Supplement to Lin Zhao (Part V)
In 1964: On Feb.5 of 1964, she attempted suicide by eating medicated soap. In March she wrote to interrogators. On April 12 she wrote a poem in memory of her uncle who died for CCP revolution in 1927 saying that it was her mother who educated her and it was her uncle who educated her mother in revolutionary thoughts…On Sept. 26 deprived of paper and pen, she began to write poems and essays of about 200 000 words with her blood by piercing her skin with bamboo picks, hairpins and pointed tooth brush handle (rubbing on the ground) on walls, blouses and bed-sheets. That was unique in man’s thought-history and even in the whole human history. On Nov.4, she refused occasional nutritious meat or fish. On 19th of Nov. after a non- agreeable talk with the jail, she was the fourth time handcuffed, which lasted till May 26 of 1965. The next day, Nov.10, 1964, having failed to die by cutting blood vain in her left wrist, she started a fast for ten days. On Dec.2nd, receiving indictment from Shanghai People’s Procuratorate in Jingan District, Lin wrote 3739-word of comment and criticism on the back of the document. On Dec.5th, she appeared in court as the accused. The same month, in her first blood-written letter to People’s Daily (CCP’s leading newspaper) she depicted her case and expressed her view in politics, but got no response. On the 6th, she trusted procuratorate the first letter to Mayer of Shanghai. From Dec. till Feb. 1965, she was jailed in Shanghai First lockup.
In 1965: On Jan.5th, she asked for chopsticks. The end of that month she was raped by a jailer. On Feb.20th, the jail had a talk with her. The next morning, she began to refuse food. And again, in blood she wrote to the People’s Daily the 2nd time reporting her case and expressing her point of views in politics, but did not get any response either. An appeal was unclosed to the world justice to give attention to her cause and case. She asked to pass that appeal to a Japanese lawyer and a Chilean newsman (so naïve Lin Zhao was!!!) On March 3rd, she wrote a 2nd letter to Shanghai Mayer Ke Qing-shi. On the 5th, she received her family visit. On the 6th, she presented blood-written hunger-strike statement and the jail forced liquid through her nose. That lasted 80 days till May 31st. During that period she wrote in blood everyday. In the 22 months of her stay in Shanghai First Prison her family only came once for delivering some grocery though Lin once wrote a long list of food she wanted from home.(so poor Lin was!) On a day in mid-March she wrote in blood: urgent need for trial. From March till May she remained silent for one and a half month. On the 21st, she smelled kind of chemical in the rice water and had diarrhea after taking it so she suspected the rice water of poison. Since then she had often loose bowels and stomachache. On March 23 she started writing <Statement to Mankind> On the 25th, being very weak, on the excuse of her period, she asked for infusion but was refused. At 11 a.m. of April 5th, five minutes after drinking the rice water the jail gave, she had diarrhea, again, she suspected poison in the food. On the afternoon of April 9th, Mayer Ke Qing-shi died and Lin suspected his death was a political plot. On May 31st a second court session opened. Shanghai Jingan District Court gave her a 20-year imprisonment. On June 1st, wounding her finger, she wrote on the back of the court verdict<>---Yesterday, you, the so-called, illegitimate court, made use of and usurped the name of law sentenced me 20-year imprisonment. This is a very dirty and very shameful verdict. But it does give me, a rebel, the highest honor. It proves the free fighter Lin Zhao’s justice and righteousness. From July till December, the 3rd time she wrote to People’s Daily explaining in detail her case and her views in politics mainly attacking class struggle theory Mao adhered and bloc dictatorship, appealing for human right, democracy, peace, justice, 100 000-word in length. On Aug.8th, she was transferred to Shanghai First Lockup.
In 1966: May 6th,at 8 a.m., in the name of Lin’s fiancé, together with her mother, Zhang Yuan-xun (Lin’s rightist schoolmate in BJ Univ. released from a jail in his hometown Shandong province in 1965) came to Shanghai Tilanqiao Jail for visiting Lin—the only visit among her schoolmates and colleagues. Lin looked so pale from lack of blood and so bony, her hair being long to the waist, half white. At the sight of Zhang, Lin gave a sincere smile, the jail leaders said they had never seen such a smile on her face. She took down the handkerchief on which she wrote “Wrong” with her blood. Zhang saw the several white spots on her head skin---wild pulling her hair in the persecution! She said to Zhang in the presence of about 20 jailers and officers with guns:“they want to rape me, so I have to sew my coats and trousers together!” At this, Zhang noticed her connected coats and trousers with thread. In the file it said that Lin was raped by a jailer at the end of January of 1965. When asking Zhang to take a bit care of her old mother and two young siblings, Lin changed from weeping to loud crying and one of the jail leaders said that it was the first time she had such a good cry.(for more in detail of this part please read my first writing from memory after watching the DVD made by Hu Jie) Originally there should be another visit the next day, but it was cancelled by the jail. In custody, Lin was handcuffed back for 180 days, not released even at meals, making bowels and water, and in her period/menstruation. At the end of that year, her sister Peng Ling-fan came to jail for a visit but having waited for five hours before meeting in late evening. Lin Zhao just asked if mother came, if mat was bought. Soon the sister returned home and that was the last meeting between the two sisters.
In 1967: on May 1st , together with Lin’s mother Xu Xian-min, Zhang Yuan-xun who was still in controlled labor, came secretly to Shanghai for a visit to Lin in jail, but he was told the jail is already in military control, all visits are cancelled.
In 1968: on April 29th, all day pouring rain. Lin got the written judgment from original 20-year imprisonment to death penalty (immediate execution) In no time, in her blood, Lin wrote:< History Will Declare Me Innocent > On the very day, she was dragged from sick bed in the jail (Lin was having an intravenous glucose drip, weighing under 70 pounds) So far it is still unknown who issued and who else signed the death penalty court verdict for there is no record.
Before the execution, there was a open trial assembly. Lin was taken out, a rubber plug being in her mouth. This was specially designed to prevent criminal from voicing, expanding and contracting with the victim opening his/her mouth. The more struggling, the more expanding, making the whole face change shape! Meanwhile, a plastic string was tied tightly on the neck. That work-along-both-line method for specially dangerous criminals made Lin’s face red and purple, which greatly saddened and astonished the other prisoners who were gathered to watch. Dumb-frightened, they even forgot to shout ‘down with’ slogans as required. Seeing that, the man in charge of the public trial flew into rage about the silence(inhumane!!!) The son of Lin mother’s friend who was a witness said that at about 3 p.m. that afternoon, he saw Lin was in custody by two jeeps and fast taken to Longhua Airport. Dragged out of the vehicle, Lin fell with a flop on the ground by a kick, and died with three bullets. Her body pulled in, the jeep ran fast. But the exact place where Lin was killed still remains a question.
In 1979: In January Beijing University gave the notice of labeling Lin a rightist was a wrong case.
In 1980: August 22nd, Shanghai Higher Court<…435 Court Verdict > on the excuse of suffering mental illness redressed Lin’s case as mishandled but still as common criminal case. On Dec.11th, Beijing University held funeral ceremony for Lin Zhao. Not finding her bone ashes, there was only a tuft of Lin’s hair, a portrait of her deceased. More than 80 people attended the ceremony with the funeral music
In 1981: on December 30th, Shanghai Higher People’s Court, after reviewing Lin’s case again, declared that Lin Zhao was totally innocent!
From then on till 2007, so many people have written poems, verses and essays to memorized Lin Zhao, including her sister Peng Ling-fan’s essays:<> <>…It turned out in 2004 that Lin Zhao’s ashes were secretly protected by a female in Shanghai and now she has presented the ashes to the Memorial Hall of the heroin………….
So far, Lin’s poems, verses, pen and blood-written works, are still kept in iron-bared cell serving the sentence and Shanghai Tilanqiao Jail has refused any kind of interviews. None of those who persecuted Lin Zhao accepted any visitors.
