Zhang Wanshu | The Big Bang of History: A Full Record of the June 4th Incident

It has been exactly 20 years since the “June 4th” incident that occurred in Tiananmen Square in Beijing. This largest-scale democratic movement in contemporary Chinese history, mainly led by students, ended in tragedy, but Chinese people at home and abroad still remember it deeply. What is the truth of this world-shocking mass movement? The authorities are very secretive about it, but there are various observations and testimonies from different observers and witnesses abroad. The author of this book was the director of the Domestic News Department of Xinhua News Agency during the “June 4th” incident. Xinhua News Agency is the most authoritative news agency of the Chinese government and one of the largest intelligence information centers for the entire incident. The author personally experienced the whole process of the upper-level struggle, and also directly handled the first-hand information written by Xinhua News Agency reporters stationed in various parts of the country. In the form of a daily chronicle, it vividly and meticulously recorded the whole picture of the “June 4th” incident, and expanded from the scene in Beijing to the protests of people all over the country and overseas Chinese, as well as the reports of news media from various countries. This record, which has been sealed for 20 years, is finally made public for the first time. It is the most impactful historical material seen at present, revealing many little-known facts and the secrets of high-level political struggles, which is highly authentic and shocking.

Mu Qing, the president of Xinhua News Agency, said: “Tonight is the darkest night in Chinese history.” Another vice president said: “History will not forget this night!”