I don't know what occurred in Hengyang, Hunan province, on June 4, 1989. But I do know a small portion of what occurred there today. As I thought about what happened 25 years ago in China, I took an afternoon walk in an urban area of Hengyang's Shigu district and saw that ...
Some people cooked.
![woman cooking outside in Hengyang](https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-rfoTloTsovc/U47mDjBjP_I/AAAAAAAAM_g/5BxSqKEgqoo/s640/hengyang-35-cook.jpg)
Some people ate at a street food market.
![street food stalls in Hengyang, Hunan, China](https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-1-JS4hQmgl4/U47mKMYfGpI/AAAAAAAANCk/9CH_qoVTO-w/s640/hengyang-35-street-food.jpg)
Some people ate at a McDonald's.
![people at an outdoor service window at a McDonald's in Hengyang, Hunan, China](https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-GC5F6l4pi0c/U47mE2q-2YI/AAAAAAAAM_8/9E1WOz6Z428/s640/hengyang-35-ice-cream.jpg)
Some people ate at a restaurant under a bridge.
![restaurant under a bridge in Hengyang, Hunan, China](https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-8TaWwZP7hEw/U47mIHQD1pI/AAAAAAAANAw/v1GzqIpsvWE/s640/hengyang-35-restaurant-under-bridge.jpg)
Some people played cards and drank tea under a bridge.
![people playing cards and drinking tea under a bridge in Hengyang, Hunan, China](https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-H7lNnngY8NQ/U47mClmXOyI/AAAAAAAAM_Q/PoFkn89FI_w/s640/hengyang-35-cards-under-bridge.jpg)
Some people waited for passengers under a bridge.
![mototaxi driver sitting on a motorbike under a bridge](https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-AJhSFzWe_AI/U47mGJ11FJI/AAAAAAAANAU/HTYFekGpAyw/s640/hengyang-35-mototaxi.jpg)
Some people used a mobile phone.
![man looking at his mobile phone in Hengyang, Hunan, China](https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-YzlkBwMK5Gw/U47mF8pKxkI/AAAAAAAANAM/ga7JhFSZIOI/s640/hengyang-35-mobile-phone.jpg)
Some people read a newspaper.
![man reading a newspaper in Hengyang, Hunan, China](https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-QH1r5ztL-rQ/U47mG3hgNVI/AAAAAAAANAk/siKjNTchcTI/s640/hengyang-35-newspaper.jpg)
Some people bought something at a newsstand.
![people at a newspaper stand in Hengyang, Hunan, China](https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-ECoH6EQPiFs/U47mHJ8a57I/AAAAAAAANBI/b9cMRkRaWVA/s640/hengyang-35-newstand.jpg)
Some people bought something at a department store.
![people walking about a department store in Hengyang, Hunan, China](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-BZ9HmihdC0o/U47mJJ00bCI/AAAAAAAANBU/AvdkdY-R5I4/s640/hengyang-35-shopping.jpg)
Some people bought a rabbit.
![rabbits in small cages for sale on a sidewalk in Hengyang, Hunan, China](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-kAsAPG_GlRg/U47mCdVTOeI/AAAAAAAAM_k/XTjsI7mpCvA/s640/hengyang-35-buying-rabbit.jpg)
Some people sat.
![woman sitting on a stool in Hengyang, Hunan, China](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-UWPDC3DQ8nM/U47mJhPqLSI/AAAAAAAANBM/J9bHG0PYyKE/s640/hengyang-35-sitting.jpg)
Some people rested.
![man sitting down with his hands clasped and head bowed down](https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-AoxvD_v15JY/U47mIW4E7qI/AAAAAAAANA4/uqzfIIOjhOE/s640/hengyang-35-resting.jpg)
Some people worked.
![men working on a large sign](https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-yzREuLXUqg4/U47mEYX2DEI/AAAAAAAANAA/WWE0K9QIuuc/s640/hengyang-35-holiday-signs.jpg)
Some people played.
![young women playing badminton](https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-n_OTLzl4OSc/U47mBXr5ghI/AAAAAAAAM_A/MOM41kQz0fE/s640/hengyang-35-badminton.jpg)
Some people asked a foreigner to take their photo.
![two boys](https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-W74fixoIvbc/U47mBUtK-II/AAAAAAAAM_E/5WhfSEiEyQU/s640/hengyang-35-boys.jpg)
Some people simply said "Hello!" to a foreigner.
![woman and man smiling for a photo](https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-B6KFn_W7t9U/U47mD0BsyJI/AAAAAAAAM_o/3mYoteREU50/s640/hengyang-35-hello.jpg)
Some people wore matching shirts.
![](https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-b45GbtFWtwI/U47mDO4DmSI/AAAAAAAAM_U/QeHYfC495O0/s640/hengyang-35-cat-shirts.jpg)
Some people wore a distinctive shirt.
![woman wearing a shirt with the portrait of someone who looks like a princess on her back](https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-slUNA464mAE/U47mHWLIuwI/AAAAAAAANCI/E7x7cH-CloE/s640/hengyang-35-princess-shirt.jpg)
Some people wore a shirt with English text.
![young woman wearing shirt with text 'DO WANNA LET MOMENT AWAY"](https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-dZIXPOA8j6E/U47mEwoCS3I/AAAAAAAAM_0/34Ndbo7ri1o/s640/hengyang-35-let-away-shirt.jpg)
Some people wore a shirt with an American symbol.
![woman wearing shirt with an image similar to the US flag](https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-ekG7Az9UeSo/U47mKUBoQ-I/AAAAAAAANBw/fWO40uMoqs8/s640/hengyang-35-us-flag-shirt.jpg)
I saw much today, yet almost all of it reminds me of what I have seen many other times in China. It was as if today "may as well be just another day", like what I saw two years ago in Xining, Qinghai, or three years ago in Chengdu, Sichuan.
Well, there was one thing I saw which gave me pause. So after passing a young man, I turned around and caught up with him. I told him I liked his shirt and asked if I could take his photo. Without hesitation, he gave his consent.
He didn't ask me why I liked his shirt. I didn't ask him why he wore the shirt.
How many people in China are asking questions today anyway?
![young man wearing shirt with text 'It's time become brave. brave means that you stand up to peapole"](https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-9_VhKPjXgUQ/U47mBGTm32I/AAAAAAAAM-0/rNPDEPpV4vk/s640/hengyang-35-become-brave.jpg)
Some people cooked.
![woman cooking outside in Hengyang](https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-rfoTloTsovc/U47mDjBjP_I/AAAAAAAAM_g/5BxSqKEgqoo/s640/hengyang-35-cook.jpg)
Some people ate at a street food market.
![street food stalls in Hengyang, Hunan, China](https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-1-JS4hQmgl4/U47mKMYfGpI/AAAAAAAANCk/9CH_qoVTO-w/s640/hengyang-35-street-food.jpg)
Some people ate at a McDonald's.
![people at an outdoor service window at a McDonald's in Hengyang, Hunan, China](https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-GC5F6l4pi0c/U47mE2q-2YI/AAAAAAAAM_8/9E1WOz6Z428/s640/hengyang-35-ice-cream.jpg)
Some people ate at a restaurant under a bridge.
![restaurant under a bridge in Hengyang, Hunan, China](https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-8TaWwZP7hEw/U47mIHQD1pI/AAAAAAAANAw/v1GzqIpsvWE/s640/hengyang-35-restaurant-under-bridge.jpg)
Some people played cards and drank tea under a bridge.
![people playing cards and drinking tea under a bridge in Hengyang, Hunan, China](https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-H7lNnngY8NQ/U47mClmXOyI/AAAAAAAAM_Q/PoFkn89FI_w/s640/hengyang-35-cards-under-bridge.jpg)
Some people waited for passengers under a bridge.
![mototaxi driver sitting on a motorbike under a bridge](https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-AJhSFzWe_AI/U47mGJ11FJI/AAAAAAAANAU/HTYFekGpAyw/s640/hengyang-35-mototaxi.jpg)
Some people used a mobile phone.
![man looking at his mobile phone in Hengyang, Hunan, China](https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-YzlkBwMK5Gw/U47mF8pKxkI/AAAAAAAANAM/ga7JhFSZIOI/s640/hengyang-35-mobile-phone.jpg)
Some people read a newspaper.
![man reading a newspaper in Hengyang, Hunan, China](https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-QH1r5ztL-rQ/U47mG3hgNVI/AAAAAAAANAk/siKjNTchcTI/s640/hengyang-35-newspaper.jpg)
Some people bought something at a newsstand.
![people at a newspaper stand in Hengyang, Hunan, China](https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-ECoH6EQPiFs/U47mHJ8a57I/AAAAAAAANBI/b9cMRkRaWVA/s640/hengyang-35-newstand.jpg)
Some people bought something at a department store.
![people walking about a department store in Hengyang, Hunan, China](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-BZ9HmihdC0o/U47mJJ00bCI/AAAAAAAANBU/AvdkdY-R5I4/s640/hengyang-35-shopping.jpg)
Some people bought a rabbit.
![rabbits in small cages for sale on a sidewalk in Hengyang, Hunan, China](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-kAsAPG_GlRg/U47mCdVTOeI/AAAAAAAAM_k/XTjsI7mpCvA/s640/hengyang-35-buying-rabbit.jpg)
Some people sat.
![woman sitting on a stool in Hengyang, Hunan, China](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-UWPDC3DQ8nM/U47mJhPqLSI/AAAAAAAANBM/J9bHG0PYyKE/s640/hengyang-35-sitting.jpg)
Some people rested.
![man sitting down with his hands clasped and head bowed down](https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-AoxvD_v15JY/U47mIW4E7qI/AAAAAAAANA4/uqzfIIOjhOE/s640/hengyang-35-resting.jpg)
Some people worked.
![men working on a large sign](https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-yzREuLXUqg4/U47mEYX2DEI/AAAAAAAANAA/WWE0K9QIuuc/s640/hengyang-35-holiday-signs.jpg)
Some people played.
![young women playing badminton](https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-n_OTLzl4OSc/U47mBXr5ghI/AAAAAAAAM_A/MOM41kQz0fE/s640/hengyang-35-badminton.jpg)
Some people asked a foreigner to take their photo.
![two boys](https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-W74fixoIvbc/U47mBUtK-II/AAAAAAAAM_E/5WhfSEiEyQU/s640/hengyang-35-boys.jpg)
Some people simply said "Hello!" to a foreigner.
![woman and man smiling for a photo](https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-B6KFn_W7t9U/U47mD0BsyJI/AAAAAAAAM_o/3mYoteREU50/s640/hengyang-35-hello.jpg)
Some people wore matching shirts.
![](https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-b45GbtFWtwI/U47mDO4DmSI/AAAAAAAAM_U/QeHYfC495O0/s640/hengyang-35-cat-shirts.jpg)
Some people wore a distinctive shirt.
![woman wearing a shirt with the portrait of someone who looks like a princess on her back](https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-slUNA464mAE/U47mHWLIuwI/AAAAAAAANCI/E7x7cH-CloE/s640/hengyang-35-princess-shirt.jpg)
Some people wore a shirt with English text.
![young woman wearing shirt with text 'DO WANNA LET MOMENT AWAY"](https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-dZIXPOA8j6E/U47mEwoCS3I/AAAAAAAAM_0/34Ndbo7ri1o/s640/hengyang-35-let-away-shirt.jpg)
Some people wore a shirt with an American symbol.
![woman wearing shirt with an image similar to the US flag](https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-ekG7Az9UeSo/U47mKUBoQ-I/AAAAAAAANBw/fWO40uMoqs8/s640/hengyang-35-us-flag-shirt.jpg)
I saw much today, yet almost all of it reminds me of what I have seen many other times in China. It was as if today "may as well be just another day", like what I saw two years ago in Xining, Qinghai, or three years ago in Chengdu, Sichuan.
Well, there was one thing I saw which gave me pause. So after passing a young man, I turned around and caught up with him. I told him I liked his shirt and asked if I could take his photo. Without hesitation, he gave his consent.
He didn't ask me why I liked his shirt. I didn't ask him why he wore the shirt.
How many people in China are asking questions today anyway?
![young man wearing shirt with text 'It's time become brave. brave means that you stand up to peapole"](https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-9_VhKPjXgUQ/U47mBGTm32I/AAAAAAAAM-0/rNPDEPpV4vk/s640/hengyang-35-become-brave.jpg)
In my experience from being in Beijing on the 20th anniversary. . nobody remembers, nobody cares. Just people in HK and foreign media. Pretty sad or pretty impressive how effectively it has been wiped out of the history books
ReplyDeleteOk,as a Chinese ,what I want to say,in China,ALL TVs and newspapers are run by the government or shou I say the CPC,many international websites are also locked here.How can they know the events exactly?
ReplyDelete