On June 4th, a group of members from the “Tiananmen Mothers” in Beijing visited the Wan’an Cemetery in Haidian District to lay flowers in remembrance of their loved ones who perished in the bloody crackdown of 1989. Despite their advanced age and physical limitations, these mothers persist in using their bodies as a testament to uphold the truth of history, expressing their sorrow for the departed and calling for justice.
At the same time, the Chinese internet has entered a state of “digital martial law,” with Tencent’s decision to mandate changing user avatars causing a storm of public opinion. The symbol of the “green penguin” has become a new representation of internet censorship in China, signaling the authorities’ heightened sensitivity and control over any form of commemoration and expression.
The activities of the “Tiananmen Mothers” for remembrance are under strict surveillance. Informed sources revealed to reporters that the state security had notified relatives in advance on the night of June 3rd, specifying that no electronic devices such as phones or cameras were allowed during the tribute.
On the morning of June 4th, plainclothes police officers surrounded the Wan’an Cemetery, taking photos and registering the identities of individuals entering the cemetery area. Some sections of the cemetery were even designated as no-photo zones to prevent any potential commemorative activities from being known or spread.
The “Tiananmen Mothers” recently released an open letter signed by 108 family members of the victims, urging the government to conduct an independent and fair investigation into the June 4th incident. They called for the publication of the full list of the deceased, compensation for the families of the victims, and accountability for relevant legal responsibilities.
The letter stated, “We are afraid we won’t live to see that day.” With several members passing away in just the past year, this figure serves as a poignant reminder of the urgency of time.
According to a friend of one of the mourners, Mr. Wang, the memorial ceremony lasted approximately 30 minutes. After the remembrance, the elderly mothers quietly bid farewell to each other, bowed their heads, and left silently, escorted back home by police cars. Reporters attempted to contact Zhang Xianling, a member of the June 4th victims’ families, but were unable to reach her.
Meanwhile, the Chinese government has intensified censorship on mentions of “June 4th” on the internet over the years, with this year’s scrutiny reaching a peak, particularly severe.
Tencent’s game “Battle of Golden Shovels” unilaterally changed all user profile images using WeChat avatars to green penguins in the late night of June 3rd, restricting users from modifying their avatars themselves.
The official explanation stated this was a measure to “purify the online environment during the college entrance examination period,” aiming to foster a “green and healthy” online atmosphere. However, the sensitive timing quickly sparked significant controversy surrounding this move.
Many players and netizens on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) shared humorous graphics, mocking, “Even avatars are mourning for the truth,” with some expressing disbelief, “The image that originally symbolized entertainment has now become a silent mask.”
Internet observer Deng Jialin from Taiyuan, Shanxi, remarked that such deliberate uniformity and suppression exemplify digital authoritarianism. “From colors to expressions, from numbers to Pinyin abbreviations, any symbol that could trigger associations might be considered a political minefield.”
“This year’s censorship for June 4th is particularly strict, surpassing previous years,” he added. He mentioned that in recent years, the immediate blocking of symbols such as “Tank Man” images and “8964” keywords on social media has become routine. Today, a green penguin avatar can also evoke historical associations among the public, indicating a continuous increase in sensitivity to information censorship.
A Beijing gamer surnamed Zou lamented, “Mourning should be the most basic expression of human emotions, but here, it has become an act that requires state approval.”
“Every year at this time, a strange silence envelops both the internet and physical space. Everyone tacitly avoids something, and this repressive atmosphere actually ignites my desire to understand the truth even more.”
More extensive “stability maintenance” measures have simultaneously escalated in various parts of the country.
A Beijing resident, Lao Ma, told reporters that starting from June 3rd, several pedestrian overpasses suddenly saw elderly “safety guards” with red armbands, with some even patrolling the bridgeheads overnight to prevent individuals from hanging banners or shouting slogans advocating democracy and freedom, emulating Peng Lifan.
Human rights lawyer Pu Zhiqiang, previously convicted for his words, was swiftly warned by the public security bureau after posting a tweet on X platform commemorating June 4th, demanding the removal of related content.
On this day, embassies of Germany, the United Kingdom, Canada, and several other countries in China also posted commemorations for June 4th on Weibo.
The British embassy uploaded the famous “Tank Man” photo along with a related animated video, drawing significant attention but also leading to content deletion and comment section censorship on the Weibo platform.
The Canadian embassy emphasized the importance of “reflecting on history and its lessons,” while the German embassy expressed mourning sentiments with a candlelight photo against a black background.
Internet commentator Deng Jialin concluded, “Thirty-six years later, that catastrophe is still forbidden to be mentioned openly, but history has never faded. It is in the crevices of silence and censorship that these mothers, with their footsteps and tears, continue to inscribe the memories this country has been unwilling to confront until now.”
No matter how many years pass, that historical trauma remains vivid. It is not just a concealed history but an eternal pain in the hearts of those yearning for truth and freedom. Those elderly mothers, with their perseverance and actions, remind the world that the truth will never be completely buried.