Who stabbed the blogger ProState in Flames?

Fanciful Creatures by Xu Lai

Reactions on the stabbing of blogger ProState in Flames (钱烈宪要发炎), whose blog at liberal blog-host Bullog was shut down and forced to move locations several times, has been a range of speculation.

ProState was famous for reprinting a variety of interesting material, material which often does not get into the mainstream media.

Yesterday the Oriental Morning Post published a newspaper column on the attack, showing that it has been acknowledged in the mainstream media, following in the wake of the Southern Metropolis Daily report.

For the Oriental Morning Post, Wei Yingjie (魏英杰), who blogs at my1510, the liberal leaning blog-host similar to Bullog, wrote the column:

During the night of February 14th, numerous friends messaged me through MSN: ProState has been stabbed! ProState (other pen-name Xu Lai) was a good friend and a colleague of mine. His blog, “ProState in Flames” has made him rather famous, with daily visitors reaching 130,000…

I really can’t think of anyone who would hate ProState so much, and would even want him dead because of it. The motto of ProState’s blog is “For internal communication, for the creation of lies”, and most of it uses reprinting and criticism to express his opinion, commenting on current affairs through joking and cursing. But in daily life he is a shy and timid youth. After moving to Beijing from Shanghai, his is low-key, someone who knows the limits. It is impossible that this time was purely because of a personal vendetta…

Although language is on some levels a kind of action, we are used to separating language and action. Expressing ideas does not pose real threats, and so there isn’t legal protection for it. This is also the reason why the law and the constitution is more “lenient” towards expression compared to actual action. You should use debate to solve a differing of opinion rather than resort to violence: this is the standard for social interaction, and common knowledge. The logic is obvious: if you don’t agree with what I say, would you want to break my legs? So next time someone else disagrees with you, then they can chase you with a kitchen knife?

There is actually a very simple explanation for this, but it seems that we have to reinforce it again. Last year, the main lecturer for CCTV’s Lecture Room Yan Chongnian (阎崇年) was struck by someone when he was doing a book-signing. There were some people, even members of the culturati, who did not like his dominance of Lecture Room, accusing him of “monoplising the rights of speech”, so they sympathized with the violence-enacter. But I openly defended Yan, and I was in the minority, rather than the mainstream… Using violence against differences in opinion is a coward’s way.

Wang Xiaofeng, in his irreverent and mocking way, wrote about the stupidity of some of the speculation: that “someone” was trying to get Xu Lai harmonized. Instead, Wang speculates on whether it was a stupid or reactive personal vendetta, not a bigger and well-thought out plan:

I have seen the comments, and everybody is guessing. All kinds of things are being said, and many think that it was “they” who did it. I don’t think it was. “They” won’t be this stupid.

Eyewitnesses at the scene told me that the method the murderers used was very clumsy: this was also the police’s initial conclusion. This might be the first time the murderers are committing a crime. I think in three days the murderers will be caught. If the murderer has feelings of regret now, they could turn themselves in. Apart from compensating money, they won’t be sentenced. Otherwise it could be year or so.

Another explanation is that some company employed the murderers, but I doubt Teacher Qian is regarded with such importance by others. He is not really rich nor a gang-boss, and under the watchful gaze of so many people, this would be asking for trouble, like CCTV’s self-created fire. The person who did this to Teacher Qian is probably a small fenqing. Or it could directly be someone from a particular danwei [that wants to get Qian].

A truly experienced murderer, before he commits the crime, needs to get to know his geographical surroundings, in case he leaves evidence behind. But no matter what, a place like One Way Street library is not a good location for committing a crime – and they were holding an event there, with many people. If they had to commit the crime in this location, they would have to plan carefully. But they didn’t.

The motivation of the person who committed the crime is quite simple: revenge. Teacher Qian must have pissed someone off, or some danwei. His blog is not original work. If it is related to the content of his blog, then it must be the feeling that the entire blog creates. It could also be because of a personal vendetta. No matter what the motivation was, this kind of act is extremely contemptible.

A blogger on Sina, who calls himself Investigative Blog Commentator Hu Liao (the Chinese for speaking nonsense), seems to have a grudge against Bullog bloggers:

ProState is used to using dirty tricks in secret, and has been using the method of reprinting other people’s material to let off his internal frustrations. Now he has been stabbed by someone he doesn’t know.

When Yan Chongnian was hit in the bookstore, many people cheered in agreement – did Bullog hold this kind of person?

Seeing others beaten and cheering; now he is stabbed himself, he must feel pretty sweet.

In another similarly toned post, Hu Liao said that just like Zola the citizen blogger, ProState likes to sit back and watch, jerking other people around.

All speculation, but perhaps finely concluded by Wang Xiaofeng: “Throwing a shoe would not have been contemptible at all.”