Red Legacy in China

Song Binbin fastening a Red Guard armband onto Mao Zedong at the first mass rally of Red Guards in Tiananmen Square, August 18, 1966.

This photo later appeared in newspapers across China. At Mao's suggestion Song changed her name to Song Yaowu (Song "Be Militant") and used that name in the papers in a first-person account of the moment.  Song later immigrated to the United States (which drives me to distraction), got her PhD from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology under the name of Yan Song and lived for many years in suburban Boston.  She has since retired and lives in Beijing (where I hope she stays).

Below, a new (to me) photograph of Song, framed in red at lower left, and enlarged, at Beijing Teachers University, biology department (1982)

Song Binbin is an utterly fascinating individual to me. Look at that face. It is the face of nihilism. I have never seen a photograph of Song Binbin that shows a soul behind her eyes.  Look at these, in a variety of circumstances.  Where is the soul?  The tenderness?  The softness?  Is there not any softness, any tenderness in her?

Song is at far left, in the lavender plaid.  This is an offensive photograph to begin with.  The occasion was the anniversary celebration a few years ago at the school where Vice Principal Bian Zhongyun was murdered.  Murdered by Red Guards who were led by Song Binbin. Third from Song's left: Liu Jin.  The day after Teacher Bian's murder, it was Liu who made the announcement over the school loudspeaker:  "Bian Zhongyun is dead.  There is no need to talk about it."

From the webpage of Professor Xu Weixin.  She is in pigtails here for godssake and this still looks like a mugshot!
                                  

With her mother (and between them, her father).  "Uhh, mother come here, I want to devour your flesh."  She looks like she wants to eat her mother.

                                                    In the U.S.  That is a cold face.

At the funeral service for her father.  With the President of the People's Republic of China.  And Song looks like a schoolmarm scolding a naughty boy!  Look at the severity on her face.  And contrast it with the facial expressions of her sisters.  What the &@#!

With the former President of the PRC (Song's father was a general).  She's really warmed up here!  Again, note contrast with sister at far left.

 On graduation day at MIT, with mentor Gomer Pyle, er Fred Frey.  S-t-i-f-f   a-s  a  b-o-a-r-d.

Song unwinding!  Enjoying a nice, relaxing day in the park in Beijing  with friends.  Yeah she looks relaxed, as she grabs herself with both arms around the waist. Song:  AT EASE!

 My favorite Song picture.  This is how she was "shown" in Morning Sun.


                    

                                                 Oh jeezus christ.