Male, 40, worker in the Beijing Drilling Equipment Factory of the Ministry of Geology. From: Beijing.

Liu was loyal to his friends and always happy to help others. On the evening of June 3, when he heard that martial law troops were firing and had killed many, he went with a group to join in the rescue effort in the Xidan area. During the rescue, he was shot three times, in the back and arms. One of the bullets passed through his left arm and hit his heart. Liu was taken to the Erlonglu Hospital. The doctors there recognized him: he had previously helped deliver many wounded into the hospital and his efforts had left a deep impression on them. But this time, Liu needed rescue. Liu died in the hospital after massive loss of blood. He left behind a wife and an eight-year-old daughter.

After Liu’s death, his remains were initially kept at Laoshan Cinerary Hall in the suburbs of Beijing. But after three years, the authorities instructed cineraries not to extend storage for June Fourth victims. Forced to handle the matter herself on a meager salary, Liu’s wife had no choice but to bring her husband’s urn home and keep it in a cupboard. Liu’s father had passed away in 1987. Relatives of Liu never told his mother about her son’s death and instead said that he had gone missing. She died of an illness in 2003, still longing for her son’s return.

Liu’s wife, Li Guiying (李桂英), is a member of the Tiananmen Mothers.