Chinese Democratization Movement Liu Xiaomi “Origin of Thought” Lecture Tape Found July 14 5:43
A recording tape that seems to have been found when Mr. Liu Xiaomi, who won the Nobel Peace Prize while serving as a symbol of China's democratization movement, gave a lecture at a university in Beijing before the Tiananmen Incident in 1989 was found. .. Experts regard it as a valuable document that records the origin of Mr. Liu's idea of continuing to appeal for democratization.
The two tapes found contained the voice of Liu Xiaomi for about two hours.A lecture given at Tsinghua University in Beijing in 1986, three years before the Tiananmen Incident occurred, based on the stories of Liu's acquaintances. It is believed to have been a recording of the situation.
Among them, Liu said, "The feudal culture of China has destroyed humanity the most. People are sanctified by the abstract word "people", but in fact all rights are deprived." He criticizes the feudal Chinese society.
In addition, "Individual rights are guaranteed only by "democratic" and "law". If people cling to the personality and morality of a politician, and if power ignores "law" and "democracy," they will run into despotism. Will live up to its true faith, and China will undergo an upside-down change," he added, pursuing individual liberty in order to democratize China.
In 1989, Mr. Liu was arrested for participating in the democratization movement of the students who gathered at Tiananmen Square, staying in the square until the end and calling for non-violent resistance.
Mr. Liu, who has consistently appealed to the democratization of China even after the Tiananmen Incident, received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2010 while serving a prison sentence, and died three years ago at the age of 61.
In the tape, Liu said, "I hope my thoughts and soul will continue to live in people's hearts even if I die and my body is destroyed." , You can see the stance that adhered to the belief.
"Freedom is what we win"
Mr. Liu Yanko, a part-time lecturer and writer at Kobe University, who has a close relationship with Mr. Liu Xiaomi who was alive and has many books about Mr. Liu, said, "In the 1980s it was the starting point of Mr. Liu's thought, and the recording tape at that time was found. That's very meaningful."
Regarding the contents of the tape, "The latter half of the 1980s was a time when the idea was most liberated in China for a short period of time. As a young teacher, Mr. Liu regarded the students as real brothers, day and night When I listened to the tape at that time, I realized how narrow the current speech space is.In China, personal worship of national leaders and absolute obedience to the state have long been emphasized. However, it can be seen that Mr. Liu tried to convey to students the absolute value of human freedom and independence as the highest value.At the same time, understanding and respecting not only individual freedom but also the freedom of others. Raises the issue of the importance of "."
In addition, "This is a big message for us living in the present age. When living in Japan, freedom is like an air, but when it disappears, human beings are suffocated. Freedom is not imposed from above, I'm telling you that you will win with your hands."
I kept a man in Tokyo studying in Beijing
The tape found was kept by a man who runs a restaurant in Tokyo for about 30 years.
According to the man, when he was studying abroad in Beijing in the late 1980s, he was given as a gift by a friend, a Chinese student.
“It was a taboo era when it was publicly criticizing the Communist Party and democratizing it, so it seems like they were listening to it while turning it among like-minded students. Bring it back to Japan and put it out there. I don't know if I thought, or did I entrust it to me because it was a good material for studying Chinese?"