It's likened to a scene from an apocalypse. Empty streets, overflowing hospitals and an overwhelming sense of fear in a city of 11 million people placed in "lockdown".
How the Chinese Communist Party crushed democracy. Thirty years ago millions of students and citizens protested in Tiananmen Square calling for democracy.
His present identity and whereabouts are mysteries to all but a select few. When he reveals his story to members of a powerful US Senate committee, he's just a silhouette on a screen.