General Xu Qinxian, former commander of the 38th Army of the People’s Liberation Army, died in Shijiazhuang, Hebei province on Friday at the age of 85, Hong Kong media reported. General Xu Qinxian is beloved by many Chinese for refusing orders from his superiors to open fire on students and civilians protesting during the June 4, 1989, school movement. His brave action was praised by the participants.
Bao Tong, a former political secretary to Chinese Premier Zhao Ziyang who was held in the same building in Qincheng Prison as Xu, posted an undelivered poem he had written to Xu on Twitter to express his gratitude for the general:
“Nine miao miao note, Wan Shan curl down. In the mainstay, the gentleman is strong correction.”
Bao Tong said, “The above 20 characters were written for General Xu a few years ago. They were sent to him by no means and could only be sent online. Sigh!!! — Bao Tong, 20210108.”
Bao Tong explained that the Song people said: “Nine Rehmannia flow disorderly injection, gather ten thousand fall a thousand village fox rabbit.” “Strong and correct” is the praise of Confucius to the warriors, is the spring and autumn idioms.
Bao was a member of the CPC Central Committee and secretary to the late Communist Party chief Zhao Ziyang, who was removed from his post before he was arrested and put in Qincheng Prison. Bao Tong is the most senior communist official to be jailed.
Wang Dan, a student leader from the June 4 period, expressed his condolences over Xu’s death in posts on Twitter and Facebook. “Xu Qinxian, ‘General of Conscience’ of the Communist Party of China died despite being jailed for leading soldiers in the June 4 crackdown on students,” Wang said in the tweet. “I sincerely respect Mr. Xu Qinxian.”
Wang Dan wrote on Facebook: “General Xu gave up his official position and freedom for the sake of his conscience, which we students of that time will never forget. Mr. Xu rest in peace!”
Gao Yu, a well-known independent journalist in China, posted a series of messages of condolence and remembrance on Twitter after learning of Xu’s death.
Gao said in the post that Xu Qinxian was summoned to the Beijing Military Command for a meeting one day after he refused to carry out the firing order. He went there alone in a car, but was abducted as soon as he entered the Beijing Military Command, and he asked the driver to report back to his unit. The 38th Army organized a detachment to look for its commander. The hijackers took General Xu to turn five caves overnight, afraid of being found by the 38 army. Later, the leadership of the 38th Army was changed, and General Xu became a prisoner.
Gao Yu said that Xu Qinxian, who was sentenced to five years in prison for disobeying orders on June 4, was transferred from a military detention center to Qincheng (prison) with the special approval of Yang Baibing (then the head of the General Political Department of the PLA Military Commission). The prison number was 9004. He and Bao Tong, who was 8901, became inmates on the 203 floor, but the two never met in Qincheng. Bao Tong was locked alone in the west tube on the second floor. He and Yao Wenyuan in No. 7705 were locked in the same tube on the first floor. They were both single rooms, and they could watch TV together at night.
Gao Yu was detained by the authorities during the June 4th holiday for questioning over her support for the students. After serving his sentence, General Xu was reinstated to the rank of deputy commander of the Hebei provincial military division, she recalled. Deng Xiaoping’s arrangement was not benevolent. General Xu returned home to Beijing to meet Li Rui and was exposed by the media. Since then, he was banned back to Beijing and kept under his lifelong custody in Shijiazhuang.
In recent years, Xu has been hospitalized in Bethune Hospital because of illness, and authorities have not allowed him to see visitors. Bedridden and cared for by security guards, he lost speech at one point last year and could only roll his eyes to answer questions. He died this morning after choking on food.
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