In 1970, Ding Zuxiao, a female educated youth from the Miao Autonomous Prefecture in Hunan, and Li Qishun, were executed by firing squad for opposing the worship of Mao Zedong as “counterrevolutionaries.” Nearly fifty years in the spiritual realm, they remained indignant and unrested.

Upon hearing that the Jade Emperor would publicly try Mao Zedong and collect evidence of his crimes, they went to the Heavenly Palace to present their complaints.

The Jade Emperor asked, “What are your names? What grievance do you have?”

The one leading spoke: “My name is Ding Zuxiao. I was twenty-four when executed. She is Li Qishun; she was twenty-three at execution. We were classmates, ordinary returnee educated youths. After graduating high school in 1965, I returned to my hometown, Daryong County, Miao Autonomous Prefecture, to Fengxianggang Commune, Dazhongxi Brigade, determined to help build a new generation of rural development. I was recognized as an ‘Outstanding Member’ and a ‘Five-Good’ model, and the people called me a model returnee educated youth.”

The Jade Emperor said, “You were both exemplary educated youths. Why were you executed?”

Ding said, “During the frenzied god-worshipping movement incited by Mao during the Cultural Revolution, before meetings we had to perform the ‘Loyalty Dance,’ and before speaking we had to ‘show loyalty.’ Every day we stood before Mao’s portrait to ‘report in the morning’ and ‘report in the evening.’ In our commune, every household raised ‘loyalty flags’ and hung ‘loyalty plaques,’ every village posted ‘loyalty signs.’ Ancestral altars became ‘treasure-book altars.’ The morning and evening reporting system was called the ‘Five Firsts.’ Before meals, we had to perform the ‘Five Firsts,’ then eat. Farmers, many of whom were illiterate, were criticized if they misquoted the Quotations; if anyone accidentally damaged a leader’s image, they were made to wear tall hats, hang black placards, beaten, or paraded; some were labeled ‘current counterrevolutionaries.’ Even the poorest had to sell their possessions—chickens, ducks—to buy Mao’s portrait, the Red Book, loyalty flags, and loyalty plaques.”

The Jade Emperor asked, “You mean you had to perform the ‘Five Firsts’ before meals? You were targeted simply for opposing that?”

Ding replied, “I objected to this system. I said Mao had not even died, yet people worshipped him as if he were a god of death. Seven hundred million people shouted fourteen billion times ‘Long live’ daily—Mao would not actually live ten thousand years. I could not tolerate this cult of personality. On March 17, 1969, I wrote to the Prefecture Party Committee’s Unity Newspaper to express my concerns about the ‘loyalty devotion’ campaign and requested a response. Over a month passed with no reply. In fact, the authorities had already treated my letter as a ‘major counterrevolutionary’ case and secretly investigated. Seeing no reply, I, with my sister’s help, prepared a leaflet just before the Ninth National Congress ended and distributed it overnight in the county seat. On the night of July 5, my sister and I were arrested at home.”

The Jade Emperor asked Li Qishun, “Were you also arrested? What happened to you?”

Li said, “My sister Li Qicai and I sympathized with and supported Ding Zuxiao. After her arrest, despite financial hardship, we spent over ten yuan buying steel plates, iron pens, wax paper, and ink to print a leaflet supporting Ding Zuxiao titled A Letter to the Revolutionary People, praising her as ‘an unquestionable revolutionary pioneer.’ In the early hours of September 27, 1969, we posted 25 copies in the main streets of the county and sent copies to the editors of Red Flag magazine in Beijing. The leaflet caused a sensation in Daryong County. The two of us were arrested, along with six innocent youths who were associated with us, falsely charged as the counterrevolutionary group led by Ding Zuxiao and Li Qishun.”

The Jade Emperor asked, “Once arrested, what happened next?”

Ding replied, “I was imprisoned for ten months, subjected to over 200 interrogations, tortured nearly daily. I never confessed. On May 3, 1970, during the final interrogation, I declared: ‘I have always believed one should be loyal to the people, to the country, and to truth—not to any individual. The current emphasis on “loyalty” is personality worship, it is slavery.’ On May 5, 1970, the officials read me the death sentence. They asked: ‘Ding Zuxiao, did you hear clearly?’ I answered loudly: ‘Yes.’ I was returned to my cell, and the door slammed shut with a bang. I refused to sign or fingerprint the verdict.”

The Jade Emperor asked, “So you were sentenced to death. Was it carried out?”

Ding said, “On May 8, 1970, I was taken to the execution site. In the vehicle, I recited a martyr’s poem: ‘Chained, I walk the long street, bidding farewell to my fellow villagers.’ At the public pronouncement, I suddenly broke free from the armed guards and rushed to the microphone to speak. Just as I uttered ‘truth,’ I was forcibly pushed down. My head was buried in quicklime; my clenched teeth were pried open with a bayonet, and cotton was stuffed into my mouth. When I struggled to rise again, my face was smeared with lime, and two streams of blood ran from my eyes. I refused to kneel at the execution ground, twice being forced down, only to rise again. The first gunshot rang out, and I turned suddenly, staring at the gun pointed at my chest. The second bullet pierced my chest, and I fell backward. On the same day, Li Qishun was shot in the prefectural capital, Jishou. Before her death, her body had been stabbed multiple times. My sister Ding Zuxia was sentenced to twenty years, and Li Qicai, seventeen, was sentenced to ten years.”

The Jade Emperor said, “Even in the face of death, you resisted so bravely. What gave you the strength?”

Ding replied, “I held firm to my beliefs. I was loyal to the people, loyal to the truth. Death was worth it; I had a clear conscience.”

The Jade Emperor said, “Were you eventually rehabilitated?”

Ding said, “In August 1980, the Daryong County Party Committee declared our rehabilitation, held a ceremony to inter our ashes, and released those who had been sentenced.”

The Jade Emperor said, “I understand your case. The responsibility rests on Mao Zedong.”

Ding said, “Though rehabilitated, no one above admitted wrongdoing. The problem originated from the top; the culprit is Mao Zedong. His successors still cover up for him. How can it be said we have been fully vindicated? Even here in the spirit world, we cannot rest. Mao refuses to confess, so no one can rest.”

The Jade Emperor said, “I will ensure justice for you and for the Chinese people.”

Upon hearing the Jade Emperor’s promise, Ding Zuxiao and Li Qishun rose and took their leave.

NEXT: 101. Xin Yuanhua (1934–1970)