Wang Jindong, a former Falun Gong practitioner born in 1951 in Kaifeng, Henan, was sentenced to an imprisonment term of 15 years for having instigated and organized the "Tian'anmen Square Self-immolation Incident" on January 23, 2001. Wang got a commutation of 2 years and 6 months in April 2003 and he is now serving the sentence in Zhengzhou Prison.
"you are a hollow man without a brain!"Wang Jindong once commented on his son-in-law to-be who didn't practice Falun Gong.
He started practicing Falun Gong in October 1996 under the instigation of his friend Xue Hongjun.
Wang Jindong, who believed in the existence of Buddha, occasionally made a pilgrimage in Xiangguo Temple or other temples in Kaifeng and had a Buddha sculpture in his family. Wang Jindong has been enthusiastic in charity as well.
Wang Jindong didn't intend to learn Buddhism, as Buddhist classics were quite recondite for him, and above all, he was engaged in his business with just a little free time. Wang Jindong tried hard in reading "Zhuan Falun". In reading, he observed that there were a lot of Buddhist theories that had been recondite to him before were easy and understandable in the book "Zhuan Falun". By 1999, Wang Jindong was fully obsessed in Falun Gong and in dreaming of becoming immortal.
Wang Jindong then instigated his family members to practice Falun Gong. His daughter Wang Juan and his wife He Haihua consequently lost in the trap of Falun Gong as well.
Because of practicing Falun Gong, Wan Jindong got absent-minded all the time and eventually dropped his well-run business.
Wang Juan gave up the chance of studying abroad for fear of impairing her practicing.
For the sake of practicing, Wang Jindong restrained his wife He Haihua from reading newspaper or watching TV programs.
While Wang Juan's boyfriend didn't believe in Falun Gong and he dissuaded Wang Juan from practicing it, Wang Jindong commented on his son-in-law to-be, "you are a hollow man without a brain!"
In order to "achieve consummation", the Wang's came to Beijing to protest.
On July 20, 1999, Falun Gong was outlawed by Chinese government for having resulted in over 1,000 victims, interrupted public order and even besieged Zhongnanhai on April 25, 1999.
Wang's family were very critical about Chinese government's judgement and decision of ban on Falun Gong cult. Wang Jindong even regretted for having not participated in besiegement of Zhongnanhai on April 25, 1999. Wang Jindong recalled, "Because Li Hongzhi said that no chance would come once more and that the more you do, the greater achievement you would have."
In order to protect "Fa" and achieve greater achievement, Wang Jindong proposed in his family to commit self-immolation for Falun Gong.
It was in October 2000, when Liu Yunfang, another instigator, organizer and participant of Tian'anmen Square self-immolation, had already dreamed of committing self-immolation to protect "Fa" and become immortal in Tian'anmen Square and had exchanged such idea with fellow practitioners in Kaifeng.
In November 2000, Wang Jindong and Liu Yunfang got to Beijing. They didn't claim to commit self-immolation but said that they wanted to have a look there. Liu Yunfang's daughter-in-law said later that she heard their conversation, which was indeed about going to Beijing to have self-immolation.
In a few days after being back, Wang Jindong said to have gone to Beijing to exchange experience with fellow practitioners there. He Haihua recalled that he might have gone to check which specific position they should sit on when committing self-immolation, and that the exect place where Wang Jindong sat was the right position where they had hung the banner.
The incident of hanging banner on Tian'anmen Square He Haihua referred to took place in mid of December, 2000. Wang Jindong took his wife and his daughter to Beijing to "protest" against the government`s ban on Falun Gong and to strive for "greater achievement" by demonstrating a four-meter banner.
They were arrested for demonstrating on Tian'anmen Square.
When the police asked where did Wang Jindong come from, he told them the telephone number in his sister's store. When his identity was confirmed, he was set free on that very day.
While He Haihua and Wang Juan rejected to tell where they were from, they were further detained in Beijing. One week later, He Haihua and Wang Juan were transferred to Kaifeng Police Station as their identities were eventually confirmed. Since they didn't recognize their misconduct in the police station, they were sent to the Zhengzhou Reeducation-through-labor Office .
While they were further inquired in the office, Wang Jindong had the incident. He Haihua recalled, "On the first day of the lunar new year while it was snowing, the policeman asked me whether Wang Jindong had got injured. I said yes and he further asked which hand of his was injured. I then told Wang Juan that her father must have something as I had heard them talk about the matter of self-immolation."
When biding farewell, Wang Jindong wept in the face of his mother.
When it was confirmed that Wang Jindong had the incident, both He Haihua and Wang Juan who were still in the confinement and still obsessed in Falun Gong, felt little soreness.
As for He Haihau and Wang Juan, Wang Jindong's self-immolation was indeed a great achievement since he had abandoned his caring about physical life as well as love that hindered Falun Gong practicing as alleged by master Li Hongzhi. They even thought that their detaining in the police station had the similar effect of Wang Jindong's self-immolation.
He Haihua recalled that in December 2000 When Wang Jindong learnt that his wife and daughter were repatriated to Kaifeng police station, he felt "very sorry".
"In fact Wang Jindong is sentimental and could not lay down his caring for the family," Said He Haihua.
In 2001, when Wang Jindong decided to have self-immolation in Beijing, he really had many things to care about.
"Before I leave, I visited my mother-in-law and gave her 200 yuan as I used to do in every Spring Festival," Wang Jindong's voice lowered gradually, "and I could not forget to do so for the last time."
After visited his mother-in-law, Wang Jindong visited his sister. "Since my mother stayed in my sister's, I just want to have a word with her. Wang Juan's boyfriend and two of my sisters were there as well. I spoke with them in smile while restraining great sorry. My tears bursted out when I got out of the door. I was not as relieved as other practitioners when I part my family. Indeed I..." Wang Jindong said in sobbed voice and blushed eyes.
"In fact I love my family, love my sisters and brothers, and they love me too," Wang Jindong choked in sobs and tears once again.
"But I thought I must do like that," Wang Jindong recollected his memory about the incident and added, "I felt quite bitter. What else should I consider I practiced 'Falun Gong' and I just want to protest against the government for 'Falun Gong'! "
"This was indeed in line with Li Hongzhi`s intentions," Wang Jindong said, "He spoke in Changchun that the people were forced out and driven out of China. By saying so he was indeed angry at us and instigated us to take some action."
"And in his preaching, Li Hongzhi claimed that it was the right time. By this he meant 'manifestation from the celestial phenomena', that is to say, 'Falun Gong' practitioners and people he recognized would rise to heaven for consummation." Wang Jindong added, "By this you would get to the world whichever you belong to!"
"I am convinced that people are to die, and that the master would not leave me alone if I died," Wang Jindong said.
Falun Gong fabricated rumors against self-immolator.
Fortunately He Haihua and her daughter didn't participate in the self-immolation incident. On one hand, they didn't had such a tragedy; on the other hand and what is more important, neither did Li Hongzhi show his power to save those "Falun Gong" practitioners who had strived to and "protect Fa" with their life, nor did he recognize them as Falun Gong followers. In the meantime, rumors against the self-immolators rose from all directions.
There are lots of Rumors against Wang Jindong, the first self-immolator in Tian'anmen Square.
"Some said that I was an armed policeman, and that I should be a colonel judging from my age. The reason for them to have said that I was an armed policeman is that I had a pair of leather shoes of the armed police uniform," Wang Jindong said, "The leather shoes was delivered to us as welfare by our factory who purchased the shoes from Luohe military factory."
"Since I worked in Kaifeng Commodity Laboratory of Maodun Group Corporation, many rumors were fabricated against my company as well. They said that I was arranged by the government and things like that," Wang Jindong added, "Kaifeng is indeed a small city, and I have many friends there who can clarify it. They can prove that I used to be a driver in the Commodity Laboratory."
"Another rumor claimed that the three in my family-He Haihua, Wang Juan and I were all arranged by the government," Wang Jindong further commented, "This can be further clarified by the group photos in different time. Or people in Kaifeng can make it clear for me!"
Some people said that the government had given each self-immolator 100,000 yuan, or even 150,000 yuan. Wang Jindong commented, "These rumors were spreading falsely on the internet."
Wang Jindong said that most rumors were about his face, saying he had indeed a false face.
"Once a time overseas media interviewed me. Many people came that time. During the interview I said, 'While some smeared that I had a false face, why didn't any one of you pose such a question? Because you can see that it is not like that. What they had spread were really concocted," Wang Jindong said angrily.
On Minghui Net of the overseas Falun Gong organization, Wang Jindong's three photos in different time were put together, arguing there were three Wang Jindongs.
According to Wang Jindong, the three photos were all of Wang Jindong himself, as one was taken before self-immolation, one during self-immolation and one after self-immolation.
"The first one was taken in the 1980s when I took picture for ID card," Wang Jindong said, "At that time I was a little over 30 years' old, while now I am 56."
"Let's check Li Hongzhi's photos. When he was young, he looked thin and a little dark. Now he is abroad, and from his video we can see he is over fat and quite different from before." Wan Jindong was excited at this.
"Therefore, it is clear that they were just speaking on hearsay evidence! They were too eager to pin on the government and therefore tried to find reasons. They were so curious since they could not find any reason that they resorted to such bad tricks."
"I think Li Hongzhi was quite smart at first. He was quite curious when he observed that people made a fortune and become famous by practicing Qigong that he eventually developed such a thing. At first he might just hope to make a fortune. As things developed, he could not control it and could not find a way out." Wang Jindong analyzed, "Since he had no other choice, he just walked along the wrong way while the fooled practitioners were tamed as well."
Wang Jindong was ashamed for his past.
Wang Jindong was greatly shocked at Li Hongzhi and Falun Gong`s indifference and smearing towards "1.23" self-immolators. He felt perplexed and furious about this but didn't wake up yet.
After the incident, the government tried to save and give the best treatment to Wang Jindong. "The doctors treated me well, especially doctors in the Public Security Hospital," Wang Jindong said affectionately, "They treat their patient equally no matter what crime the patient had committed and what kind of disease he had. They were very kind and warm to me. They treated me with the best medicine and offered me nutritious food. I think the Public Security Hospital can be set as an example." Despite this, in those days Wang Jindong was still hopeful for Li Hongzhi and Falun Gong.
"The government did take great effort in educating me but with no effect," Wang Jindong said, "Why? Because I fully understood what others tried to tell me. I am a man over 50, isn't it? Is there anything I cannot understand since I had rich experiences in life? So even I understand that they were doing for me, I just could not accept it. Why? Because of the different world views and different values."
In the end, Wang Jindong broke from Falun Gong willingly. "I converted by myself instead of any education," Wang Jindong said, "Fu Yibin's case shocked me most. Based on the reported information, pictures and videos, it can be learnt that he is indeed a 'Falun Gong' practitioner."
"Because what he said was quite strange. Many 'Falun Gong' practitioners had such strange words," Wang Jindong confirmed, "They went to astray, maybe somewhat bewitched as well. They lost their common sense by practicing 'Falun Gong' and thus had such strange ideas."
"According to his neighbors and the media, Fu Yibin has been a good man who loved his family and was filial to his parents before he practiced 'Falun Gong'. He was ruined by 'Falun Gong'," Wang Jindong said, "As Li Hongzhi said, your world of heaven was not empty, the mosquitoes, flies, rats or other kind of animals you killed unintentionally would indeed got to the heaven. According to Li Hongzhi, others would beg you to kill them if they knew you have completed practicing 'Falun Gong'."
"And he... Well, since I love my parent, I shall kill them so that they may enjoy the happiness in my world of heaven. Therefore he didn't feel sorry in killing his parents. He thought he was right. In fact he was bewitched by Li Hongzhi's so-called lections," Said Wang Jindong.
"Li Hongzhi said that people who practiced 'Falun Gong' would not go wrong as he had implanted a 'Falun'(wheel) in their bellies. He said that the 'Falun' was energetic. When you went wrong or had something wrong, his embodyment(law body) would protect you from any harm. He said that practicing 'Falun Gong' was the safest. But why did such tragedy happen to Fu Yibing since he had practiced 'Falun Gong'? Do you think it is safe?" asked Wang Jindong.
"There has been more that 1,400 such cases reported in the media, but why didn't I believe? I didn't believe those days, thinking they were fabricated by the media to denounce 'Falun Gong'. I didn't believe. Why should I not believe? Now that I watched video about Fa Yibin and I heard what he said. I judged from his expression that he was a 'Falun Gong' practitioner. Li Hongzhi said that practicing 'Falun Gong' was safe, but why did these happen to Fu Yibin? He killed so many people! All they were his relatives! There must be something wrong!"
"Things about Fa Yibin shocked me! I was greatly shocked!" Wang Jindong said, "It made me tried to differentiate his (Li Hongzhi) words."
Wang Jindong recalled two examples about Falun Gong practitioners that Li Hongzhi frequently quoted, "When a 'Falun Gong' practitioner walked on the street, a pipe dropped from a scaffold right towards his head. He turned up and saw a big 'Falun' over him; an old lady who practiced 'Falun Gong' escaped from a traffic accident with the protection of 'law body'. But why didn't he (Li Hongzhi) protect him (Fu Yibin)"
"I began to think about the reported cases. I think it over and over and found they were all true," Wang Jindong said, "Because during many times of interview, nobody-neither the government nor the police forced me to say things against my will. They didn't! I believe those reports were true. Since they were true with so many witnesses, why didn't we believe? As for the most typical examples, the examples that he (Li Hongzhi) usually quoted-an old lady and an unknown man, who are they? Where did they live? In which city? In which organization? Nothing is verified! Isn't it immature and ridiculous for us to have believed in such fabrication?"
"Therefore I began to think it over and finally found I was cheated. I felt very distressed!" Wang Jindong said bitterly.
"I felt the 'Falun Gong' practitioners were very pitiful and I felt sorry for them." Wang Jindong said, "I felt very ashamed for my past. And I felt very sorry for people who are still obsessed in 'Falun Gong'."
Wang Jindong now supervised the library of Zhengzhou Prison. Sometimes he would do some cleaning jobs as well.
Wang Jindong loved study very much. He loved writing as well. Up to date, he has composed of over 300 poems. Wang Jindong was very excited for our success in bidding for Olympic Games. When he saw the release of Olympic Mascot Fuwa, he immediately wrote a poem about Fuwa. "This poem is the one that I finished most rapidly," Wang Jindong said proudly.
Wang Jindong said that he would like to sell tourist goods in the future.
(Kaiwind, January 30, 2007)
