A Tribute to Gao Rongrong (Victim of Chinese Communism) by Connie Phillips The Society July 20, 2019 Beauty, Culture, Deconstructing Communism, Human Rights in China, Poetry 34 Comments She Walked in Beauty a tribute to Gao Rongrong* after Lord Byron’s “She Walks in Beauty” She walked in Beauty, pure as light— Like sun and moon and starlit skies Illuminate the darkest night… Such was the brightness of her eyes And shining smile of sheer delight That all would pause when she passed by. With faith in Truth, Compassion, and Forbearance firm within her heart, Steadfast like diamond is to sand, She rose above to stand apart; Though suffering at Evil’s hand, Her innocence would ne’er depart. Assailed by Evil’s vicious blows, To its demands she’d not submit. Instead, ‘midst pain, she bravely chose To use her life—each breath of it— And to the world the crimes expose Of communism’s biggest twit. True Beauty’s light shall never fade, While Evil in the ground is laid. *Gao Rongrong was a Falun Dafa practitioner who was tortured to death by the Chinese communist regime because of her beliefs. She had her family secretly take photos of her mutilated face and use them to expose the persecution of Falun Dafa, which was launched on July 20, 1999 and still continues to this day. Connie Phillips is a former English teacher and editor living in Massachusetts. NOTE TO READERS: If you enjoyed this poem or other content, please consider making a donation to the Society of Classical Poets. The Society of Classical Poets does not endorse any views expressed in individual poems or commentary. CODEC Stories:Share this:Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to print (Opens in new window)Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) 34 Responses Lixuan July 20, 2019 It’s so sad that this is still happening in China. Her courage is what we all need to stand against evil in the world. Reply connie.phillips November 18, 2019 Thank you, Lixuan, for your comment. She and all those who have suffered under that evil are truly remarkable. Reply Chloe July 20, 2019 Please stop the persecution! Reply connie November 18, 2019 Thanks for your response, Chloe. Reply Wendy July 20, 2019 Chinese communist regime is a ROBBER. Do you have good results when doing business with robbers? Please Wake Up Reply connie November 18, 2019 Wendy, thanks for your comment. Hopefully, people are starting to wake up! Reply Abraham July 20, 2019 Yes, as the tribute expressed, True Beauty’s light shall never fade, While Evil in the ground is laid. It’s the time to end this 20-year tragedy. Reply connie November 18, 2019 Agreed! Thanks for your comment, Abraham. Reply Laura Hatton July 20, 2019 Gao Rongrong was among the ‘most wanted’ or ‘key figures’ by the Chinese police simply because she had the photos of her mutilated face shared around the world. And this led to the final hunting for her that eventually resulted in her murder at the hands of the Chinese state. This point emphasizes the evilness of the regime. That the ‘crimes’ they count are the very exposure of their true crime. Reply Damian Robin July 21, 2019 Thanks, Laura, this article gives more information although the video link does not work. There is a lot more on minghui.org https://www.theepochtimes.com/gao-rongrong-tells-story-of-torture-on-video-before-her-death_1730602.html Reply connie November 18, 2019 Damian, thanks for adding this article link! connie November 18, 2019 Thanks for your comment, Laura! This article on The Epoch Times tells her story and inspired me to write the poem. https://www.theepochtimes.com/a-face-destroyed-the-story-behind-the-photo-that-showed-the-world-the-brutality-of-the-chinese-regime_2895543.html Reply Petr July 20, 2019 I think this is how people used to keep their righteousness. Beautiful work. Reply connie November 18, 2019 Thanks very much for your comment, Petr. Reply C.B. Anderson July 20, 2019 No one is able to hold these people accountable for the crimes they commit, and until that happens, such atrocities will continue. I wonder, however, Connie, what you meant by “twit” in the last line of the third stanza. Reply Damian Robin July 21, 2019 Hi CB, you are impeccable with language in your poetry. So it’s fun to find fault with your prose here. You say “No one is able to hold these people accountable” and then “until that happens”. You probably know the name for this slip. On a general note on China, I think things could change quickly. Remember the tipping point when the Soviet Union fell. But much depends on who or what replaces the CCP. Reply Evan Mantyk July 21, 2019 Kip, communism’s biggest twit, or fool, is the Chinese government and the Chinese people who still cling to membership in the Chinese Communist Party. There has been a “quit-party” (tuidang) movement in recent years, which continues now: https://en.tuidang.org/ However, there are Chinese people abroad, even overseas in America, who are stupidly hanging on and are too terrified of the consequences for themselves via influence and propaganda from the Chinese embassies and consulates and the mainland-controlled Chinese media; they worry about repercussions to themselves or their families. These people should stop being fooled and wake up, as others are doing. connie November 18, 2019 Thanks for your comment, C.B. Actually, Evan suggested “twit” which I thought was a perfect choice. He gives a great explanation in his reply. Reply David Watt July 21, 2019 Connie, this is a fitting tribute to a courageous woman. The world must be continually reminded of such heinous crimes. Reply connie November 18, 2019 I appreciate your comment, David. And totally agree that we need to keep reminding people of what evil is out there… Reply Andrea July 21, 2019 So well written! A fitting tribute. Reply connie November 18, 2019 Andrea, thanks so much! Reply Baidu Wercs Lee July 21, 2019 The imperialist Chinese Communist Party membership is about 88,000,000 people (more than the nation of Germany), and, as the ruling elites, they dominate the economy, academia, and hundreds of millions of people. But, despite that, brave individuals, like Gao Rongrong, reminded us of the evils they have perpetrated, and continue to do so now under director Xi Jinping. I am thankful for honest individuals, like Ms. Phillips, Mr. Robin and Mr. Mantyk, who keep such atrocities before our minds, lest we forget. Reply connie November 18, 2019 Thank you, Baidu, for your comments. We appreciate your encouragement! Reply Carina July 22, 2019 So much suffering and evilness just for being a good-hearted person and living by Truth Compassion, Tolerance. Beautiful poem, very well written! Reply connie November 18, 2019 Thank you very much, Carina! Rongrong and the others who suffered so much for their faith are truly inspiring. Reply Adryahn Hawkins July 22, 2019 The persecutors have proven that they are NOT human. The Gods will not allow them to escape the retribution that’s coming. Reply connie November 18, 2019 Adryahn, thanks for your comment! Reply Albert July 23, 2019 Gao Rongrong has really been the face of the persecution. The bravery that she showed and that those who helped to expose what happened showed was truly powerful in helping to let the world know about the persecution of Falun Gong by the communist regime in China. Reply connie November 18, 2019 Agreed! Thank you, Albert 🙂 Reply Patrick Miller July 23, 2019 even though it’s not so much about the beauty or scenes of impressions that makes her popular in the movement against the persecution of her religion, it is still a great and valid poem that worth noting for. Reply connie November 18, 2019 Thanks very much, Patrick. I appreciate your comment. Reply Ken July 24, 2019 Justice will be served Reply connie November 18, 2019 Indeed! Thank you, Ken. Reply Leave a Reply to connie Cancel ReplyYour email address will not be published.CommentName* Email* Website Captcha loading...In order to pass the CAPTCHA please enable JavaScript. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Notify me of new posts by email. Δ This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Lixuan July 20, 2019 It’s so sad that this is still happening in China. Her courage is what we all need to stand against evil in the world. Reply
connie.phillips November 18, 2019 Thank you, Lixuan, for your comment. She and all those who have suffered under that evil are truly remarkable. Reply
Wendy July 20, 2019 Chinese communist regime is a ROBBER. Do you have good results when doing business with robbers? Please Wake Up Reply
connie November 18, 2019 Wendy, thanks for your comment. Hopefully, people are starting to wake up! Reply
Abraham July 20, 2019 Yes, as the tribute expressed, True Beauty’s light shall never fade, While Evil in the ground is laid. It’s the time to end this 20-year tragedy. Reply
Laura Hatton July 20, 2019 Gao Rongrong was among the ‘most wanted’ or ‘key figures’ by the Chinese police simply because she had the photos of her mutilated face shared around the world. And this led to the final hunting for her that eventually resulted in her murder at the hands of the Chinese state. This point emphasizes the evilness of the regime. That the ‘crimes’ they count are the very exposure of their true crime. Reply
Damian Robin July 21, 2019 Thanks, Laura, this article gives more information although the video link does not work. There is a lot more on minghui.org https://www.theepochtimes.com/gao-rongrong-tells-story-of-torture-on-video-before-her-death_1730602.html Reply
connie November 18, 2019 Thanks for your comment, Laura! This article on The Epoch Times tells her story and inspired me to write the poem. https://www.theepochtimes.com/a-face-destroyed-the-story-behind-the-photo-that-showed-the-world-the-brutality-of-the-chinese-regime_2895543.html Reply
Petr July 20, 2019 I think this is how people used to keep their righteousness. Beautiful work. Reply
C.B. Anderson July 20, 2019 No one is able to hold these people accountable for the crimes they commit, and until that happens, such atrocities will continue. I wonder, however, Connie, what you meant by “twit” in the last line of the third stanza. Reply
Damian Robin July 21, 2019 Hi CB, you are impeccable with language in your poetry. So it’s fun to find fault with your prose here. You say “No one is able to hold these people accountable” and then “until that happens”. You probably know the name for this slip. On a general note on China, I think things could change quickly. Remember the tipping point when the Soviet Union fell. But much depends on who or what replaces the CCP. Reply
Evan Mantyk July 21, 2019 Kip, communism’s biggest twit, or fool, is the Chinese government and the Chinese people who still cling to membership in the Chinese Communist Party. There has been a “quit-party” (tuidang) movement in recent years, which continues now: https://en.tuidang.org/ However, there are Chinese people abroad, even overseas in America, who are stupidly hanging on and are too terrified of the consequences for themselves via influence and propaganda from the Chinese embassies and consulates and the mainland-controlled Chinese media; they worry about repercussions to themselves or their families. These people should stop being fooled and wake up, as others are doing.
connie November 18, 2019 Thanks for your comment, C.B. Actually, Evan suggested “twit” which I thought was a perfect choice. He gives a great explanation in his reply. Reply
David Watt July 21, 2019 Connie, this is a fitting tribute to a courageous woman. The world must be continually reminded of such heinous crimes. Reply
connie November 18, 2019 I appreciate your comment, David. And totally agree that we need to keep reminding people of what evil is out there… Reply
Baidu Wercs Lee July 21, 2019 The imperialist Chinese Communist Party membership is about 88,000,000 people (more than the nation of Germany), and, as the ruling elites, they dominate the economy, academia, and hundreds of millions of people. But, despite that, brave individuals, like Gao Rongrong, reminded us of the evils they have perpetrated, and continue to do so now under director Xi Jinping. I am thankful for honest individuals, like Ms. Phillips, Mr. Robin and Mr. Mantyk, who keep such atrocities before our minds, lest we forget. Reply
connie November 18, 2019 Thank you, Baidu, for your comments. We appreciate your encouragement! Reply
Carina July 22, 2019 So much suffering and evilness just for being a good-hearted person and living by Truth Compassion, Tolerance. Beautiful poem, very well written! Reply
connie November 18, 2019 Thank you very much, Carina! Rongrong and the others who suffered so much for their faith are truly inspiring. Reply
Adryahn Hawkins July 22, 2019 The persecutors have proven that they are NOT human. The Gods will not allow them to escape the retribution that’s coming. Reply
Albert July 23, 2019 Gao Rongrong has really been the face of the persecution. The bravery that she showed and that those who helped to expose what happened showed was truly powerful in helping to let the world know about the persecution of Falun Gong by the communist regime in China. Reply
Patrick Miller July 23, 2019 even though it’s not so much about the beauty or scenes of impressions that makes her popular in the movement against the persecution of her religion, it is still a great and valid poem that worth noting for. Reply
