Hong Kong University to Remove Tiananmen Square Sculpture — Here’s What It Means to Me
When I first heard that the University of Hong Kong planned to remove the “Pillar of Shame” — a sculpture memorializing the victims of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre — I felt a heavy mix of disbelief and sadness. As someone who values both history and freedom of expression, this decision didn’t just feel like an administrative move. It felt personal.
This sculpture has stood on the university’s campus for over two decades. Every time I saw a photo of it — the twisted, anguished bodies stacked together — I was reminded of how vital it is to remember, even when remembering is painful. It’s not just art; it’s a voice for those who can’t speak, and a warning to the rest of us.
But now, with increasing political pressure and a tightening grip on what’s “allowed,” the university says it must take the sculpture down for “legal and safety” concerns. Honestly, I don’t buy it. It feels more like erasing a chapter that makes people in power uncomfortable.
What truly worries me is the message this sends to students and future generations. If we remove painful history instead of confronting it, how do we learn from it? How do we grow? I don’t think we should be sanitizing the past to fit a modern political narrative.
The world is watching — and so am I. I believe that memory matters. That truth matters. And that art like the Pillar of Shame should never be tucked away or destroyed just because it challenges the status quo. This isn’t just about Hong Kong. It’s about how we all choose to face the truths of our past, no matter how uncomfortable they are.
