BEIJING - On Feb. 6, some survivors of the June 4, 1989, Tiananmen Square massacre went to Fuqiang alley, the former residence of Zhao Ziyang, former general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party who died Jan. 17, to memorialize him.

People who were invited by Zhao’s family included Zhang Xianling, Qi Zhiyong, Pang Meisheng, Wang Guoqi, Li Hai and Wu Jia who had been under house arrest for a period of time and just obtained freedom the day before. Zhao’s two daughters-in-law received them.

At 4:30pm in the afternoon, they came to Zhao’s and entered “Ziyang’s Study” (it is now the mourning hall). Zhao’s portrait was still there with wreaths, flowers and some elegiac couplets sent by family members. Qi Zhiyong and others could not help but cry with sorrow. Everybody bowed down and gazed at Zhao’s portrait.

Qi Zhiyong writes "Only democracy can save China and the nation." (Epoch Times)

Qi held a signboard he had made, and a picture was taken with Wang Guoqi and Li Hai standing at his side in the study. In the guest book, Qi wrote: “Only democracy can save China and the nation.” The mourners stayed for a while and then left the mourning hall. Before they left, each kneeled down before the portrait and kowtowed with tears in their eyes.

Before they left the residence, the daughters-in-law gave them Zhao’s photo as memorials.