Original: Lao Y
Li Wenliang. Born in 1985, passed away on February 7, 2020, in the early morning.
On February 7, the 14th day of the lunar month. It was already late winter, but it still felt like the cold of winter. The grass had not grown, the flowers had not bloomed, and the world was desolate.
Today, it has been exactly one month since this young man, known as the whistleblower, left this world.
This doctor from the original Wuhan Central Hospital witnessed the earliest signs of the epidemic and was the first to issue a warning. He was also warned because of this, but none of these warnings could save him from the disease. He was diagnosed and the rescue efforts were ineffective.
Regardless, his whistle once awakened some people and provided them with protection.
I cannot determine whether to call his passing a natural death, sacrifice, or death in the line of duty?
These Chinese words have different regulations and contexts, as well as different meanings and emotions.
- Regarding exoneration
On December 30, 2019, Li Wenliang disclosed the epidemic in a classmate group; on January 1, 2020, he was summoned by the police; on January 3, he received a reprimand; on January 8, he contracted the disease while treating patients.
Today, the reprimand still exists, as does the news of "8 rumor spreaders being dealt with according to the law," and the accusation of "false information."
Until now, I haven't heard that they have been revoked or corrected.
If a reprimand is a legitimate legal means, then those that have not been revoked or corrected can still be considered valid.
If a ridiculous reprimand has been allowed to be openly propagated as a deterrent, then isn't it even more necessary and serious to revoke and correct it?
This is called exoneration. People should pay attention to this.
Unbelievable. This will be such a bizarre scene in history:
The ink on the legal documents that reprimanded Li Wenliang has not dried yet, and the local authorities issued a notice on February 7 expressing deep condolences for Dr. Li.
Without exoneration, how deep is this mourning? How much regret is there?
No matter how many honors are given to him, they are not as clean as a piece of exoneration.
Dr. Li Wenliang's body is not cold yet.
- Regarding apologies
On February 7, the news of Dr. Li Wenliang's death spread. Netizens said: the relevant departments owe Li Wenliang an apology.
Teacher Hu Xijin also said: the facts have proven that the warnings from Li Wenliang and others were correct. I believe the authorities should apologize to the 8 doctors who were reprimanded.
A month has passed. Just like there is no exoneration, there is also no apology.
Perhaps some people think it is meaningless, why keep focusing on it?
What I want to say is that history needs an open attitude. Conscience also needs it.
Those who, like Li Wenliang, died in this early spring, also need it.
Academician Zhong Nanshan said that if Wuhan had taken measures 5 days earlier, the number of infections would have been reduced by more than 2/3.
So what if it had been even earlier? It should be noted that 5 days before Wuhan was locked down would have been January 18. And Li Wenliang issued the warning on December 30 of the previous year.
However, the relevant departments took other measures.
Without exoneration and apology, there can be no true reconciliation, and there will be no real reflection.
Will there be any? Then who should apologize and why?
- Regarding the investigation
On February 7, with the approval of the central government, the National Supervisory Commission decided to send an investigation team to Wuhan to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the issues related to Dr. Li Wenliang.
This is a necessary and cautious move. This is the attitude of the country.
Until now, the investigation team has been stationed in Wuhan for a month. I noticed that there are always people on social media asking about the progress of the investigation.
Don't be impatient. Regardless of the timing, there will always be results. Perhaps the investigation into Dr. Li Wenliang is not a simple matter.
What exactly did Li Wenliang's warning violate, why was he summoned and silenced, who was behind the reprimand, and what did they do?
If there hadn't been a massive cover-up at that time, would Li Wenliang still have been infected? Could he have been saved? Would the sacrifices of medical personnel like him have been fewer?
Could more innocent people have been spared from infection and received timely treatment? And so on.
The investigation into the death of Li Wenliang concerns the lives of many more people and the decision-making and management of the entire epidemic in Wuhan at that time.
There must be an explanation, and someone must be held responsible for it. This will be an account to history.
Only the truth can truly console.
We believe, and we have patience.
- Regarding the epitaph
The death of a martyr, how painful it is.
When the epidemic is over, I hope to erect a monument for Dr. Li Wenliang, shaped like a whistle, with his words engraved on it:
"Let everyone know the truth, a healthy society should not have only one voice."
- Spring, please come in
Indeed, there is no severe cold that cannot be melted by the earth,
And no haze that cannot be pierced by sunlight.
Facing the people, the spring brings warmth and blossoms.
May those who are in high positions be at peace;
May those who are far from the world be at ease.
The above is an excerpt from the New Year's editorial "Spring, please come in" that I wrote for the Beijing News in 2013.
On February 7, the day Dr. Li Wenliang passed away, a friend reminded me that he had reposted this text on his Weibo that year.
I didn't expect that I had once had a connection with Dr. Li in this way.
In the darkness of a month ago, amidst the news of Dr. Li Wenliang's death flooding the screens, I wrote on my WeChat Moments:
Hopefully, the death of Li Wenliang can become a true turning point that we have been expecting.
Alas, Dr. Li, may you rest in peace.