Wang Dan, an Independent Intellectualstory summary
Wang Dan is a former history student from Beijing University. After taking a leading role in the 1989 pro-democracy student movement on Tiananmen Square, he was arrested by Chinese authorities. Released in 1993, he was once again arrested in 1995 and sentenced in 1996 for 11 years. On April 19 this year he was granted medical parole and expelled to the United States, VOA said on Tuesday.Here is an recent interview with Wang Dan conducted by Beijing Spring journalist Ya Yi.
Beijing Spring: After the Tiananmen events, the Chinese authorities put your name on the top of the most-wanted list, how do you explain this?
Wang Dan: There are three reasons. The first one is because I already participated in a democratic movement in 1988. Soon after I entered Beijing University, a group of professors and students demonstrated on Tiananmen Square, asking for more government funding for the education system. I joined them. After that, I joined all the political movements on campus. The Beijing municipality even sent a commission to investigate my former school where I had always led discussions in the school yard.
The second reason is that Chai Ling, Wuerkaixi and me soon emerged as the leaders of the movements, organizing and coordinating with the other students.
The third reason is that I was in contact with Fang Lizhi and his wife, Li Shuxian.
Beijing Spring: Can you tell us about your family and life?
Wang Dan: My family originates from Shandong province. I was born in Beijing in 1969. In middle school I became interested in politics. I was given the title of "model pioneer" by Beijing municipality and led many political activities at school. I believed in Marxism and during a certain period, I would wake up every day at 4:30 am and read the selected works of Marx and Engels.
Beijing Spring: During this period of interest in Marxism did you find some useful aspects in it?
Wang Dan: While in school I lacked social experiences and Marxism was the only thing to read. But later I started reading other things which helped me open my mind. Particularly the writing of Soviet dissidents, which were accessible in the library of our school. They taught me there are other political views beyond the official "truth."
Beijing Spring: You initially wanted to study politics, what made you change to history?
Wang Dan: One reason is because Beijing University modified the program of international relations to administration in the faculty of politics. The second reason is that when I was at school, I had a great interest in history.
Beijing Spring: Your parents - especially your mother - were very active in supporting you in prison, can you tell us more about them?
Wang Dan: Both my parents are Beida (Beijing University) graduates. My father in geology, my mother in history. After graduation, my father stayed in Beijing and taught at Beida. My mother joined the Historical Museum of Beijing. My father supported me joining the democracy movement.
Beijing Spring: Fang Lizhi and his wife Li Shuxian - described as the "black hands" of the democracy movement by Chinese authorities - have inspired a whole generation of young Chinese.
Wang Dan: As a student I used to visit them very often. Li Shuxian inspired me like a mother, in my life. But Fang Lizhi had the most important influence on my thought. He used to say, we are not hostile to the Communist Party, but opposed. He advocated a political opposition to the party. An intellectual must have a rational position in politics.
Beijing Spring: Professor Xu Liangying also had a great influence on the young generation.
Wang Dan: Xu was among the first victims of the anti-rightist movement of 1957. He taught me an intellectual is first of all a person concerned with serving society, with the sense of social responsibility. Xu is a specialist of Einstein theory and often pointed out that Einstein never held back his opinion on peace and war, and on the use of the nuclear arms. Beijing Spring: The 1989 democracy movement played a key role in your life, can you recall those events for us?
Wang Dan: I remember the death of Hu Yaobang (former head of the Communist Party of China) was announced on April 15 and I thought this could bring about important changes. The next day, I saw dazibao (Big Character Posters) everywhere in the city and thought a new democracy movement had been launched. I became involved in many student and youth organizations.
Beijing Spring: Nine years have passed since the Tiananmen events. Since then, many debates have arisen about the meaning of the movement and about whether or not China needs a democracy movement. What is your understanding?
Wang Dan: I think the problem is that not enough intellectuals stood up for their convictions. People like Wang Juntao did appear on the front lines, but many others refused to. In the end, the authorities described everyone as "black hands." Had more intellectuals stood up, the result may have been better.
Beijing Spring: What do you think of the hunger strike movement?
Wang Dan: Our aim was to send a warning to the government that they should negotiate with us. On the eve of Mikhail Gorbachev's visit, we decided to select 500 students willing to go on a hunger strike, thinking this would open the door to negotiations with the government. But we never expected that hundred of thousands of people would occupy Tiananmen Square.
Beijing Spring: Some express the opinion that the process of dialogue with the government was broken up by the students, because of the hunger strike.
Wang Dan: A lot of uncertainties remained at that point in the movement. I realized it was not a good idea to sit on the square after the hunger strike, but since we were lacking forces and the guards on the square had left, I made a radio announcement asking people not to leave the square. I didn't want to make the contradictions public.
Beijing Spring: Some say the movement was divided between radicals and moderates, and they describe you as a moderate.
Wang Dan: The ones at the center of the square were supporters of strong actions and this mood overtook everybody on the square. Personally, I see myself as a moderate, because radicalism can lead to a deadlock in political negotiations.
Beijing Spring: At a recent news conference in New York, you said that along with the government's responsibility in the Tiananmen events, you also share your own deal of responsibility. Some have expressed concern that this declaration could be used by Beijing to discredit the 1989 events.
Wang Dan: Some have misinterpreted my statement. I am not responsible for the bloodshed. My responsibility is to the dead who lost their lives for our struggle. My responsibility is to continue the efforts to bring about democracy. No one, nor history, can hold students responsible for the massacre.