Xiong Yan
Encyclopedia
Xiong Yan is a Chinese dissident
who served as a chaplain
in U.S. Army in Iraq
. Currently, he serves as a U.S. Army chaplain at the Warrant Officer Career College at Fort Rucker, Alabama. He joined the Chinese Communist Party in 1985 and formally withdrew his membership from the CCP on June 4, 1989 after the Tiananmen Square Massacre. He was a student leader during the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989
. He was detained for 19 months in a Laogai
(勞動改造), for his pro-democratic activities and fled China in 1992 to United States
, where he studied theology
in Boston
. He went on to join the US Army. In 2005 he announced again in The Epoch Times
that he withdrew his membership of the Chinese Communist Party. He is still active in overseas China democracy movement.
In 2009, he made a trip to Hong Kong
to attend a candlelight vigils on the June 4 anniversary of the Tiananmen crackdown. This was the first time for him, in 17 years to return to China since 1992.
Xiong Yan studied at Beijing University Law School from 1986-1989. He came to the United States of America as a political refugee in 1992. Xiong Yan was awarded his Doctorate from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary
May 2009.
Xiong Yan is the author of two books. The first "From Tian An Men Square to Iraq" was published in Hong Kong in 2009. The second is a book of poetry published in 2010 titled "Being and Joy".
Dissident
A dissident, broadly defined, is a person who actively challenges an established doctrine, policy, or institution. When dissidents unite for a common cause they often effect a dissident movement....
who served as a chaplain
Chaplain
Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...
in U.S. Army in Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
. Currently, he serves as a U.S. Army chaplain at the Warrant Officer Career College at Fort Rucker, Alabama. He joined the Chinese Communist Party in 1985 and formally withdrew his membership from the CCP on June 4, 1989 after the Tiananmen Square Massacre. He was a student leader during the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989
Tiananmen Square protests of 1989
The Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, also known as the June Fourth Incident in Chinese , were a series of demonstrations in and near Tiananmen Square in Beijing in the People's Republic of China beginning on 15 April 1989...
. He was detained for 19 months in a Laogai
Laogai
Laogai , the abbreviation for Láodòng Gǎizào , which means "reform through labor," is a slogan of the Chinese criminal justice system and has been used to refer to the use of prison labor and prison farms in the People's Republic of China . It is estimated that in the last fifty years more than...
(勞動改造), for his pro-democratic activities and fled China in 1992 to United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, where he studied theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
. He went on to join the US Army. In 2005 he announced again in The Epoch Times
The Epoch Times
The Epoch Times is a multi-language, international media organisation. As a newspaper, the Times has been publishing in Chinese since May 2000. It was founded in 1999 by supporters of the Falun Gong spiritual discipline....
that he withdrew his membership of the Chinese Communist Party. He is still active in overseas China democracy movement.
In 2009, he made a trip to Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
to attend a candlelight vigils on the June 4 anniversary of the Tiananmen crackdown. This was the first time for him, in 17 years to return to China since 1992.
Xiong Yan studied at Beijing University Law School from 1986-1989. He came to the United States of America as a political refugee in 1992. Xiong Yan was awarded his Doctorate from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary
Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary
Gordon–Conwell Theological Seminary is an evangelical theological seminary whose main campus is based in South Hamilton, Massachusetts, with three other campuses in Boston, Charlotte, North Carolina and Jacksonville. The current president of Gordon-Conwell is Dennis Hollinger...
May 2009.
Xiong Yan is the author of two books. The first "From Tian An Men Square to Iraq" was published in Hong Kong in 2009. The second is a book of poetry published in 2010 titled "Being and Joy".
See also
- Human Rights in ChinaHuman Rights in ChinaHuman Rights in China is a New York-based international, Chinese, non-governmental organization with a mission to promote international human rights and advance the institutional protection of these rights in the People's Republic of China....