Fang Lizhi
Encyclopedia
Fang Lizhi is a professor of astrophysics
and former vice-president of the University of Science and Technology of China
whose liberal ideas inspired the pro-democracy
student movement of 1986-87 and, finally, the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989
. Because of the first, he was expelled from the Communist Party of China
in January 1987.
to many of its regional offices, with the directive to its members to criticize the essays. As the story goes, many who read his essays found them to be thought-provoking, and Fang was inadvertently provided a platform for his views.
Liu was one of the three main leaders who, in December 1986, organized student demonstrations in a over a dozen Chinese cities in order to agitate for greater economic and political freedoms. (The other two senior leaders were Liu Binyan
and Wang Ruowang
). Deng Xiaoping
disliked all three leaders; and, after two straight weeks of student demonstrations, directed then-CCP General Secretary Hu Yaobang
to expel them from the Party, but Hu refused. Because of his refusal, Hu was dismissed from his position as General Secretary in January 1987, effectively ending his period of influence within the Chinese government.
, Fang and his wife, Li Shuxian, were granted asylum
at the U.S. embassy in Beijing. They entered the embassy on June 5, 1989 (the day after the government began its repression of the protests). During his time there, Fang wrote an essay titled The Chinese Amnesia, criticizing the Chinese Communist Party's repression of human rights and the outside world's turning a blind eye to it.
Fang and his wife remained in the US Embassy until June 25, 1990 when they were allowed by Chinese authorities to leave the embassy and board a U.S. Air Force C-135 transport plane to Britain. This resolution came about after confidential negotiations between Henry Kissinger
(acting on behalf of US President George H.W. Bush) and China's paramount leader Deng Xiaoping
as well as a meaningless "confession" by Fang (boilerplate "verbiage" common in Communist ideology that in no way admitted wrong), an attempted intervention by US National Security Adviser Brent Scowcroft
and an offer from the Japanese government to resume loans to the PRC in return for "the Fang Lizhi problem [being] solved".
In 1989, he was a recipient of the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award
.
, Fang later moved to Tucson, where he works as Professor of Physics at the University of Arizona
.
In campus speeches Fang has spoken on topics such as human rights
and democracy
as matters of social responsibility
. He also served as a board member and co-chair of Human Rights in China.
Astrophysics
Astrophysics is the branch of astronomy that deals with the physics of the universe, including the physical properties of celestial objects, as well as their interactions and behavior...
and former vice-president of the University of Science and Technology of China
University of Science and Technology of China
The University of Science and Technology of China is a national research university in Hefei, People's Republic of China. It is a member of the C9 League formed by nine top universities in China...
whose liberal ideas inspired the pro-democracy
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
student movement of 1986-87 and, finally, the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989
Tiananmen Square protests of 1989
The Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, also known as the June Fourth Incident in Chinese , were a series of demonstrations in and near Tiananmen Square in Beijing in the People's Republic of China beginning on 15 April 1989...
. Because of the first, he was expelled from the Communist Party of China
Communist Party of China
The Communist Party of China , also known as the Chinese Communist Party , is the founding and ruling political party of the People's Republic of China...
in January 1987.
Political Activism
Fang gained fame and notoriety after his essays were collected and distributed by the Communist Party of ChinaCommunist Party of China
The Communist Party of China , also known as the Chinese Communist Party , is the founding and ruling political party of the People's Republic of China...
to many of its regional offices, with the directive to its members to criticize the essays. As the story goes, many who read his essays found them to be thought-provoking, and Fang was inadvertently provided a platform for his views.
Liu was one of the three main leaders who, in December 1986, organized student demonstrations in a over a dozen Chinese cities in order to agitate for greater economic and political freedoms. (The other two senior leaders were Liu Binyan
Liu Binyan
Liu Binyan was a Chinese author and journalist, as well as a political dissident.Many of the events in Liu's life are recounted in his memoir, A Higher Kind of Loyalty.-Early life:...
and Wang Ruowang
Wang Ruowang
Wang Ruowang , born as Shouhua but more popularly known from his pen name Ruowang, was a Chinese author and dissident who was imprisoned various times for political reasons by both the Kuomintang and the Communist government of China...
). Deng Xiaoping
Deng Xiaoping
Deng Xiaoping was a Chinese politician, statesman, and diplomat. As leader of the Communist Party of China, Deng was a reformer who led China towards a market economy...
disliked all three leaders; and, after two straight weeks of student demonstrations, directed then-CCP General Secretary Hu Yaobang
Hu Yaobang
Hu Yaobang was a leader of the People's Republic of China who served as both Chairman and Party General Secretary. Hu joined the Chinese Communist Party in the 1930s, and rose to prominence as a comrade of Deng Xiaoping...
to expel them from the Party, but Hu refused. Because of his refusal, Hu was dismissed from his position as General Secretary in January 1987, effectively ending his period of influence within the Chinese government.
1989 Democracy Movement & Exile
During the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989Tiananmen Square protests of 1989
The Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, also known as the June Fourth Incident in Chinese , were a series of demonstrations in and near Tiananmen Square in Beijing in the People's Republic of China beginning on 15 April 1989...
, Fang and his wife, Li Shuxian, were granted asylum
Right of asylum
Right of asylum is an ancient juridical notion, under which a person persecuted for political opinions or religious beliefs in his or her own country may be protected by another sovereign authority, a foreign country, or church sanctuaries...
at the U.S. embassy in Beijing. They entered the embassy on June 5, 1989 (the day after the government began its repression of the protests). During his time there, Fang wrote an essay titled The Chinese Amnesia, criticizing the Chinese Communist Party's repression of human rights and the outside world's turning a blind eye to it.
Fang and his wife remained in the US Embassy until June 25, 1990 when they were allowed by Chinese authorities to leave the embassy and board a U.S. Air Force C-135 transport plane to Britain. This resolution came about after confidential negotiations between Henry Kissinger
Henry Kissinger
Heinz Alfred "Henry" Kissinger is a German-born American academic, political scientist, diplomat, and businessman. He is a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. He served as National Security Advisor and later concurrently as Secretary of State in the administrations of Presidents Richard Nixon and...
(acting on behalf of US President George H.W. Bush) and China's paramount leader Deng Xiaoping
Deng Xiaoping
Deng Xiaoping was a Chinese politician, statesman, and diplomat. As leader of the Communist Party of China, Deng was a reformer who led China towards a market economy...
as well as a meaningless "confession" by Fang (boilerplate "verbiage" common in Communist ideology that in no way admitted wrong), an attempted intervention by US National Security Adviser Brent Scowcroft
Brent Scowcroft
Brent Scowcroft, KBE was the United States National Security Advisor under Presidents Gerald Ford and George H. W. Bush and a Lieutenant General in the United States Air Force. He also served as Military Assistant to President Richard Nixon and as Deputy Assistant to the President for National...
and an offer from the Japanese government to resume loans to the PRC in return for "the Fang Lizhi problem [being] solved".
In 1989, he was a recipient of the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award
Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award
The Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award was created by the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial in 1984 to honour individuals around the world who show courage and have made a significant contribution to human rights in their country....
.
Later Life
After some time at Cambridge University and PrincetonPrinceton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
, Fang later moved to Tucson, where he works as Professor of Physics at the University of Arizona
University of Arizona
The University of Arizona is a land-grant and space-grant public institution of higher education and research located in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The University of Arizona was the first university in the state of Arizona, founded in 1885...
.
In campus speeches Fang has spoken on topics such as human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
and democracy
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
as matters of social responsibility
Social responsibility
Social responsibility is an ethical ideology or theory that an entity, be it an organization or individual, has an obligation to act to benefit society at large. Social responsibility is a duty every individual or organization has to perform so as to maintain a balance between the economy and the...
. He also served as a board member and co-chair of Human Rights in China.