Dr. Li Wenliang

Requiem for a whistle-blower

Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Dr. Li Wenliang tried to warn China about the coronavirus but was silenced by the government authorities. He became a hero in the country when his warnings proved true, then a martyr when he died from the virus in February.

Today, people gather, virtually, at his last post on Weibo, the Chinese social media platform, to grieve and seek solace in the comments section.

Our columnist Li Yuan writes: “In a largely atheist yet spiritual nation with little tradition of praying, the digital Wailing Wall allows the Chinese people to share their sadness, frustration and aspirations with someone they trusted and loved.”