Liu Zhanjin

 VICTIMS: 36

This story is a little old now, but I just found some AP and Rueters news stories on my hard drive, and I just had to add it to the site.

It centres around Mr. Liu Zhanjin who was very upset because his wife had left him. I don't know why she did so, but I would think this his bad temper may have been a very large problem for her.

Being a former miner and farmer, Liu was quite adept at handling explosives, and after his wife had left him he would go out into the fields and blow shit up. Hey, we all need to destroy stuff now and again. There can't be anything wrong with that, can there?

Umm, if that's all you doing then it shouldn't be a problem, but if you preparing to cause damage to something other than dirt or trees, it could become a problem, especially if you just blowing up dirt and trees to see how much explosive you'll need for.., well, we'll get to that in a second.

On Wednesday, 29 March, 2000, the town where Liu lived in northern China's Shanxi province was host to a big local wedding. Over 100 people had gathered to see two young locals exchange vows and prepare for the beautiful happy life that couples seem to think they'll go on to enjoy. (personally I can't understand why anyone would want to spend the rest of their life with another person, but I guess that's just me).

But the emotionally scared Liu had a better idea. He was going to save the poor young groom for having to handle the pain that his wife had put him through. He had a present for the newlyweds that would solve all of the pain. He arrived at the wedding pushing a handcart with his gift to the newlyweds, 50 kg (110 lb) of explosives. Needless to say that his gift certainly had an impact on the other guests. So much impact that there was structural damage and smashed windows in a 100 meter radius of his position.

Standing right next to the explosives caused out humble farmer to be blown apart as soon as he had detonated them. Despite his own demise his actions were not completely in vain as he wasn't the only one taken out by the blast. In all, 36 other people were killed in and almost everyone else at the wedding were injured. Unfortunately I don't know if the young couple were amongst the dead, but I'm sure that they'll see just what separation can do to a man.
 

MY OPINION

I think that this is the first Chinese mass murder I've put up on the site, so that makes this a really special case. I really do like this one, and not just 'cos Liu was ripped to shreds. The main reason is that it helps back up my argument that marriage is stupid. it causes nothing but pain and kids, and really aren't they just the same thing. I think that Liu was doing those newlyweds a favour. Well done my new Chinese friend.