Born in 1915, Hu Yaobang was a high-ranking official in the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) who rose to power along with his mentor, Deng Xiaoping. Known for his liberal views, Hu advocated for democracy, transparency, and limited corruption. The day after his death of a sudden heart attack on April 15, 1989, people gathered in Tiananmen Square to collectively grieve, including student-organized memorial activities.
1989 Tiananmen Square Incident: Chinese Students’ Debate for Democracy
The Death of Hu Yaobang
Communist Party Chief Hu Yaobang. Credit: Unknown
“If you make the mistake of capitalism, you should not be criticized. But we should have self-criticism.”
–Hu Yaobang
Deng Xiaoping, left, and Hu Yaobang, right, saluting as they review a military parade in 1981. Credit: Xinhua/Kyodo News/Associated Press
Hu’s funeral was held on April 22, 1989. On that day, approximately 50,000 students holding signs and chanting slogans gathered on Tiananmen Square, prepared to deliver a letter to Premier Li Peng. Over the next few weeks, the number of protesters grew as citizens joined in mourning Hu and protesting against the government, even despite threats from party leaders.
Students protest for freedom and democracy at Hu Yaobang's funeral. Credit: Unknown
The problem was dissatisfaction with China’s restrictions on political freedom, as well as their continuous economic difficulties. Although the Chinese government had established a series of reforms in the 1980s that introduced a low level of capitalism in China, the poor and working-class still struggled to find jobs. Some Chinese government officials sympathized with the demonstrators, while others saw them as a political threat.
"Hu’s death gave students an opportunity to express their grief as well as an outlet for their frustration at the lack of political reform and the rise of corruption and their uncertainty about their futures as an educated elite in a changing economy."
–Jeremiah Jenne
Protests