Pictures of 1989: Students Participate Funeral at Tiananmen on April 22, 2015

Students from the University of Politics and Law enters Tiananmen Square.

Students from the University of Politics and Law. The tall one by the red flag in back row is Pu Zhiqiang. The one wearing a black sleeve band in front is Wu Renhua.

Students sit down in front of the Great Hall of People waiting for the funeral, under the watchful eyes of police.

Students from Tsinghua University wait for the funeral.

Students waiting for the funeral

Students from University of Politics and Law sing patriotic songs.

Students in the Square observe a moment of silence at the start of the funeral.

At the funeral inside of the Great Hall of People, leaders pay last respect to Hu Yaobang's body.

Students Zhang Zhiyong, Guo Haifeng, and Zhou Yongjun (from left to right) kneel down with their petition.

Other students persuade the kneeling three to give up the petition. 

Pictures of 1989

This Day in 1989: April 22, Students Participate Hu Yaobang Funeral at Tiananmen Square

On April 22, 1989, tens of thousands of students participated in Hu Yaobang's state funeral after staying in Tiananmen Square for the whole night. After the funeral, three students, Zhang Zhiyong, Guo Haifeng, and Zhou Yongjun staged a spontaneous kneeling down petition at the steps of the Great Hall of People. These dramatic scenes are described in my book excerpt.

Among the very few students who did not participate in the funeral demonstration were Shen Tong and his friends in a little club called Olympic Institute. They stayed in Peking University and started to plan for an independent media center for the student movement.


Days of 1989