新世紀(jì)第一個(gè)除夕，在李洪志“放下生死”、“升天”、“圓滿”妖言蠱惑下，幾名“法輪功”癡迷者在天安門廣場(chǎng)制造了一起駭人聽聞的自焚事件。公安機(jī)關(guān)初步查明，這起自焚事件完全是李洪志對(duì)“法輪功”癡迷者進(jìn)行蠱惑、唆使和直接精神控制的結(jié)果，是一起有組織、有預(yù)謀、有計(jì)劃、有步驟的罪惡活動(dòng)。
2月24日，北京市人民檢察院對(duì)這起自焚事件的直接組織者劉云芳、薛紅軍等人依法批準(zhǔn)逮捕，另一名直接組織者王進(jìn)東正在醫(yī)院接受治療。
精神控制誘人瘋狂
近兩三年間，在河南開封市一些“法輪功”癡迷者中，流傳著一個(gè)“大法大弟子”的離奇故事：他宣稱“開了天目”，能看到“另外空間生命和物質(zhì)的存在方式”；自稱是李洪志“十大弟子”之一。
他還四處散布：1997年9月的一天子夜，他正在練功時(shí)，“師父”用立體聲將四句詩打入腦中，并讓他立即到湖邊拜謁。頓時(shí)，一股神奇的力量使他穿墻破壁，踏水而行。見到“師父”后，連磕3個(gè)響頭，“師父”摸著他的頭說：“緣份……”
這個(gè)荒誕故事的主角，就是天安門廣場(chǎng)自焚事件的直接組織者、“法輪功”頑固分子劉云芳。
今年57歲的劉云芳，原是開封市一家工廠的工人，近年來靠修理電器、打零工生活，1997年開始迷戀“法輪功”。他的妻子李秋莉說，“老劉平時(shí)性格內(nèi)向，練習(xí)‘法輪功’后更是少言寡語，能掙的錢也不想掙了，成天家務(wù)活不干，與家人也無法溝通?！?br>
瘋狂癡迷“法輪功”的劉云芳，將心思全部投入對(duì)“師父”李洪志的頂禮膜拜，沉溺于其歪理邪說之中，編造了子虛烏有的癡言夢(mèng)語。他經(jīng)常炫耀，“‘師父’的書籍是我修煉的重要內(nèi)容，幾十遍幾十遍地學(xué)，每個(gè)字都很珍貴，我做什么事都是為‘大法’做的?！贝祰u自己親受“師父”召見，悟得大法精髓，還謊稱“要想跟隨師父走，請(qǐng)找一個(gè)人。”實(shí)際上在暗示此人就是劉云芳他自己。周圍的“法輪功”練習(xí)者聽得如醉如癡，不知不覺間陷入了一種病態(tài)的執(zhí)著和瘋狂，以能接近劉云芳為榮。
2000年5、6月間，已成“過街老鼠”的李洪志連續(xù)拋出多篇“經(jīng)文”，煽動(dòng)中毒較深的練習(xí)者“頂著壓力走出來”，充當(dāng)其與政府和法律對(duì)抗的“炮灰”和犧牲品。在《走向圓滿》的“經(jīng)文”中，李洪志甚至赤裸裸地叫囂，只有“真正地將整個(gè)生命溶(融)于法中”，才能“走向圓滿”。
李洪志的險(xiǎn)惡用心，劉云芳自然心領(lǐng)神會(huì)。同年5月，劉云芳在自己打工的油漆店，對(duì)同在開封的“法輪功”癡迷者王進(jìn)東、郝惠君、薛紅軍等人興奮地說，“我悟到‘圓滿’了?！畧A滿’就是什么都要放棄，人‘圓滿’后能白日飛升，直奔‘天堂’?！?br>
6月的一天，在王進(jìn)東打工的聚寶齋書畫店，劉云芳又向幾個(gè)“功友”描述了他看到的“圓滿”情景。在場(chǎng)的人說，“老劉大法修得好，悟到了一個(gè)更高的層次?！?br>
在這次聚會(huì)中，劉云芳提出把自己悟到的“圓滿”寫出來散發(fā)。王進(jìn)東的女兒王娟當(dāng)即整理出一篇題為《圓滿》的邪教宣傳品。在結(jié)尾，劉云芳特意將落款寫成碩大的“大法弟子”字樣，暗示自己就是傳說中的李洪志的“大弟子”。
2000年8月以來，急于顯示能量的李洪志加緊活動(dòng)，在拋出《去掉最后的執(zhí)著》的“經(jīng)文”后，還公開參加了在美國(guó)舊金山和北美大湖區(qū)舉辦的所謂“心得交流會(huì)”和“法會(huì)”。他宣稱“現(xiàn)在是最后修煉、得法的機(jī)會(huì)”，是“真正圓滿”的最后期限，煽動(dòng)癡迷者在世紀(jì)之交“修成正果”。
與李洪志“升天”、“圓滿”的煽動(dòng)遙相呼應(yīng)，劉云芳“悟”到的“層次”也不斷攀升。不久，劉云芳突然神秘宣稱，“練功時(shí)進(jìn)入了狀態(tài)，悟出‘元神’帶著點(diǎn)火工具和汽油來到北京天安門廣場(chǎng)自焚。著火后，我的‘佛體’就出現(xiàn)了，口里噴著火，一瞬間光芒萬丈?！?br>
劉云芳將這段胡言亂語告訴了能說會(huì)道的“功友”薛紅軍，并叮囑說，“‘師父’在《轉(zhuǎn)法輪》中提到，只要心境夠了，自然就會(huì)悟到這些?！毖t軍被“法到人間”的幻境深深吸引，馬上添油加醋地在“法輪功”練習(xí)者中傳播。
受李洪志不斷“上層次”的誘導(dǎo)，王進(jìn)東也亦步亦趨。去年12月下旬，他公開宣稱自己“悟”到了必須以最高形式——到天安門廣場(chǎng)自焚，才能“圓滿”。并明確提出，“自焚‘圓滿’的最佳時(shí)刻應(yīng)選農(nóng)歷除夕?！?br>
在人類歡慶新世紀(jì)之際，李洪志卻拋出《忍無可忍》的“經(jīng)文”，煽動(dòng)癡迷者為“大法”而舍盡一切。這一“經(jīng)文”，令劉云芳、王進(jìn)東等人更加狂熱。2001年1月10日，劉云芳、王進(jìn)東、薛紅軍、郝惠君等人再次聚集，爭(zhēng)相表白自己又上了一個(gè)“層次”。他們共同表示，1月23日農(nóng)歷除夕這天，到北京天安門廣場(chǎng)自焚“圓滿”。
薛紅軍還提出，“要多組織一些人去天安門廣場(chǎng)自焚，人越多‘法輪功’‘氣場(chǎng)’就越強(qiáng)。”這個(gè)建議當(dāng)即得到了這些癡迷者的贊同。
按照分工，劉云芳、王進(jìn)東分頭通知了“法輪功”癡迷者劉葆榮，以及劉春玲、劉思影母女；郝惠君打電話給正在北京上學(xué)、同樣癡迷“法輪功”的女兒陳果，動(dòng)員她一起“圓滿”。
密謀籌劃命喪“天國(guó)”
按照李洪志“經(jīng)文”的暗示，在確定了“圓滿”的方式和日期后，劉云芳、王進(jìn)東等人緊鑼密鼓地開始了準(zhǔn)備。王進(jìn)東主張“自焚最好用汽油”，在字畫店打工的他又獻(xiàn)上一計(jì)，“用裝畫軸的長(zhǎng)塑料袋裝汽油，綁在身上不容易被發(fā)現(xiàn)。用刀片一劃，就能灑遍全身?！北娙松潭?，為了有充足的準(zhǔn)備時(shí)間，提前一周進(jìn)京。
2001年1月14日，郝惠君交給王進(jìn)東1000元錢，讓他購買去北京的火車票。王進(jìn)東拿出其中的800元找到劉春玲，稱自己行動(dòng)不方便，讓她去辦。劉春玲隨即購買了6張16日19時(shí)從鄭州開往北京的1488次火車票。拿到車票后，郝惠君又與陳果聯(lián)系，約定1月17日8時(shí)在中央音樂學(xué)院附近的公共汽車站會(huì)合。
1月16日，劉云芳、王進(jìn)東、郝惠君、劉葆榮，以及12歲的劉思影和她的母親劉春玲等6人登上了1488次列車?；疖噯?dòng)時(shí)，前來送行的薛紅軍與他們相約：“天堂見?！?br>
次日凌晨5時(shí)許，劉云芳一伙到達(dá)北京西站，徑直與陳果會(huì)合。隨后他們來到石景山區(qū)古城路56號(hào)樓一名北京“法輪功”癡迷者的住處。當(dāng)天，在“法輪功”人員的安排下，他們分3批轉(zhuǎn)移到京郊門頭溝區(qū)城子西街18樓一套單元房?jī)?nèi)。在這里，劉云芳、王進(jìn)東等人為實(shí)施除夕的瘋狂行動(dòng)作最后的準(zhǔn)備。
18日上午10時(shí)，王進(jìn)東和劉云芳乘坐出租車，到宣武區(qū)新華街“天暢軒”工藝美術(shù)商店，購買了40米包裝畫軸用的長(zhǎng)塑料袋。而后，兩人來到天安門廣場(chǎng)，觀察情況。早在去年11月10日，他倆就曾專程從開封到這里“踩點(diǎn)”，當(dāng)時(shí)還攜帶了自制的一幅8米長(zhǎng)、綴有黃綢花邊的巨型橫幅，準(zhǔn)備“如果有機(jī)會(huì)，就到廣場(chǎng)上亮亮相”。
19日，王進(jìn)東、劉云芳等7人在藏匿的住處，將長(zhǎng)塑料袋剪成一米多長(zhǎng)的小段，扎住口后注水做試驗(yàn)。第二天上午，王進(jìn)東與劉云芳又到“天暢軒”買了40米塑料袋。期間，他們還發(fā)給每人兩個(gè)用來割塑料袋的刀片和打火機(jī)。
為了不暴露自己的行跡，他們深居簡(jiǎn)出，吃的大都是從開封帶來的方便面、餅、咸菜，偶爾到附近超市買一些方便食品。即便是開封的“功友”打來電話，郝惠君也嚴(yán)厲斥責(zé)：“以后別往這打電話了，如果被發(fā)現(xiàn)我們就不能成功了?！?br>
即使是在手忙腳亂的準(zhǔn)備期間，這伙癡迷者仍念念不忘醉心交流進(jìn)“天堂”后的“美好滋味”。劉云芳對(duì)劉思影說，“天堂里全是金子”；“‘天國(guó)世界’可好啦，你這么執(zhí)著，修煉好了到‘天國(guó)世界’肯定能當(dāng)‘法王’”。并勸她說，“你現(xiàn)在的媽不是你的親媽，你的親媽在天上?！?br>
劉云芳、王進(jìn)東還把這次來京自焚“圓滿”的想法告訴了同樣癡迷“法輪功”的首鋼職工劉秀芹。劉秀芹聽后很激動(dòng)，連聲說，“你們已經(jīng)到了很高的層次?！辈⑿廊粦?yīng)允，為他們提供了分灌汽油的房間。
22日上午8時(shí)許，劉云芳、王進(jìn)東買了滿滿40升汽油，并在劉秀芹提供的房間內(nèi)，將汽油分裝在每個(gè)長(zhǎng)1米左右的10多個(gè)塑料袋中，并約定“23日一早取汽油袋，上午10時(shí)30分準(zhǔn)時(shí)到天安門廣場(chǎng)自焚?！?br>
望著散發(fā)著刺鼻汽油味的一個(gè)個(gè)塑料袋，劉秀芹心有余悸。當(dāng)晚，她又將汽油重新倒入桶中。23日上午8時(shí)許，當(dāng)劉云芳、王進(jìn)東等7人來取汽油袋時(shí)，劉秀芹謊稱“裝汽油的塑料袋滲漏”。這時(shí)，劉葆榮提議：“干脆用雪碧瓶裝算了，絕對(duì)不會(huì)漏。而且雪碧與汽油顏色差不多，不容易引起懷疑?！北娙诉B聲稱好。
劉秀芹當(dāng)即到超市買了一箱雪碧，又找來兩個(gè)空雪碧瓶，用一把破水壺，將汽油分灌進(jìn)14個(gè)雪碧瓶中。為了不引起注意，劉秀芹給每人身上噴灑了香水。他們最后確定，下午2時(shí)30分準(zhǔn)時(shí)在天安門廣場(chǎng)自焚。
即將“升天”、“圓滿”的興奮沖昏了7名癡迷者的頭腦，他們異?？簥^，相互握手，共祝“天上見！”并將隨身攜帶的5000多元錢，以及身份證、衣物等全部留給了劉秀芹?！吧臁毙那械暮禄菥?、陳果、劉春玲、劉思影剛一出門，就匆匆打了一輛出租車直奔天安門廣場(chǎng)，等劉云芳、王進(jìn)東、劉葆榮3人下樓時(shí)，她們?cè)缫巡灰娵櫽啊?br>
郝惠君、劉春玲母女4人來到天安門廣場(chǎng)后，先在歷史博物館附近的一處廁所里，將攜帶的汽油全部澆灑在身上，而后來到人民英雄紀(jì)念碑北面。10多分鐘后，劉云芳、王進(jìn)東等人乘坐的出租車也來到天安門廣場(chǎng)西側(cè)。不久，烈焰騰升，黑煙翻滾，一起愚昧、瘋狂的慘劇發(fā)生了……
慘痛結(jié)局罪孽深重
一直以“法輪大法大弟子”自居、直接組織了天安門廣場(chǎng)自焚事件的劉云芳，在除夕的天安門廣場(chǎng)上卻沒能像郝惠君、陳果等“法輪功”癡迷者那樣“執(zhí)著”，按事先約定自焚“圓滿”，甚至連一滴汽油也沒有灑在身上。
在北京市公安局看守所，當(dāng)記者提出這個(gè)問題時(shí)，劉云芳訕笑著為自己的言行不一做著辯解。
“我不自焚，那是因?yàn)椤畮煾浮胍粝挛?，留下我這張嘴來說話?！?br>
“你為什么不事先告訴郝惠君他們？”
“他們都比我的‘心性’高，他們自焚是真正‘圓滿’了。我的層次還不夠，所以打消了自焚的念頭?！?br>
就是這個(gè)為邪教“法輪功”忙前跑后、對(duì)李洪志奉若神明的劉云芳，一再鼓動(dòng)別的癡迷者為“求圓滿”、“上層次”鋌而走險(xiǎn)，到頭來，自己卻以“‘師父’有話”、“自己層次不夠”為借口，輕飄飄地一推了之。劉云芳的所作所為，再一次暴露了李洪志一伙為達(dá)到不可告人的目的，不惜以“法輪功”練習(xí)者的生命作籌碼，煽動(dòng)、蠱惑他們“放下生死”、鋌而走險(xiǎn)的丑惡嘴臉。
同樣是自焚事件直接組織者，又同樣口是心非、將別人推向深淵的薛紅軍，面對(duì)著看守所的高墻，終于發(fā)出了內(nèi)心的表白。
“‘圓滿’是一個(gè)肥皂泡，對(duì)沒明白的人來說，是一場(chǎng)美夢(mèng)；對(duì)明白的人來說，是一場(chǎng)噩夢(mèng)?！?br>
在談到自己在自焚事件中扮演的不光彩角色時(shí)，薛紅軍始終避重就輕，但在記者的追問下，他還是長(zhǎng)嘆了一聲，“我是一個(gè)罪人！”
得知李洪志一伙不承認(rèn)自焚者是“法輪功”練習(xí)者時(shí)，薛紅軍激動(dòng)得雙手顫抖，“他們是睜眼說瞎話，李洪志想推脫責(zé)任天理難容?。 ?br>
悲慘的事件雖已過去30多天，但當(dāng)記者與劉思影談起在自焚前澆灑汽油的情景時(shí)，渾身纏滿紗布的劉思影仍條件反射般地干嘔起來。
“好幾瓶汽油呀，他們每個(gè)人都把汽油澆在自己身上了。當(dāng)時(shí)感覺氣味特別難聞，好象昏了過去。陳果姐姐見我這樣，只能攙著我走路。”痛苦的回憶像一把鋒利的刀子剜著劉思影的心。
“1月15日那天，媽媽說，她腦子里突然有了自焚‘圓滿’的念頭。媽媽還問我敢不敢。我對(duì)媽媽說，你要是走了，我跟誰過呀。我只有跟著你，我是你的一個(gè)小尾巴?！?br>
此時(shí)，劉思影的聲音哽咽了。
“傷愈后，你最大的心愿是什么？”劉思影回答說：“我想回家，我要找媽媽！我還想老師、同學(xué)，我要上學(xué)。我得趕緊補(bǔ)課，不然，同學(xué)們都上六年級(jí)了，我就落下來了?！?br>
“我真后悔！”病床上的陳果一提到“法輪功”就傷心地抽泣起來，“我想家里的親人，盼著病能趕快好?！?br>
“當(dāng)時(shí)覺得自焚并不可怕。因?yàn)檫@樣就能‘圓滿’了，就能去天國(guó)世界了?！掇D(zhuǎn)法輪》上說的，天國(guó)世界特美好?！标惞叵胫峭纯嗟囊荒?。
“今后你還練‘法輪功’嗎？”記者問。
“不練了。我后悔了，沒有想到會(huì)是這樣的后果?！?br>
“病好了以后，你最想干什么？”
“繼續(xù)上學(xué)。畢業(yè)后回河南老家，像媽媽那樣當(dāng)一名音樂老師?！?br>
重度燒傷的陳果、天真無邪的劉思影也許沒有意識(shí)到，他們親手點(diǎn)燃的邪火摧殘了原本花一樣的人生。積水潭醫(yī)院燒傷科副主任李遲介紹說，自焚事件中的4名燒傷人員，由于燒傷情況十分嚴(yán)重，現(xiàn)在還沒有完全脫離危險(xiǎn)，醫(yī)院正在對(duì)他們進(jìn)行搶救治療，加緊創(chuàng)面處理和營(yíng)養(yǎng)支持，以防止各種并發(fā)癥的發(fā)生。
李遲說，目前，醫(yī)院已先后給這4名傷者做了植皮手術(shù)，其中，燒傷最重的陳果、郝惠君還接受了雙下肢大面積削痂、微粒皮移植手術(shù)。雖然這些傷者大部分燒傷創(chuàng)面都已得到修復(fù)，但因?yàn)闊齻麆?chuàng)面很大，日后還可能造成全身性感染，所以他們目前仍然沒有完全脫離生命危險(xiǎn)。即使能保住生命，他們面部毀容也很嚴(yán)重，雙手基本毀損，今后生活不能自理，生活質(zhì)量會(huì)很差。
法網(wǎng)恢恢，邪教“法輪功”及天安門廣場(chǎng)自焚事件的直接組織者泯滅人性、殘害生命，必將受到法律的嚴(yán)懲。血的事實(shí)也給那些至今仍癡迷“法輪功”的人員敲響了警鐘：為了自己的寶貴生命，為了親人的幸福，不要再充當(dāng)李洪志及其邪教“法輪功”的殉葬品了。執(zhí)迷不悟、追隨邪教，到頭來只能是禍國(guó)殃民毀自己。
Details on cult suicide attempts
Xinhua News Agency, China's leading news service, yesterday published a feature story detailing suicide attempts by seven Falun Gong practitioners in Tian'anmen Square on January 23.
The tragedy once again demonstrates the evil nature of Falun Gong and sounded an alarm bell to those obsessed with the cult, officials said.
Five Falun Gong practitioners, including a 12-year-old girl, soaked themselves in gasoline and set themselves on fire at around 2:40pm on the eve of China's lunar new year. One died on the spot and the four others were injured.
Police on duty at the time rushed to the rescue and immediately sent the injured to a local hospital.
Officials said the follwers had been hoodwinked by the malicious fallacies of Li Hongzhi, founder of the Falun Gong cult. Two others planning a suicide attempt were found by the police and stopped.
At 2:41 pm, a man in his forties sitting cross-legged at Tian'anmen Square was found pouring liquid over his body from a green bottle.
All of a sudden, his body burst into flames and was covered with thick smoke, witnesses said. "Falun Dafa is compulsory for all," the man was screaming.
A few minutes later, four women who were not far from the man set themselves on fire. Fanned by the cold winter wind, the flames immediately spread, turning the women into screaming fireballs, eyewitnesses said.
"Uncle, help!" cried a short, slim girl on fire as police rushed towards the group.
Almost simultaneously, on the northeastern side of the square, a woman took out a plastic Sprite bottle, drank a few mouthfuls of the liquid and then poured it on herself, witnesses said.
Police on duty, who were alerted by the strong smell of gasoline, were quick to seize her lighter and stopped her from burning herself.
The woman kept yelling "Let me go to heaven."
On the western side of the square, a man, looking agitated and with the buttons of his overcoat unfastened, was discovered with two full bottles of gasoline tied to his body, witnesses said.
Police also prevented him from setting himself ablaze.
It took 90 seconds for police to put out the fire on the four women, officials said. One woman died and the other three were seriously burnt.
Three emergency ambulances from Beijing First-Aid Centre arrived in less than seven minutes and rushed the injured people to the prestigious Beijing Jishuitan Hospital.
A rescue team was formed, comprising well-known doctors. Special wards were prepared for around-the-clock monitoring. Doctors and nurses on holiday returned to work immediately. Nearly 10,000 millilitres of plasma and several thousand millilitres of blood were sent to the operation rooms.
Thanks to the efforts of the doctors, all the injured passed the shock stage.
A police investigation showed that the seven people who attempted suicide were from Kaifeng in Central China's Henan Province. All were avid Falun Gong practitioners.
The dead woman, Liu Chunling, had been obsessed with Falun Gong and persuaded her 12-year-old daughter, Liu Siying, to pursue the cult.
Wang Jindong, the organizer, started practising Falun Gong in 1996. Wang and his wife and child came to Tian'anmen Square on December 19 carrying pro-Falun Gong banners.
Hao Huijun, a music teacher at a Kaifeng middle school, had become silent and absent-minded since 1997, when she started practising Falun Gong.
Hao's 19-year-old daughter, Chen Guo, studied pipa in Beijing and also practised Falun Gong. The mother and daughter had participated in other illegal gatherings on Tian'anmen Square.
Liu Baorong, a textile factory worker who left her post due to an industrial injury in 1984, began practising Falun Gong in 1995.
"Everyone of us knew what we were going to do in Beijing before we left Kaifeng," Liu Baorong said. "We were prepared to set ourselves on fire and go up to heaven.
"Li Hongzhi often mentioned in his 'scripture' and speeches that there were still some people not 'standing out.' If I did not 'stand out,' I would not realize 'nirvana,' " said Liu, who believes that obtaining "nirvana" is to go to the heaven.
"It is a good thing to go to the heaven," she said. "It takes a mere moment and one would not feel pain."
For this purpose, Liu drank gasoline at Tian'anmen Square.
Liu Yunfang, 57, was a part-time worker at a paint shop in Kaifeng. He said that he planned to set himself on fire to cultivate his physical and mental capabilities, according to Falun Gong rules.
Liu explained that he was not able to burn himself because he has not reached a certain level.
Wang Jindong, Hao Huijun, Liu Yunfang, Liu Baorong, Liu Chunling and her 12-year-old daughter Liu Siying took the train to Beijing on January 16.
Chen Guo, a Falun Gong practitioner, met the six at Beijing Western Railway Station the next morning. They stayed with another Falun Gong practitioner and seldom left the premises except to buy food at a nearby supermarket.
Even their neighbours did not notice they had stayed for about one week. "I thought it was empty, no one was there," one neighbour said.
During the week, the seven people imagined how wonderful it would be to enter heaven. When Chen Guo was worried about the pain, Wang Jindong told her that unlike average people, Falun Gong practitioners would not feel pain when they were on fire. They would rise to heaven in a second.
Liu Yunfang created stories about "paradise" for Liu Siying, telling her she would become a "religious queen" once she entered "paradise" and that she'd have many servants if she became king.
Wang Jindong, 50, came up with the idea of using gasoline to set themselves on fire. They first tried plastic bags but failed to contain the gasoline safely. Then Liu Baorong suggested they should use plastic Sprite bottles because the colour of gasoline looks similar to Sprite and would not be identified easily.
They discussed when and where the event was to take place. Everyone had two lighters in case one failed to work on the spot.
With bottles of gasoline, blades and lighters, the seven arrived at the Square by taxi. Out of their expectation, the Square was temporarily closed in the morning for activities. They strolled nearby and agreed to light themselves at different locations at 2:30 pm.
"Thanks to the police. It was they who saved me," Liu Baorong recalled. Her watch was not working properly at the moment they were expected to light themselves, she said, explaining her delay.
Liu Yunfang was discovered and stopped by the police before she lit herself. But the other five members did not escape the "fire."
Chen Guo's relatives and teachers felt very regretful when they heard about the tragedy. She was an excellent student at school and performed in Singapore when she was only 12.
She began practising Falun Gong in 1996 and became even more involved when her father died in 1998. She wrote a letter to her teachers when they tried to help her, saying that Falun Dafa was "the most mysterious science in the world" and that "my life was created by Dafa."
Liu Baorong said they chose Tian'anmen Square because there was a rumour that an old woman practitioner in Northeast China saw in her dream the words "registration for Dafa followers" written on the Tian'anmen Rostrum.
She explained that they were driven to burn themselves by what Li Hongzhi said in the "scripture," such as "forget death and life " and "seek nirvana."
"These are absolute lies," Liu Baorong said. "Life is precious, indeed. We should never give it up easily. This was not worth trying at all since Li Hongzhi is enjoying life while we are suffering."
"Falun Gong has brought misfortune to the country and the people," she said. "Other practitioners should sober up when they learn the truth behind the fire."
Liu Siying, lying in a hospital bed with her head bandaged, was equally bitter.
"My mom cheated me," she said. The little girl had not yet been informed that her mother died.
The 12-year-old girl suffered severe burns to her face, head and hands. Though in pain and blinded, she described the beauty of "paradise" to the nurses, a world made of gold, from the roads to the birds to the people.
Also in the same hospital ward was 19-year-old Chen Guo, who suffered burns all over her body. Chen Guo suffered burn shock when she was rushed to the Beijing Jishuitan Hospital.
"I regret it very much," Chen managed to say. "I want to play Pipa in the future."
Doctors said that Chen, a music student in Beijing, can no longer play Pipa, an ancient flat stringed instrument, because her fingers are too damaged by the fire.
Li Chi, a chief doctor at the hospital, said it is too early to say whether all of the injured would live. Each faces further operations.
The fire caused all of them to become physically disabled. Some will not be able to live on their own in the future.
(China Daily, 2001/01/31)