On Song Binbin.

The above photo is very grating. Song is second from left, Liu Jin, fifth from left. The occasion was the (2008, I recall) anniversary celebration of the founding of their high school Alma Mater, the best in all of China, where the assistant principal, Bian Zhongyun, was murdered by her students on August 5, 1966.

The alumnae returning for the anniversary produced then-and-now displays of themselves. Song's friends, including Liu, created one for Song; it was the most elaborate. It was over-the-top elaborate and included the iconic photograph of Song pinning a Red Guard armband on Mao on August 18, 1966, just 13 days after Bian's murder. Song was the leader of the Red Guards at the school.

Song refers to the outrage produced by the anniversary celebration in her recent writing. She says she was used by her student-friends, that she told them to focus the tribute they were making for her on her academic achievements only. This photo, and others taken at the time, for example of Song satisfyingly leafing through the tribute booklet open at the page showing her pinning Mao, belie her current claims of umbrage. When she apologies for her "insensitivity" after the murder (which she refers to as "The August 5 Event"), I believe this is one of the things she is apologizing for.  It is evident that Song's apology is not sufficient for many Chinese.