Li Gang incident
Encyclopedia
The Li Gang incident occurred on the evening of October 16, 2010, inside Hebei University
in Baoding
in Hebei province, when a black Volkswagen Magotan
traveling down a narrow lane hit two university students. One of them, 20-year-old Chen Xiaofeng (陈晓凤), a student from Shijiazhuang
at the Electronic Information Engineering College died later in hospital. The other victim, Zhang Jingjing, aged 19, remained in a stable condition, albeit suffering from a fractured left leg. The drunk driver, 22-year-old Li Qiming (李启铭), tried to escape the scene
and continued driving to the female dormitory to drop off his girlfriend. When arrested by security guards, convinced his father's position would give him impunity, he shouted out: "Go ahead, sue me if you dare. My dad is Li Gang!"
After outrage erupted on Chinese internet forums, a human flesh search engine
revealed that Li Gang was the deputy director of the local public security bureau
. Four days after the incident, an online poetry contest invited entrants to incorporate the sentence "My father is Li Gang" (我爸是李刚) into classical Chinese poems. The contest was created by a female blogger in northern China nicknamed Piggy Feet Beta on MOP
, a popular Chinese Bulletin Board System
, and received more than 6,000 submissions. The phrase has since become a popular internet catchphrase and meme within China, frequently seen on various forums and message boards, and in similar competitions using ad slogans and song lyrics, and used ironically in conversation by speakers trying to avoid responsibility.
Communist Party
officials tried at first to suppress reports
of the incident, but their efforts backfired. During an interview with China Central Television
on 21 October, Li Gang wept in an apology; then on 22 October, a video showing Li Qiming's apology was released. The apology was rejected by the victims' families, the elder brother of Chen Xiaofeng believing the apology to be a political stunt. The People's Daily
, in a editorial published on October 26, urged authorities to take that affair into their own hands and shed light on the truth.
On October 29, the South China Morning Post
and other sources revealed that a directive from the Central Propaganda Department, issued on October 28, required that there be "no more hype regarding the disturbance over traffic at Hebei University," and ordered Chinese newspapers to recall their reporters from Baoding. On November 1, Zhang Kai, the attorney for the relatives of Chen Xiaofeng, was abruptly asked to terminate his representation in this case, after the law firm was cautioned by the Beijing
Bureau of Justice, according to a blog by Wang Keqin
. The same day, Director Liu of Baoding Traffic Police Division and clerks from Wangdu County
proposed payment of to the relatives of Chen Xiaofeng to settle the case.
On November 4, the Central Propaganda Department banned news of an interview by Fenghuang Satellite Television
with Ms Chen’s brother, Chen Lin, in which he was critical of the government.
Then on November 9, Internet discussion of the case suddenly stopped. But local students and activists such as Ai Weiwei
continued to speak out.
In January 2011, Li Qiming was arrested. He was sentenced to six years in jail and ordered to pay the equivalent of $69,900 (£44,000) in compensation to the family of Chen Xiaofeng. Li was also ordered to pay $13,800 (£8,700) to the injured woman.
Hebei University
Hebei University is the only Comprehensive University in Hebei which is directly under Hebei provincial government and the Ministry of Education, China. It's located in Baoding, Hebei Province, China....
in Baoding
Baoding
-Administrative divisions:Baoding prefecture-level city consists of 3 municipal districts, 4 county-level cities, 18 counties:-Demographics:The Baoding urban area has a population of around 1,006,000 . The population of the Baoding administrative area is 10,890,000. The considerable majority are...
in Hebei province, when a black Volkswagen Magotan
Volkswagen Passat
The Volkswagen Passat is a large family car marketed by Volkswagen Passenger Cars through six design generations since 1973. Between the Volkswagen Golf / Volkswagen Jetta and the Volkswagen Phaeton in the current Volkswagen line-up, the Passat and its derivatives have been badged variously as...
traveling down a narrow lane hit two university students. One of them, 20-year-old Chen Xiaofeng (陈晓凤), a student from Shijiazhuang
Shijiazhuang
Shijiazhuang is the capital and largest city of North China's Hebei province. Administratively a prefecture-level city, it is about south of Beijing...
at the Electronic Information Engineering College died later in hospital. The other victim, Zhang Jingjing, aged 19, remained in a stable condition, albeit suffering from a fractured left leg. The drunk driver, 22-year-old Li Qiming (李启铭), tried to escape the scene
Hit and run (vehicular)
Hit-and-run is the act of causing a traffic accident , and failing to stop and identify oneself afterwards...
and continued driving to the female dormitory to drop off his girlfriend. When arrested by security guards, convinced his father's position would give him impunity, he shouted out: "Go ahead, sue me if you dare. My dad is Li Gang!"
After outrage erupted on Chinese internet forums, a human flesh search engine
Human flesh search engine
Human Flesh Search is a primarily Chinese internet phenomenon of massive researching using Internet media such as blogs and forums. It has generally been stigmatized as being for the purpose of identifying and exposing individuals to public humiliation, usually out of Chinese nationalistic...
revealed that Li Gang was the deputy director of the local public security bureau
Public Security Bureau
In the People's Republic of China, a public security bureau refers to the government offices while the smaller offices are called Police posts which are similar in concept to the Japanese Kōban system) present in each province and municipality that handles policing , public security, and...
. Four days after the incident, an online poetry contest invited entrants to incorporate the sentence "My father is Li Gang" (我爸是李刚) into classical Chinese poems. The contest was created by a female blogger in northern China nicknamed Piggy Feet Beta on MOP
MOP (Internet site)
MOP is a popular Chinese BBS....
, a popular Chinese Bulletin Board System
Bulletin board system
A Bulletin Board System, or BBS, is a computer system running software that allows users to connect and log in to the system using a terminal program. Once logged in, a user can perform functions such as uploading and downloading software and data, reading news and bulletins, and exchanging...
, and received more than 6,000 submissions. The phrase has since become a popular internet catchphrase and meme within China, frequently seen on various forums and message boards, and in similar competitions using ad slogans and song lyrics, and used ironically in conversation by speakers trying to avoid responsibility.
Communist Party
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...
officials tried at first to suppress reports
Censorship in the People's Republic of China
Censorship in the People's Republic of China is implemented or mandated by the PRC's ruling party, the Communist Party of China . The special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau have their own legal systems and are largely self-governing, so these censorship policies do not apply...
of the incident, but their efforts backfired. During an interview with China Central Television
China Central Television
China Central Television or Chinese Central Television, commonly abbreviated as CCTV, is the major state television broadcaster in mainland China. CCTV has a network of 19 channels broadcasting different programmes and is accessible to more than one billion viewers...
on 21 October, Li Gang wept in an apology; then on 22 October, a video showing Li Qiming's apology was released. The apology was rejected by the victims' families, the elder brother of Chen Xiaofeng believing the apology to be a political stunt. The People's Daily
People's Daily
The People's Daily is a daily newspaper in the People's Republic of China. The paper is an organ of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China , published worldwide with a circulation of 3 to 4 million. In addition to its main Chinese-language edition, it has editions in English,...
, in a editorial published on October 26, urged authorities to take that affair into their own hands and shed light on the truth.
On October 29, the South China Morning Post
South China Morning Post
The South China Morning Post , together with its Sunday edition, the Sunday Morning Post, is an English-language Hong Kong newspaper, published by the SCMP Group with a circulation of 104,000....
and other sources revealed that a directive from the Central Propaganda Department, issued on October 28, required that there be "no more hype regarding the disturbance over traffic at Hebei University," and ordered Chinese newspapers to recall their reporters from Baoding. On November 1, Zhang Kai, the attorney for the relatives of Chen Xiaofeng, was abruptly asked to terminate his representation in this case, after the law firm was cautioned by the Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
Bureau of Justice, according to a blog by Wang Keqin
Wang Keqin
Wang Keqin , is an influential Chinese muckraking reporter and blogger. He is also a professor at Peking University in Beijing.-Early life:Wang was born in the Yongdeng County in the Gansu Province of the People's Republic of China. Before becoming a reporter, Wang was a farmer in Gansu. It was...
. The same day, Director Liu of Baoding Traffic Police Division and clerks from Wangdu County
Wangdu County
Wangdu County is a county under the jurisdiction of Baoding prefecture-level city, Hebei, China.-Administrative Divisions:Towns:*Wangdu Town , Gudian Townships:...
proposed payment of to the relatives of Chen Xiaofeng to settle the case.
On November 4, the Central Propaganda Department banned news of an interview by Fenghuang Satellite Television
Phoenix Television
Phoenix Satellite Television Holdings Ltd or Phoenix Television is a Hong Kong-based Mandarin Chinese and Cantonese television broadcaster that serves the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong along with other markets with substantial Chinese viewers...
with Ms Chen’s brother, Chen Lin, in which he was critical of the government.
Then on November 9, Internet discussion of the case suddenly stopped. But local students and activists such as Ai Weiwei
Ai Weiwei
Ai Weiwei is a Chinese contemporary artist, active in sculpture, installation, architecture, curating, photography, film, and social, political and cultural criticism. Ai collaborated with Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron as the artistic consultant on the Beijing National Stadium for the 2008...
continued to speak out.
In January 2011, Li Qiming was arrested. He was sentenced to six years in jail and ordered to pay the equivalent of $69,900 (£44,000) in compensation to the family of Chen Xiaofeng. Li was also ordered to pay $13,800 (£8,700) to the injured woman.
External links
- China’s Censors Misfire in Abuse-of-Power Case By Michael Wines, November 17, 2010; The New York Times