A vigil of the heartRick Holland  Next week, the family of Yang Jianli will mark the third anniversary of his involuntary detention by the Chinese government. Pictured here is his daughter, Anita Chu; son, Aaron Yang; and wife, Christina Fu. (Staff photo by Zara Tzanev) Thursday, April 21, 2005 In a place of utilitarian prominence - on the wall above the washer and dryer - there is a picture of the Dalai Lama in Christina Fu's Washington Street home. With the picture is a verse, written by the Tibetan spiritual leader, entitled "Never Give Up." Those three words capture most succinctly and accurately the quiet resolve that Fu has lived by since her husband, Yang Jianli, was detained and imprisoned in China on April 26, 2002. "My husband went to India and met the Dalai Lama," said Fu, who added that Yang came away from the visit with a deep respect for the Buddhist leader. Next week will mark three years exactly since Yang was essentially captured by Chinese authorities in Kunming. A brilliant scholar turned democracy activist, Yang was detained and later accused of conducting espionage for Taiwan. He was also charged with entering the country illegally - he had used a friend's passport to enter China in 2002, after his name had been blacklisted for his efforts to spread democracy in the country. Since that time, Fu has coped with the complete cut-off in communication with her husband by writing and advocating for his release. "In the evenings I always write letters to ambassadors, prison officials, even [U.S. Secretary of State] Condolezza Rice," said Fu. "I think they're very helpful ... I want to do something every day and if a day goes by when I don't, I feel like I haven't done my best." Amid the tragedy of her circumstances, however, Fu projects an astonishing absence of malice, bitterness or anger. Instead, she says she is grateful. She was thankful, for example, for the chance she and her 9-year-old son Aaron were given in January to visit Yang in his prison outside Beijing - the first time she had seen or spoken with him in almost three years. Prison officials limited the visit to just under one hour, and while Christina and Aaron were shaken by the experience, they are planning another visit to Yang in late June. "After seeing my husband, I felt really sad that he has missed so much of the precious time with our children," said Fu, who also has a 12-year-old daughter, Anita, that she and Yang adopted from China in September 2001, just seven months before Yang was imprisoned. "Those times can never be relived. So, I recently started taking videos [of] my children for a few minutes every day, so that one day when my husband comes home, he can watch those tapes and recapture a little bit of all the time he missed as our children grew up," she added. Fu was also alarmed at Yang's physical condition during their brief visit in January. He suffered a mild stroke in July 2004 and has lost the 20-20 eyesight he had before his imprisonment. Perhaps most startling was the fact that Yang did not smile during their short reunion. "I can't tell you how sad I was afterwards ... because he didn't smile the whole time ... it was such a big change in his personality," said Fu. "He completely changed. He used to be ... everyone knows that he smiles and tells a lot of jokes, a very happy person But I believe it will change back once everything becomes normal." Still evident, however, was Yang's determination, according to Fu. "He told us 'Right now, what I'm fighting for is the right to see my lawyer and the right to communicate with my family in America,' because he hasn't been allowed to write to us ... he still has that something, that spirit," Fu said. Yang's sentence officially runs until April or May 2007, but U.S. Rep. Barney Frank, D-4th, believes there's a chance that he could be released before then. He went on to note that he has become involved in the case for a variety of reasons. "First of all, it's just a very poignant human drama, and I've gotten to know Christina and the kids," said Frank. "The broader issue is that essentially the crime he's accused of is promoting democracy. One of great disappointments is that there has been an expectation that in China's move to economic liberalization, there would be a corresponding cultural liberalization. Sadly that hasn't happened ... it's a disappointment for the whole world." Going forward, Fu and her children will continue to keep a vigil for Yang's safety and eventual return. For those who want to lend some assistance, Fu said the best gift people can give to her family is to take time to write. "I would love people to write postcards to my husband, it's one thing that will bring hope to him," Fu said. For links to more information about Yang Jianli and an address to send him correspondence, visit www.yangjianli.com. On April 26, 2002, Brookline resident and democracy activist Yang Jianli was detained in Kunming, China, allegedly using a friend's passport. Milestones since Yang's detention include: (Yang's placement in solitary confinement from 2002 to 2003, during which he sustained beatings from staff at a detention center. (June and July 2003 - U.S. House and Senate bills calling for Yang's release pass unanimously in both chambers. (August 2003 -- Start of Yang's trial, in which he was accuse d of espionage for Taiwan and illegal entry to China. (May 2004 - Yang sentenced to five years in prison. (January 2005 - Yang's wife and son allowed a one-hour visit with him in Chinese prison for first time since his detention. (April or May 2007 - Yang's projected release from prison.
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