Professor Lin Ying, Dean of the School of Biological Science and Engineering at South China University of Technology, and Professor Han Shuangyan, Assistant Dean of the same school, recently made headlines with their powerful statement titled “A Spark Can Ignite a Prairie Fire!” They urged the Chinese people, especially university students, to oppose dictatorship and fight for democracy and freedom. This bold declaration has resonated across the internet, marking the beginning of a significant movement in the Year of the Snake (2025) aimed at dismantling the Communist regime in China. Their poignant words surpass all historical slogans preceding regime changes in China. However, the focus has quickly shifted to the safety of these two professors.
Lin Ying and Han Shuangyan are unparalleled heroines, and their article serves as a “letter to all students in the country calling for the dismantling of Xi Jinping’s dictatorial regime”—a powerful denunciation of the Communist Party.
The article is meticulously crafted, with each word carefully chosen. It critiques the Communist Party’s nearly 40-year history of “strengthening its authoritarian regime” and “comprehensive control,” directly targeting the tyranny that began during Jiang Zemin’s rule. It implicitly suggests that the Communist Party’s evil roots stem from its rogue origins and the nine malevolent genes of Marxism-Leninism, leading to the inevitable conclusion that “the dictatorial regime is approaching an irretrievable abyss.”
The “abyss” referenced by the two professors symbolizes all disasters, calling upon all oppressed individuals to rise up and overthrow the “regime that deprives fundamental human rights,” striving for democracy and freedom.
The article succinctly summarizes Xi Jinping’s heinous actions since he came to power in 2012, presenting the current state of Chinese society in a way that resonates with awakening or confused university students and the general public, as it reflects their lived experiences of suffering and tragedy.
It discusses the “zero-COVID policy” and the public’s anger, illustrating the brutal reality of Xi Jinping’s dictatorship during that dark era. The “massive suppression” of protests, arbitrary arrests of demonstrators, and the relentless silencing of voices—all in the name of “maintaining regime stability”—highlight the illegitimacy of the Communist Party.
The article employs a broad brush to paint the picture, showcasing a distinctive narrative style. In its second point, it addresses the “996 work system” and the struggles of youth, hinting at a core issue related to President Trump’s “tariffs”: the “sweatshop work system” resulting from the Communist Party’s “forced labor system.”
The analysis of the Communist Party’s tyranny and lies includes “strengthening regulations on online platforms to silence dissent,” voicing the public’s frustrations. The Chinese people “silently endure under the iron heel of the government,” leading to lives lost and continuous natural and man-made disasters.
“A spark can ignite a prairie fire!” reflects on the “zero-COVID policy” and the public’s outrage, summarizing the human toll inflicted by Xi Jinping’s dictatorship (Associated Press).
In the dark reality, the Communist Party not only threatens university students with violence to “remain silent” but also extends this suppression to “discussions of history,” which must confront “severe censorship and repression.” Unlike previous anti-Communist manifestos, this article recounts recent tyrannical actions while revisiting key historical points like the “Tiananmen Incident.” Thus, from any perspective, it represents an unprecedented breakthrough.
As the article states, any mention of the “Tiananmen Incident” faces deletion and censorship.
In reality, the 1989 Tiananmen massacre of students and the 1999 suppression of the Falun Gong spiritual movement by the Communist regime are both “deadlines,” not merely “red lines,” and are far more than sensitive topics. The courage displayed by these two women will undoubtedly be recorded in history.
The 1989 Tiananmen student movement, which hoped for “political reform” or “democratization,” was met with gunfire and tanks. The subsequent suppression evolved into deprivation of livelihoods, torture, imprisonment, and disappearances, fundamentally no different from the brutality of the past.
“The contemporary Chinese university students face a dire situation: complete suppression of thought and speech freedoms, leaving them with no basic freedom of action. In this context, the voices of students grow faint or even vanish.”
The article conveys a crucial truth to contemporary university students: if they do not stand up, they will face death.
After analyzing global universal values and case studies, the article naturally concludes with a judgment on Xi Jinping’s new era, highlighting the plight of all university students: “It is not merely a dictatorship of a regime but a moral decay of society, legal nihilism, and the suffering of the people.”
More importantly, it carries revolutionary enlightenment, filled with philosophy and deep emotion: if you do not stand up today, tomorrow you will become another victim of history.
In a progressive manner, the article’s final appeal is more rational and straightforward: “Democracy, freedom, and human rights” are the ultimate goals.
The article’s content is more direct than historical methods of ending dictatorial regimes, demanding not only the “opening of party bans on media” but also the “abolition of the party’s authoritarian control,” ending one-party rule and implementing democratic elections.
While the article mentions free speech, press freedom, and lifting censorship, it seemingly “avoids” key elements of democratic governance like the separation of powers. However, “allowing a multi-party system and fair universal suffrage” indicates that democracy and freedom can only be achieved on the foundation of dismantling the Communist regime.
Similarly, improving livelihoods, establishing a fair society, and creating a rule-of-law society are prerequisites for safeguarding human rights, all contingent upon the disintegration of the Communist Party.
Thus, the authors’ opening statement, “I am a member of the Communist Party,” echoes the historical moment when Boris Yeltsin publicly withdrew from the Communist Party in 1990, becoming a key figure in the dissolution of the Soviet Union—offering a “supermodel” for dismantling the Communist Party, akin to Chiang Ching-kuo’s “using authoritarian means to end authoritarian rule.”
In this sense, Lin Ying and Han Shuangyan have fired the first shot for the peaceful dissolution of the Communist Party, marking a significant milestone in history.
It is important to recognize that the Communist Party’s tyrannical rule has long been steeped in the sorrow of “silence.” From the ink-splashing activist Dong Yaoqiong to the White Paper Movement, the voices of “Shanghai’s Tank Man,” Peng Zaizhou’s call against dictatorship, and demands for “human rights” have emerged from the grassroots. However, the authorities view the courageous actions of the masses as “grassroots,” extinguishing them with state machinery and internet “curfews,” ultimately leaving only silence.
Lin Ying and Han Shuangyan stand apart; they are individuals of significant stature within the system, already illuminated by a genuine aura, and are among the few in contemporary China who embody both talent and virtue.
Lin Ying is a renowned figure, recognized as a heavyweight talent in science and technology. As a professor and doctoral advisor, she holds multiple key positions in the School of Biological Science and Engineering at South China University of Technology, including director, vice-chairman, committee member, project leader, expert group member, and chief co-scientist. Therefore, her call to university students at the article’s conclusion is unprecedented: “Stand up against Xi Jinping’s dictatorship, calling for democracy and freedom,” concluding with “For freedom, oppose dictatorship; for democracy, rise and fight.” This represents a significant blow to the Communist regime, making it feel as though they have come with a mission, sounding the alarm for change.
This also demonstrates that the Communist Party has lost all foundations; it is not just the working class awakening, but also the educated elite in China who have risen—step by step, they will achieve great things; small streams will form rivers and seas!
The other heavyweight co-author, Han Shuangyan, “primarily engages in research in protein engineering and biocatalysis,” and both possess considerable international influence. Lin Ying was a visiting scholar at Louisiana State University in the United States in 2005, while Han Shuangyan is also a developer of “independent intellectual property.”
Looking at South China University of Technology, where both work: in 2025, it ranks among the top three in mainland China, with notable performances in international rankings such as THE, U.S. News global rankings, and ESI international academic rankings. The School of Light Industry Technology and Engineering has ranked first globally for several consecutive years (Soft Science rankings), and the School of Materials Science and Engineering is in the top 30 worldwide (QS subject rankings). These achievements are undoubtedly related to the outstanding contributions of these two women.
The university’s official seal shines with an iconic and endless brilliance.
So, does the background of these two great women influence the remarkable work they have produced?
However, under the current circumstances where the Communist Party seeks to consolidate its regime through technological “leadership,” targeting top scientists could lead to “unimaginable consequences.”
Of course, we hope for the safety of these two remarkable women. May Xi Jinping, upon seeing this internal reference, not react with rage, overturn tables, and issue orders for “severe punishment,” but rather impose strict bans on dissemination, striving to seal it off without a trace, pretending to be deaf and mute.
We also hope that within the system, this manifesto spreads widely, propelling the momentum for “the downfall of the Communist Party” in various ways
“For freedom, oppose tyranny; for democracy, rise and fight!”