Standing alone against the state

In the early 1990s, the communist China gradually started to enter the market economy. But, the gradual inclusion into the market economy brought oppression, manipulation and violence in the country. People, who were in the power that time became reckless. 

China's economic reformation began in 1982 under the leadership of Deng Xiaoping. He repeatedly announced that China's basic policy was reform and openness, which would allow foreign businesses to be set up in China.

Though the economic reformations contributed to some remarkable achievements in China, it also brought several complications like challenges in free market activities' regulation, autocratic decisions by the ruling authority, rise in crimes and corruptions, the loss of freedom of expression, censorship on newspapers, disruption in the democratic social system and moral deterioration.

Also, inflation and inequality between the rich and the poor was on the rise.

As a consequence, students in general called for all-inclusive move against the oppression. The protest started from Beijing's Tiananmen Square from April 15 of 1989 and soon it spread all over the country. People from four hundred cities of China came down to the street and started gathering in the square. The Chinese government wanted to stop the movement. They issued martial law in Beijing and directed the Army to empty Tiananmen Square at any cost. 

On June 4, the Army opened fire on the gathering at Tiananmen Square. Though the exact number of the casualties is still unknown, it was predicted that more than 200 students were killed that day and more than 7,000 were injured. Even the corpse carrying ambulances, doctors and nurses could not escape the bullets. And this incident is engraved in the history as Tiananmen Square Massacre.

The massacre turned China into a scared, shocked and helpless nation. Nobody could imagine that such a barbarism would be imposed on the people. The terrified citizens were even startled to lift their faces upwards. Even the foreign journalists were kept under detention. Their camera films were taken away when they tried to take photographs.

On the morning of June 5, Beijing was occupied by the Chinese Forces. Huge number of military personnel and 25-59 tanks of the Chinese Army was deployed to take hold of the Tiananmen Square.

No one was there.  Suddenly, in front of the Armed Forces, a man in white shirt and black pant stood alone with shopping bags in his two hands to stop the tankers. 

What a stubbornness! When everyone in the country was silent in fear, he protested alone.

Time Magazine recognized his image as the most Influential picture of all time. After that day, he was no longer found. Nobody knows whether he is alive or was killed.

Thirty years have passed! Still, the identity of that mysterious man is unknown. Nobody knows from where he came and where he vanished. The Chinese government never made any comment on this Tank Man. Even the state wanted to delete the mysterious phrase from its history. Chinese search engine and Chinese universities have removed all the pictures and history of the distinctive man. 

However, as long as injustice and oppressors exist in the world, people will remember the rebellious man standing at Tiananmen Square against the injustice of the state. This 'no one' also reminds the readers the most famous line of Ernest Hemingway–A man can be destroyed but not defeated.