Chinese whistleblower honored year after death

Doctor tried to warn others about coronavirus spread

WUHAN, China — The message was tucked into a bouquet of chrysanthemums left by a mourner at the back of Wuhan Central Hospital to honor a Chinese whistleblower doctor who died of coronavirus a year ago. It was simply the number of a Bible verse: Matthew 5:10.

“Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven,” the verse says.

A year ago Sunday, Dr. Li Wenliang died from the virus first detected in this Chinese city. A small stream of people marked the anniversary with visits to the hospital Saturday, some leaving flowers.

The 34-year-old ophthalmologist was one of eight whistleblowers punished by local authorities for “spreading rumors” about a SARS-like virus in a social media group. His situation, eventually made public in media reports, made him a potent symbol of the perils of going against official messaging in China.

The Chinese public embraced Li, whose presence online had painted a picture of an ordinary person. His wife was pregnant, and he was soon to be a father. He sent the “rumor” because he wanted to warn others.

The public also watched as he fell ill with the disease he was warning about, eventually worsened, and died.

Li’s death was initially reported by Chinese state media on the night of Feb. 6, 2020, but the outlets quickly withdrew their reporting. Hours later, early Feb. 7, Wuhan Central Hospital announced his death.

Chinese people grieved his death, online and offline. Mourners took flowers to the hospital, while online some people were furious and demanded freedom of speech — posts that were quickly censored.

Li’s death seemed to raise a challenge to the central government, as public anger swelled.

“A healthy society should not have just one type of voice,” Li had said in an interview with the Chinese business magazine Caixin last year.