Chapter 2 Reflections on the 21st hearing in 1919

On the morning of the 21st, in the name of a representative, I went to the trial hall to hear the public judgment of the Peking University student case.There were eleven of us, representatives of four girls' schools.It was already past nine o'clock at that time, and there were already many male students at the gate of the trial hall.After that, they came again one after another.We asked the gate guards for an attendance pass, and they said that the female auditorium might be too narrow, but there was only one bench, and they asked us to bring four representatives in.None of us wanted to be deported, so we sincerely said to them, "The place is really too narrow, and we are willing to stand up." They couldn't do it, so they went in for a long time, and then came out and said to us, "Only There are eleven of you. There is really no room for the representatives who come again." We just went in like we liked.Poor those later representatives, it was unfortunate that they were unable to enter the door.

The situation after the trial started, although I also have notes, but the newspapers have recorded it in detail, so I don't need to repeat it. ① On May 4, 1919, the patriotic movement broke out in Beijing. Xie Wanying, a first-year student in the preparatory course of physics and chemistry at Peking Union Medical College for Women, participated in the patriotic movement. . With the in-depth development of the "May 4th" Movement, the warlord government was forced to accept the patriotic demands of the students, but it still did not give up its attempt to suppress the students. In July, patriotic students were arrested again under pretext. In August, the authorities arrested innocent students and demanded their immediate release.Xie Wanying participated in the audit as a member of the Propaganda Unit of the Federation of Women's Scholars. After the audit, she wrote this article according to the requirements of the propaganda.

There were various prohibitions written on the back of the witness card, one of which was "no smoking and spitting", but the policemen standing around the hall kept spitting on the ground.I just remembered that this prohibition is limited to spectators. When Lawyer Liu was defending, one of the defendants wept bitterly, and the whole hall was in tears. I was also very moved.At the same time, I noticed that the four plaintiffs looked very "uneasy" and their forced smiles when they left the court.I can't help but think of a saying from the ancients, "There is nothing more sad than death." Alas!

Poor youth!A young man whose conscience is dominated by selfish desires! The interim presiding judge of the trial reports a fifteen-minute break.At this time, many observers gathered around the defendant and waved their condolences, but there was no one on the plaintiff's side.I think the defendant has his own honor and does not need the pity of others. We should pity those "dead young men". It was eight o'clock from the beginning of the court to the withdrawal of the court, and the eyes and ears were full of passionate and tragic scenes.When it was time to leave the court at six o'clock, I walked out the door, exposed to the fresh air, and felt very cheerful.At the same time, I also feel tired and hungry, and my heart is still full of emotions of depression.

After dinner, I sat on the porch at home.I don't care to appreciate the chirping of autumn insects on the wall or the fragrance of jasmine and tuberose. Only the impression of eight o'clock lingers in my mind. Suddenly, Mama Zhang, who was sitting on the other side of the porch, asked me, "Where did the girl go today?" This sentence brought me out of that impression, and I replied, "Today I am hearing the trial in the court hall." Then tell her a little bit about what happened today.After listening to it, she said, "There are students on both sides, why bother?" She also said, "It is common for students to quarrel, why not leave it to the teacher to judge, but go to the court!"

I wondered at the time why this ordinary country woman could have such an understanding.Suddenly she came to her senses and said that it wasn't because of her deep understanding, but because she was just and comfortable, so Mama Zhang's words were exactly the same as Lawyer Liu's. I hope that the judgment in another day will be according to what the two of them said.Because this is "fairness" and "public opinion." Student Xie Wanying contributed.