The stories of bravery that day at Tiananmen Square have always resonated with me.
The final number of those that lost their lives during those few days in June 1989 is still unknown. It is estimated that over 1,000 protestors were gunned down by the Chinese military. Nearly 1,600 protestors were sentenced to prison and remained in prison for decades. The last known political prisoner was released this past May 2016. One of the most surprising things to me, was that Tiananmen Square is right outside of the Forbidden City of Beijing. I had never realized the historical and political significance of the protestors and how they came to choose Tiananmen ("Gate of the Heavenly Peace") Square. The Forbidden City has dominated the city of Beijing since 1420. And even now, the grand architecture of the Forbidden City overshadows the memorial built for those that lost their lives fighting against the very regime that ultimately killed them.
