Below are links to two articles written by Dr. Youqin Wang of the University of Chicago and recently published in media in China.
http://nf.nfdaily.cn/epaper/nfzm/content/20101021/ArticelE23002FM.htm
http://www.yhcqw.com/html/qsp/2010/1010/101010112417DF54180554FA78I8KIHIGJ74.htmlEnglish:http://tim.z.infzm.com/2010/10/27/%E6%96%87%E7%AB%A0%E7%BF%BB%E8%AF%91%EF%BC%9A%E2%80%9Cyou-set-a-good-example%E2%80%9D-a-red-guard-apology/Dr. Wang is the world's preeminent scholar on "Red August" violence. She is routinely attacked by Red Guard apologists such as Dr. Weili Ye. For many years Dr. Wang has maintained a website dedicated to the memory of Cultural Revolution victims: http://humanities.uchicago.edu/faculty/ywang/history/ . Her website is blocked in the PRC.
Two points, briefly, so as not to detract from Dr. Wang's writing: Published in China? Power is exercised arbitrarily. Remember the scene in Schindler's List where the Nazi is in bed with his Nazi-ess and decides arbitrarily to pick up his rifle and shoot a Jew in the courtyard of the concentration camp? Power is arbitrary like that. Whenever the mood strikes. So Hu Jintao's internet police block Dr. Wang's American-based website and permit publication of two of her articles in prestigious outlets in China. The exercise of power is not logical. Maybe they'll get around to censoring the articles some day, maybe they won't. Or they can shut down the newspapers that published them, as they've done before. Or not. Who knows.
Second, when I met with Professor Xu Weixin in Beijing in November, 2008 we discussed ways Chinese could face the CR honestly. Trials? I suggested. The government would never allow it, Professor Xu replied. Permit study by scholars and in universities? Same. How about a Truth and Reconciliation Commission like they had in South Africa? We were at lunch at the time, Professor Xu was seated to my right. Without looking up he raised his left hand in the air and pointed with his index finger. "That we could do," he replied. Dr. Wang writes about a new phenomenon that is occurring in China: the apology. Red Guards--like my friend in Red Art--are apologizing. That is, categorically, wonderful.
