In the ward of less than 15 square meters, sunshine was leaded in through the large window. In the room there were heating facility, color TV, a telephone and an independent washroom with all day long hot water supply. On the window frame near Chen's bed, there was a tape recorder that could receive radio broadcast and a lovely toy bear, which according to Chen, was the memento left by Liu Siying, a victim of Tian'anmen Square self-immolation incident. Near the toy bear, there was a student identity card of Central Conservatory of Music with Chen Guo's photo on it.
"How do you think of that incident? Do you repent for that?"
"It is no use for repenting. It was so crazy and obsessed for me to practice Falun Gong in those days that finally I myself was set alight to achieve 'consummation'," said Chen.
"Do you have any plan for your future life?" asked a reporter.
After a short meditation, Chen said, "Just let it be." Then she turned her head away through the window and said no more.
Chen Guo, a girl had been excellent in her study and very talented in music, should have nothing to worry about her future. But now, life in front of the twenty-year-old girl is too harsh.
"As you practiced Falun Gong, did you anticipate such sequence?"
"Of course not. How could I anticipate such an sequence?" said Chen.
"How do you think of Falun Gong?"
"Falun Gong is indeed a cult that devastates people's lives as well as the society," Chen answered without hesitation.
"Do you miss the college life and your classmates?"
"Yes, I do."
A reporter asked, "What do you want to have most?"
Chen answered calmly, "To lead a normal life."
The reporter noticed that Hao Huijun, who stayed on the other side of the ward, was carefully listening to her daughter talking. Hao was completely deformed with injuries all over her body and her eyes blind. "I began to practice Falun Gong in August 1996. I asked my daughter to practice along with me later. It is so bad to have such a sequence," Hao said, "In Falun Gong, Li Hongzhi told us to go beyond life and death and have whole heart and soul devotion. In those days I just thought what I had done was right."
A reporter asked, "It is said that you had received a lection from Li Hongzhi encouraging you to abandon the last persistency to achieve 'consummation', is that so?"
"Yes, there is such a lection." Hao said affirmatively.
"The fact proves contrary to that of going beyond life and death to achieve 'consummation'. Do you think your master is right?" asked a reporter.
"I have just thought to follow the lection to 'go to the heaven' with the master if 'consummated'. Who knows it is so bad to have such a consequence."
(China News Website, April 8, 2002)
