| Paving Stone from Tiananmen Square | |
|---|---|
|
Origin |
1989 Tiananmen Square Protests |
|
Type |
Paving Stone |
|
Effects |
Injures and maims large crowds within a cordoned area |
|
Downsides |
Diminishes details about the lives involved |
|
Activation |
Intense dissatisfaction with economic and cultural values on national level |
|
Collected by |
Warehouse 13 |
|
Section |
|
|
Aisle |
604495-226 |
|
Shelf |
394649-2679-689 |
|
Date of Collection |
June 21, 2004 |
| [Source] | |
Origin[]
Tiananmen Square is a city square in Beijing, China, named after the eponymous Tiananmen ("Gate of Heavenly Peace") located to its north, which separates it from the Forbidden City. The square contains the Monument to the People's Heroes, the Great Hall of the People, the National Museum of China, and the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong. Mao Zedong proclaimed the founding of the People's Republic of China in the square on October 1, 1949; the anniversary of this event is still observed there. The size of Tiananmen Square is 765 x 282 meters (215,730 m2 or 53.31 acres). It has great cultural significance as it was the site of several important events in Chinese history.
Outside China, the square is best known for the 1989 protests and massacre that ended with a military crackdown. The reforms of the 1980s had led to a nascent market economy that benefited some people but seriously disadvantaged others, and the one-party political system also faced a challenge to its legitimacy. Common grievances at the time included inflation, corruption, limited preparedness of graduates for the new economy, and restrictions on political participation. The State Council declared martial law on May 20 and on June 2, the Politburo made the decision to use military force to clear the square. Estimates of the death toll vary from several hundred to several thousand, with thousands more wounded; the vast majority of those killed were civilians. Within China, little, if anything about the massacre is known by most Chinese due to strict censorship.
Effects[]
Harms large crowds that are confined to a sectioned off area such as a facility complex or landmark site. A greater population inflicts more harmful injuries compared to only several people being present. Causes those hurt to have aspects of their lives obscured from others, unable to prove to others their own details through documents or trust.