Eric's Beijing Diary

Monument to the People's Heroes. It stands in the center of Tiananmen Square. Hard to believe that such a plain looking structure could be the centerpoint of so much tumultuous history. One of the most poignant moments took place in April of 1976. Zhou had died in January, but the April was the traditional time for honoring the dead. In a mass demonstration of grief and admiration, and what was perceived to be (and probably was) a thinly veiled protest, people buried the monument in flowers and other memorials. Most significant was the poetry, such as a poem which blasted an obscure princess in Chinese history who assumed power because of her husband's position. Jiang Qing (Mao's fourth wife) was not happy. She hated Zhou anyway, but she also got the message. She ordered the square cleared of flowers, but it did no good. People just replaced them. The conflict with the government and particularly with the "Gang of Four" erupted into a riot that has become known as the "Tiananmen Incident."