Mr. Wen’s Quote (07)

I, Wen Qiang, am also educated and literate. In ancient times, at the Caishikou Beheading Ground in Beijing, many people applauded the executions. But wasn’t everything carrying on as usual after the applauses? Have Chinese people changed in the last few centuries? I think that nothing has changed. Putting me to death is no more than making me shut up. Will this eliminate the origin of corruption? Yesterday, many people set off firecrackers on the streets in Chongqing. After I caught Zhang Jun, didn’t Chongqing people ignite firecrackers both on the streets and in the alleys? I wonder if they will still set off firecrackers in a couple of years. By that time, the people who have betrayed me, I am afraid, would cherish my virtue. At that time, ordinary people who do not know the truths at present, will find that I, Wen Qiang, am better.

我文強也是讀書識字的。以前北京菜市口砍頭也有很多的民眾拍手稱快。可這拍手稱快後還不是一切照舊？中國人幾百年變了嗎？我看什麽也沒變。殺了我不過封了我的口，這能封住貪汙腐敗的源頭嗎？昨天重慶大街上有很多人放鞭炮。當年我辦了張君案後重慶不也是大街小巷放鞭炮嗎？我看三年後他們還要不要放鞭炮。到那個時候那些出賣過我的人恐怕會念叨我的好處了。到那個時候那些不明真相的老百姓就會覺得還是我文強好一點。