His Daughter Lai Yiming Had Been Brutally Murdered Without Telling Anyone and a Policeman Who Was Not Involved Was Ordered Not to Look for Anyone Because He Did Not Have the Money to Buy Food or Help With the Execution

 87 Years Ago Today

Friday 8th of March 1935
Silent film actress Lingyu Ruan commits suicide by an overdose of barbiturates at the age of 25 in Shanghai, China.
Ruan's funeral procession was reportedly three miles long with three women committing suicide during the event.

According to this story, Liang Yu's father, Wang Jianwen, had told the news report that his daughter, Lai Yiming, had been brutally murdered without telling anyone and a policeman, who was not involved, was ordered not to look for anyone because he did not have the money to buy food or help with the execution. Liu and his father also claim that Liu Xiaobo never told anyone of her death. Nonetheless her family's claim of complicity may be the most telling and disturbing evidence that has come to light about what happened at the funeral. The story, which comes after years of speculation, has prompted international criticism that China is increasingly turning into a drug-free version of the 1970s. The most recent report released on the topic shows that China continues to practice drug-free living, even in such difficult circumstances as death of a loved one and, in some cases, suicide. Nevertheless it also shows that Liu Xiaobo's family is deeply involved in the system, and that even when Liu Xiaobo dies young, her own family members, who are no longer members of either the Beijing or Shanghai authorities, still work for the local drug-testing

He Had Many Different Parts, All of Which Were in English or Cantonese

 91 Years Ago Today

Saturday 15th of November 1930
Writer James Graham Ballard is born in Shanghai International Settlement, Shanghai, China.

He was born in March 1934 (aged 31), aged 30, in New York City, New York. There he attended the London School of Music and received a Doctorate of Music from the University of London as well as a Master's Degree from the Graduate Art Institute of Cairo. In 1949, he joined the Society of Artists and Writers of the Chinese Academy of Drama as a professional producer and, for the next two years, worked as a writer and stage actor. During that time he produced many songs in over 150 countries. He had many different parts, all of which were in English or Cantonese. He came to the United States from Japan at age 17, but later moved in with his children. Ballard became an active member of the Chicago Theatre Association and was inducted into the Chicago Symphony Hall in 1956. He received his DFA from Columbia University in 1963 and he has published several short works that have won both the Best Musical, Best Director and Best New York Poetry award. There he wrote for two Grammy-nominated albums, One in 1968 and One in 1971, as well as the film The Tender Tolls as well as four short plays and countless works both in Chinese and English. He wrote an autobiography. Ballard has appeared in several films and television series, including a short series of Doctor Who episodes called The Master.