Before the Chinese New Year, some mainland Chinese bloggers visited the parents of Dr. Li Wenliang, the whistleblower of the COVID-19 outbreak in China. During their conversation, they expressed their dismay to the outside world, revealing that it was only after Dr. Li Wenliang passed away that the authorities informed them to go to the hospital, but even then they were not allowed to see his body. Officials initially mentioned that they could see his body at the funeral home, but they only saw his ashes, causing the elderly couple to accuse the officials of deception.
One mainland Chinese Douyin account named “Zhou Shu Visits Villages” released a video on January 24, 2025, showing their visit to Dr. Li Wenliang’s parents on January 19. In the video, Dr. Li’s name was not directly mentioned, with the initials “LWL” being used instead. The account posted two similar videos, both conveying the same emotional message. As of the time of reporting, the videos have not been censored.
The videos depicted the blogger visiting Dr. Li Wenliang’s hometown in Wuhan to see his parents. Dr. Li’s mother emotionally revealed that they were not informed when he was hospitalized and only found out when their child “passed away.” The hospital arranged for transportation for them to come but never allowed the elderly couple to see their son for the last time. They were kept separated by glass, with the mother expressing her frustration towards the officials.
Dr. Li Wenliang’s mother criticized the authorities, questioning why they were brought in if they couldn’t even see their son. She recounted the conversation with the doctors, where they were told that due to the pandemic situation, they couldn’t enter, even outside the window to see him, which she found inhumane.
The couple also mentioned that they were told they could see Dr. Li’s body at the funeral home, but were only shown the ashes ultimately. Dr. Li Wenliang’s mother expressed her anger at the misleading information provided by the authorities.
The visitors also mentioned that they had visited the family of another whistleblower, Hu Weifeng, the day before. Although Hu Weifeng passed away four months after Dr. Li Wenliang, he was not honored by the authorities as a “martyr” like Dr. Li. They recalled feeling deceived by the officials who kept postponing their assessment of Hu Weifeng’s status.
In the video, Dr. Li Wenliang’s mother also talked about the challenges of raising his two sons and vowed not to seek help from outsiders unless absolutely necessary to uphold her son’s honor.
The video was shared on an overseas platform with comments from netizens focusing on the authorities preventing the families from seeing Dr. Li Wenliang’s body, leading to suspicions regarding the circumstances of his death.
Dr. Li Wenliang was an ophthalmologist at a hospital in Wuhan. He gained recognition for warning about the coronavirus infection in late 2019, being reprimanded by the hospital management and later by the police for speaking out. Following the widespread COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhan, Dr. Li was hailed by the public as a whistleblower, shedding light on the Chinese government’s misinformation.
On the evening of February 6, 2020, news spread online about Dr. Li Wenliang’s death, which was officially confirmed by the authorities on February 7, attributing it to infection. However, doubts arose about the true cause of his death. There were reports suggesting that after Dr. Li’s death, authorities staged a lengthy “rescue” operation on his body to deceive the public, which drew criticism from Chinese netizens demanding transparency and freedom of speech.
On February 7, 2020, a mainland video reported that Dr. Li Wenliang’s parents were unable to see their son for the last time, becoming their regret. Dr. Li Wenliang’s mother described her son as dutiful and honest, not someone who would lie.
Dr. Li Wenliang’s father, Li Shuying, spoke to BBC Chinese on February 7, calling for the authorities to revoke the admonishment against his son. He questioned the need for proof when the reality of the situation was evident, emphasizing the importance of honesty and freedom of speech.
“A healthy society should not silence dissenting voices,” Dr. Li Wenliang once said during a media interview. Overseas media and current affairs commentator Hong He commented in an interview with Radio Free Asia that freedom of speech is crucial for the free flow of information in any society, highlighting the significance of this event in emphasizing the importance of freedom of speech.
Hong He pointed out that while the Chinese government prioritizes the right to survival, modern society also values individuals’ spirit and pursuits.