Wuer Kai Xi, Oral History

Recorded May 4, 1990
Transcribed by Lisa Whalen and Kathleen S. Medicus

[Interviewer] Here we have Wuer Kai Xi, to come to Kent, and he's invited by the May 4th Task[force] to give a speech in the opening ceremony of the memorial, twentieth anniversary of May 4th. So here, we're talking --I'm Zhuang Yi. Currently I'm in the English Department of KSU. So, I'm talking to Wuer Kai Xi.

I'm really honored to be here. When I take the invitation from May 4th, I really think this [a] great job, and I should do [it]. I have this responsibility to tell everyone here, to send our message from Chinese students, to the American peoples. And to tell them what's the true -- what's the real feeling about, we think about May 4th massacre twenty years ago. And what we are really thinking is, the same thing happen in two countries. The same youth, the same dream, the same peaceful demonstration, and the same massacre. Given the number of people that have been killed is very different. In this country, is four people. Four young students, outstanding students, has been killed. You have the names, and the photos, everything known to the world. But in China, we still do not know how many students has been killed last years on June 4th. And we still -- we can't, I think maybe even in future, we can't know their exact -- exact number and everyones name who has been killed in Tienanmen Square. That's the only thing different. Maybe to China, in China, it's really much sadder, but a massacre is a massacre. It's the same thing. So I came here, I want to tell everyone in the world, not only the peaceful, not only the job who are -- who is fighting for it, but the peace, freedom and the human rights is their job. What everyone should take their responsibility. What I want to say, we Chinese students, we Chinese people, holding the best wishes for the American youth, American students, American people. And the people all over the world.

[Interviewer] Now, I have a question. Last night, when we were in the candlelight vigil, would you tell us your feeling, what did you feel at that time. It was a long process. We did that for an hour, around campus, with the candle in hand and (unintelligible), American people, what do you feel all that time?

That what my feeling, that I hope one day I can hold a candle, to take part the same thing in China. To do memorial to my brothers and my sisters in my country, who died in Tienanmen Square. And I think is really, show everyone the human dignity, at the moment.

[Interviewer] When do you think that day will come? When do you think that day will come?

Well, just because everyone is fighting for that, so it will come very soon, in China. That day will come I think no longer than- five years. I firmly believe that. Today is May 4th, 1990, test it and see.

[Rest of interview is in Chinese and has not been transcribed.]

 

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