Chinese Father Documents Life With Son Every Year of His Life for 3 Decades

1989: Tiananmen Square

Li was just three years old when the Tiananmen Square Protests happened in Beijing. The student-led demonstrations were sparked over anxieties about the uncertainty of the Chinese peoples’ future in a time of dramatic economic and social change during the post-Mao era. Although Li was just a toddler, this event would set a precedent for the type of atmosphere he would grow up in, in his country.

In what became known as the Tiananmen Square Massacre, troops carrying assault rifles and driving tanks plunged into the crowds of protesters who were trying to block their advance. The civilian deaths from this horrifying incident are estimated between hundreds and thousands.