On June 4, 1989, the Chinese Communist Party deployed tanks and machine guns to suppress unarmed students and civilians, ending the movement for democracy and freedom with the “Tiananmen Square massacre.” Thirty-seven years later, overseas Chinese continue to commemorate the thousands of victims of June Fourth in various forms, reflecting on a century of communist red terror.
In Los Angeles, the pro-democracy group “June Fourth Cultural Communication Association” held the debut event of a new song titled “Motherland” with the theme of “June Fourth” on Wednesday (June 3), encouraging Chinese people at home and abroad to never give up and continue to fight for the rights, freedom, and dignity of the Chinese people.
The song “Motherland” was advised by consultants including North Ming, Hu Ping, Kang Zhengguo, Sheng Xue, and Liao Yiwu. The host of the debut event, poet Jiang Pinchao, told reporters that the lyrics were collectively composed and set to music by professional musicians, stating, “This song is written excellently, it is touching, you will feel it is a voice from the bottom of the heart.”
Comparing it to some nostalgic songs of the past, Jiang Pinchao said that “Motherland” gives nostalgia a political sentiment, “It’s not a fragile longing, but a strong, urgent desire – a longing to regain the motherland that embodies universal values.”
Before the debut event, a well-known Chinese singer was invited to perform the classic banned song “The Great Wall” by the Hong Kong rock band Beyond, invoking deep emotions among the audience. The host then reviewed the works of overseas dissidents after the June Fourth incident, including “Calling for Heroes,” “June Fourth Poetry Collection,” “Rights Protection Poetry Collection,” “Exile Poetry Collection,” etc., reflecting the compassionate feelings and anti-communist determination of dissidents and justice advocates.
Amid the anticipation of the attendees, the host pressed the play button for the new song’s music video: “Motherland—” a long call, leading to the depiction of the number “June Fourth” against a blood-red background; a white rose blooming slowly, evoking memories of the flourishing students on Tiananmen Square back then. The song condemns the communist tyranny with sadness and indignation: “Why does August prematurely abandon my spring?”
The music video also intertwines numerous images, depicting the calamity on the land of China. “The strong liquor I brewed, in June has already allied with those fallen corpses,” singing out the awakened people’s aspirations and determination to change China.
Jiang Pinchao warned, “The Chinese Communist Party is good at using overseas Chinese people’s nostalgia to manipulate, brainwash, and let people accept its enslavement. The motherland we seek is one that practices universal values, a motherland without the CCP, not the ‘party-state’ concept instilled in the people by the CCP.”
Former Associate Professor of History and Chairman of the China Social Democracy Party Liu Yinquan expressed at the debut event that under the violent rule of the CCP, “The Chinese people’s situation is pitiful”; they have no freedom of belief and speech, women have no reproductive freedom, and even the number of children they can have needs approval from the CCP, “The CCP even wants to control women’s wombs.”
Liu Yinquan pointed out that nearly everyone on the Chinese mainland has been persecuted by the CCP, including current and former party leaders, but these people “have recovered from their wounds and forgotten the pain,” once in power they forget the suffering, continuing to be bound and implement the CCP’s evil policies.
Liu Yinquan reminded Chinese people at home and abroad: the CCP is an evil regime imposed by the Soviet Union on the Chinese people; it brings endless disasters to the Chinese people; it is also an opponent of the divine, introducing atheism into China, destroying China’s excellent traditional culture.
Referring to the first book released by the “June Fourth Cultural Communication Association” titled “Calling for Heroes,” Liu Yinquan said, although many June Fourth students have fallen, behind them, numerous heroes resisting the evil CCP have emerged. He urged more people to stand up and push China towards freedom.
Dr. Liu Qing, a Ph.D. who once taught in China and is now in the United States, expressed great admiration for “Motherland”: “This new song can rally everyone’s strength, urging everyone to never give up and seek democracy and freedom. I also hope that our brothers and sisters who are still transnationally persecuted by the CCP in the United States, keep ‘Motherland’ in their hearts, bravely move forward until we truly have our own motherland.” ◇