On the eve of September 18, Peng Xiuchun, the widow of the Dapu Zhang Pharmacy, published an open letter.
Text/Peng Xiuchun
Two months after the government forcibly demolished the Dabu Zhang Pharmacy on 7/18 last year, Zhang Senwen of the Zhang Pharmacy took his own life on 9/18. Over the past year, Sister Xiuchun, having lost the pharmacy, has sold handmade ginger candy and peanut tofu to make a living and rebuild the rhythm of her life; beyond daily life, she has also continued to travel around caring about social issues. At the beginning of this year, the four Dabu households won their lawsuit; the government's forced land expropriation and demolition of homes were indeed illegal, yet the government has still given no clear response or action on the subsequent compensation, such as returning the land and rebuilding the original houses.
On the eve of 9/18, Sister Xiuchun wrote an open letter. Besides thanking everyone for their concern, she also has something she wants to say to everyone, and hopes the government will take concrete action on the Dabu case regarding land return, state compensation, rebuilding the original houses, and amending the law. Below is Sister Peng's open letter:
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Dear friends and members of the public who care about the Dabu expropriation case, peace to you all.
On the day before Mid-Autumn Festival, the 14th day of the eighth lunar month, the first-anniversary memorial service for my husband, Zhang Senwen, had just concluded successfully. Over this past year I have drifted between reality and dreams, unable to tell true from false, and to this day I still cannot accept the fact that we are separated by life and death. Thinking back to when we had just married and the two of us worked side by side to build our home, my husband thoughtfully considered that I react slowly and cannot drive a car or ride a scooter, so he specifically chose to buy at Dabu Zhang Pharmacy, precisely because there was a bus stop right at the door, making it more convenient for me to get around. He thoughtfully planned everything for me, caring for me as both a wife and a daughter.
I feel deeply regretful that... I never had the chance to properly say thank you to my husband. Under the shelter of his wings, I spent the most peaceful and happy thirty-plus years of my life; I am the happiest woman.
The autumn wind is bleak, and the evening air grows cool. I recall that in the past, whenever I fell ill in winter, it was my husband who took care of me and took me to see the doctor. He looked thin and frail, yet he was the eternal giant in my heart, carrying the responsibility of the family on his shoulders without complaint or regret. Now I am like a kite with a broken string, with nowhere to belong, unable to fly; but I understand that I cannot fall, and must take good care of my health and support my children as we stay strong together.
I recall how he and I both treasured and loved our belongings, the heirlooms left by our ancestors, the memories of our children growing up, the household items we bought together through our hard work, and so on... we treated them all as treasures and would not easily throw them away, yet in the end they were maliciously thrown among the rubble and broken stones; seeing it made my heart ache so much....
It has been a year since my husband passed away. I look at the home that was demolished, leaving only a "wailing wall," and gaze toward the distant land that was once said to be developed into a science park; now the developer's construction projects rise one building after another, and each one is evidence exposing the lie of the public interest behind the expropriation. Yet this government has not learned its lesson from the sacrifices of Grandma Zhu and my husband; the wildfire of improper expropriation still burns ceaselessly, and common people continue to suffer and endure their days in gloom. Yet the original intention of my husband and me, who spared no effort over these years to plead our case everywhere, was to protect our home. In our hearts, a home can never be measured by price, nor can it be seized at will just because a conglomerate says it wants it.
While he was alive, Brother Zhang always kept thinking about that six-ping home, so I will continue to fulfill Brother Zhang's wish and rebuild that six-ping home on its original site. I earnestly ask the public to continue their support, and I also hope the public can reflect, through the Dabu incident, on what we as individuals can still do to prevent such tragedies from happening again. As long as people are willing to awaken and unite to oversee the government, urge amendments to the law, and support the self-rescue associations of those forcibly relocated, gathering each person's strength can turn the situation around!
This past year and more has been the time of the most violent changes and blows in my life. In the dark night of despair, it was you who lit candles and guided our Zhang family to stand up again. Our Zhang family will forever remember this kindness in our hearts. Thank you very much, thank you....
Peng Xiuchun
