Revolutionary Engineers Sentenced to Death During Cultural Revolution Remembered Decades Later
Organized by: Yuan Bin
[The Epoch Times, March 24, 2024] On January 1, 1968, Wu Bingyuan and Wang Yongzeng, technicians at the Harbin Electric Meter Instrument Factory, distributed a leaflet on the street that led to their tragic fate. The 16-page tabloid, registered as “Toward the North,” contained a quote from Mao Zedong with added sentences that were deemed a vicious attack on the leader. The consequences were severe.
Designated as a major “6811 counter-revolutionary case,” the two engineers were quickly sentenced to death. Despite acting alone, without any accomplices, they were labeled as the main criminals of a counter-revolutionary group. Wu Bingyuan’s reaction to his death sentence, “This world is too dark,” resonates even years later.
Li Zhensheng, a photojournalist at the time, captured the events leading to the execution, enduring the strong smell and gruesome scenes. The faces of those executed haunted him for years, affecting even his daily life and diet choices.
Decades later, netizens reflect on Wu Bingyuan’s sigh, acknowledging the darkness that persisted during the Cultural Revolution and beyond. The memory of the tragic fate of these two engineers serves as a reminder of the dangers of oppressive regimes and blind obedience.
As we remember the sacrifices made during that dark period in history, we are reminded of the importance of speaking out against injustice and tyranny, and the everlasting impact it can have on individuals and society as a whole.
Editor in charge: Jin Yue