Tiananmen Diary

Dan Southerland, who was the Washington Post bureau chief in Beijing 20 years ago, writes about his family's reactions to experiences in the Chinese capital. His wife, Muriel, his son Matthew, six, and daughter Shauna, 15 months, were all affected by the youthful wave of hope for a more democratic China and the ensuing brutal crackdown on the movement. We share these memories as a tribute to those who had to endure far worse.

A Child’s View of Tiananmen

2009-06-04

At age six, Dan Southerland's son, Matthew, had heard enough to sympathize with the students protesting on the square. He drew dinosaurs representing the leadership and bird-like symbols of the students, easy prey to the much larger beasts.

Silent Rage

2009-06-03

On June 5, 1989 a lone man stood in front of a column of tanks and came to symbolize the Chinese people's resistance to the crackdown at Tiananmen Square. Hundreds of Chinese had been killed the day before, and, to this day, authorities would like them forgotten.

From Hope to Fear

2009-05-29

A soldier placed an army hat on a child's head, and the child happily saluted the crowd. No one knew what was coming, writes Dan Southerland, as he recalls the eve of a brutal crackdown in Beijing.


In this video—never before released publicly—Muriel Southerland remembers life in Beijing during the historic events of May and June 1989. Watch larger version


Watch an 8 minute excerpt of Chinese CCTV coverage of Zhao Ziyang talking to students on May 19, 1989. Video captured by Muriel Southerland

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