作者：唐鑫
时间： 2026年8月8日地点： 加利福尼亚州耶莫·自由雕塑公园（37570 Yermo Rd, Yermo, CA）参会团体： 中国民主党、中国民主人权联盟、民主中国阵线（民阵）、中国民主党全委会等【导读】2026年8月8日，南加州莫哈维沙漠的气温飙升至摄氏四十度以上，滚滚热浪将地表烤得发烫。这一天，正是被誉为“中国良心”的著名维权律师高智晟被中共当局强迫失踪整整九周年的日子。
在中国民主党全委会洛杉矶地委发起的“第802次茉莉花行动”号召下，中国民主党、中国民主人权联盟、民阵等多个民主团体的成员，与高智晟的妻子耿和女士、“六四”幸存者及民阵主席方政先生，以及关注中国人权状况的各界人士约50余人（其中包括多位同情中国民主事业的美国朋友），不约而同地驱车奔赴荒漠，在高智晟雕塑《仰望星空》前共同声援抗议。
一、 驱车赴荒漠：多方力量汇聚《仰望星空》前。8月8日中午，作为中国民主党、中国民主人权联盟及民主中国阵线（民阵）的一员，我驱车两个多小时，沿着15号州际公路穿越无垠的莫哈维沙漠，赶赴位于耶莫（Yermo）的自由雕塑公园。
一下车，热浪便如重拳般袭来。然而荒漠中的气氛却无比肃穆而坚定。公园内耸立着巨大的“64”数字纪念碑、重型坦克雕塑与天安门城楼模型。而在公园的一角，便是由著名雕塑家陈维明先生创作的纪念雕塑《仰望星空——高智晟》。
这座大型雕塑呈塔形结构，塔基由粗粝的石块砌成，中层正面雕刻着高智晟的著作以及手持利剑与天平的正义女神，两侧浮雕呈现着与高智晟维权经历相关的受害者群体；雕塑顶端，则是高智晟仰头凝望天空的巨型头像。
高智晟律师的妻子耿和女士，以及身处轮椅依然远道而来、坚守荒漠现场的方政先生均来到了雕塑前。对于现场的旁观者而言，这是一座感人至深的纪念碑；对于耿和来说，眼前的雕塑所呈现的是她九年无法相见的丈夫；而对于方政先生及现场同仁而言，这更是一份跨越年代、共同抗击强权的坚定誓言。
二、 酷暑下的对话：保留火种与等待历史转折。按照原定计划，纪念活动本应于下午3点30分正式开始。然而，盛夏沙漠的酷热超乎了所有人的想象。下午三四点正值一天中地表温度最高的时刻，阳光直射下，现场准备的音响设备、摄像器材以及多部手机因严重过热而相继保护性自动关机，移动网络信号也一度中断。
面对突如其来的设备故障与四十多度的高温考验，现场近50名参与者没有一个人选择退缩。组织者与各方代表现场协商，决定将正式集会推迟至傍晚7点——待太阳西落、气温回落后再行举行。
在等待的三个多小时里，大家围坐在简陋的遮阳棚下分享矿泉水与冷饮，切磋交流。期间，我也与方政先生进行了一番深入对话。我问方政先生：“为什么现在在公众视野里，几乎只有您一位‘六四’伤残人士坚持站出来发声？”方政先生坦诚而沉重地表示，这正是当前民主运动所面临的真实困境——他所认识的许多‘六四’伤残者，出于各种压力与现实考量，如今都不再愿意站出来。
“我们现在所做的一切，核心就是‘保持火种’，”方政先生深刻地指出，“现在外界对于形势有时过于乐观了。只有等到中共体制内的人士主动来找我们合作的时候，才是这个政权真正有可能垮台的历史转折点。虽然现在国内的中产阶级已经开始出现向民主力量靠拢的趋势，但这种积累还远远不够。我们必须坚持下去，无论环境多恶劣，都要把这团火种保留下去。”
这段在沙漠酷暑中的对话，字字千钧，让在场的同仁们对当前抗争的长期性、复杂性与战略定力有了更清醒、更深刻的认识。
三、 晚霞中的歌声：高唱《深渊中的守望者》，咆哮拒绝遗忘。傍晚7点，随着夕阳沉入沙漠远山之后，地表温度渐退，晚霞染红了半边天，摄像与音响设备也恢复了运作。第802次茉莉花行动在微风中正式拉开序幕。
集会现场，众人聚集在雕塑下，共同唱响了专门为高智晟律师创作的歌曲《深渊中的守望者》。耿和女士与方政先生站在雕塑前，与大家一道高唱。歌声回荡在广袤寂静的南加州荒漠之中，将现场的情感推向了最高潮：Plaintext
《深渊中的守望者》（现场合唱全文）
一盏微光，穿透黑暗
冷墙后的呼喊，在回荡
绝望中，他信念如钢
守护正义，是心中辉煌
铁窗锁不住灵魂的飞翔
烈火淬炼初心的刚强
沉默中，他的呐喊滚烫
穿越岁月，写下正义篇章
深渊无尽，他站成山岗
孤寂中燃烧的希望
信念如火，驱散寒霜
为真理他捍卫信仰
即使孤身，亦如明灯
点燃黑夜，点燃黎明晨光
为真理用生命回响
在歌声与呐喊声中，各方代表向中共当局提出了三项明确且强烈的核心诉求：第一，立刻放人！ 立即交代高智晟下落，无条件恢复其人身自由。第二，停止迫害！ 停止对维权律师与良心犯的非法抓捕与强迫失踪。第三，捍卫人权！ 彻底终结“黑监狱”等国家恐怖主义行径。
四、 结语：只要还有人在追问，高智晟就不会被遗忘。九年的时间，整整3280多个日夜。九年足以让无数热点新闻淡出公众视野，也足以让一个名字被新的历史事件所覆盖。然而对于当天驱车来到自由雕塑公园的近50名同道而言，纪念本身就是一种最坚韧的抗争——一种拒绝遗忘的姿态。
高智晟律师当年以一己之力为弱势群体和受迫害者发声，付出了巨大的代价；当他失去自由之后，海外的家人、朋友以及各民主党派人士便成为了他的声音。
当天的纪念集会结束后，夜幕降临，人群终将散去，荒漠也重新归于寂静。然而，那座高达数米的《仰望星空》依然矗立在沙漠之中，雕塑中的高智晟依旧抬头望向天空。正如方政先生所言，只要火种不灭，只要还有人公开呼唤与追问，高智晟就不会被遗忘。那个持续了九年的声音，依然在莫哈维沙漠与千千万万追求自由的人心中回响：“高智晟，你在哪里？！”
编辑：李晶 校对：孔祥庆 翻译：沈美花
A Record of the “802nd Jasmine Action” at Liberty Sculpture Park, California
Author: Tang Xin
Date: August 8, 2026
Location: Liberty Sculpture Park, Yermo, California (37570 Yermo Rd, Yermo, CA)
Participating Organizations: China Democracy Party, Chinese Democracy & Human Rights Alliance, Federation for a Democratic China (FDC), National Committee of the China Democracy Party, among others.
【Editor’s Note】
On August 8, 2026, temperatures in the Mojave Desert of Southern California surged above 40 degrees Celsius (104°F), as rolling heat waves scorched the desert ground. This day marked exactly nine years since the enforced disappearance of Gao Zhisheng, a renowned human rights lawyer widely hailed as the “Conscience of China,” at the hands of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) authorities.
Responding to the call of the “802nd Jasmine Action” organized by the Los Angeles Committee of the National Committee of the China Democracy Party, around 50 individuals—including members of democratic organizations such as the China Democracy Party, the Chinese Democracy & Human Rights Alliance, and the FDC, alongside Gao Zhisheng’s wife, Ms. Geng He, June 4th survivor and FDC President Mr. Fang Zheng, concerned members of the public, and several American friends sympathetic to the cause of Chinese democracy—drove across the desert to gather in front of the Gao Zhisheng commemorative sculpture, Look Up at the Starry Sky, to jointly show support and voice their protest.
I. Driving into the Desert: Diverse Forces Converge Before Look Up at the Starry Sky
At noon on August 8, as a member of the China Democracy Party, the Chinese Democracy & Human Rights Alliance, and the Federation for a Democratic China (FDC), I drove for over two hours along Interstate 15 across the vast Mojave Desert to reach Liberty Sculpture Park in Yermo.
The moment I stepped out of the car, the heat wave struck like a heavy punch. Yet, the atmosphere in the desert was solemn and resolute. Standing inside the park were giant monuments: the “64” numerical memorial, a heavy tank sculpture, and a replica model of the Tiananmen Gatehouse. Tucked in one corner of the park stood Look Up at the Starry Sky — Gao Zhisheng, a commemorative sculpture created by the famous sculptor Mr. Chen Weiming.
This large tower-like sculpture features a base built from rugged stone blocks. The central front side displays Gao Zhisheng’s writings alongside Lady Justice holding a sword and scales, while bas-reliefs on both sides depict groups of victims associated with Gao’s human rights advocacy. At the peak of the sculpture sits a giant bust of Gao Zhisheng, lifting his head to gaze toward the sky.
Ms. Geng He, wife of Lawyer Gao Zhisheng, and Mr. Fang Zheng, who traveled a long distance in his wheelchair to stand firm in the desert heat, both arrived before the sculpture. For onlookers, this was a deeply moving monument; for Geng He, the sculpture before her eyes represented the husband she had been unable to see for nine years; and for Mr. Fang Zheng and the colleagues present, it served as a firm oath spanning generations to jointly resist authoritarian power.
II. Dialogue Under the Scorching Sun: Preserving the Sparks and Awaiting a Historic Turning Point
According to the original plan, the commemorative gathering was scheduled to officially begin at 3:30 PM. However, the midsummer desert heat far exceeded everyone’s expectations. As three to four o’clock in the afternoon is the hottest period of the day for ground surface temperatures, the direct sunlight caused the on-site audio equipment, camera gear, and multiple mobile phones to automatically shut down one after another due to severe overheating. Mobile network signals were also temporarily lost.
Faced with unexpected equipment failures and the test of temperatures exceeding 40°C, not a single one of the nearly 50 participants chose to back down. Organizers and representatives from various groups consulted on site and decided to postpone the official rally to 7:00 PM—holding it after the sun set and temperatures cooled.
During the three-hour wait, everyone gathered under crude shade canopies, sharing bottled water and cold drinks while exchanging ideas. During this time, I had an in-depth conversation with Mr. Fang Zheng.I asked Mr. Fang Zheng: “Why is it that in the public eye today, you are almost the only victim disabled in the June 4th Massacre who still stands up and continues to speak out?”Mr. Fang Zheng replied candidly and gravely that this reflects the actual dilemma currently facing the democracy movement—many disabled survivors of June 4th whom he knows have chosen not to step forward anymore due to various pressures and realistic considerations.”What we are doing now is essentially ‘preserving the sparks,'” Mr. Fang Zheng pointed out profoundly. “Right now, the outside world is sometimes overly optimistic about the situation. The real historic turning point—when this regime might actually collapse—will only come when insiders within the CCP regime proactively seek us out to cooperate. Although urban middle-class citizens in China are beginning to align with democratic forces, this momentum is still far from sufficient. We must persevere. No matter how harsh the environment is, we must keep this spark alive.”
This conversation in the scorching desert carried immense weight, leaving all the colleagues present with a clearer and deeper understanding of the long-term nature, complexity, and strategic resolve required for the current struggle.
III. Singing in the Sunset Glow: Belting Out The Watcher in the Abyss and Roaring a Refusal to Forget
At 7:00 PM, as the sunset sank behind the distant desert mountains, the ground temperature gradually subsided, and the evening glow dyed half the sky red. The camera and audio equipment resumed operation. The 802nd Jasmine Action officially commenced in the cool breeze.
At the rally site, everyone gathered beneath the sculpture and sang together The Watcher in the Abyss, a song specially composed for Lawyer Gao Zhisheng. Ms. Geng He and Mr. Fang Zheng stood in front of the sculpture, singing along with the crowd. The sound of singing echoed across the vast, quiet Southern California desert, pushing the emotion of the event to its climax:
The Watcher in the Abyss (Full Text of Live Choral Performance)
A tiny beam of light pierces through the dark,
Shouts behind cold walls echo in the park.
Amidst despair, his conviction stands like steel,
To guard justice is the glory he can feel.
Iron bars cannot trap the soul’s soaring flight,
Fiery trials temper original resolve with might.
In silence, his outcry runs scalding hot,
Crossing through the years, writing justice on the spot.
Boundless is the abyss, yet he stands as a ridge,
Burning hope in solitude, building freedom’s bridge.
Conviction like fire melts away the frost,
For truth and faith, his life is the cost.
Even if alone, he shines like a beacon bright,
Lighting up the dark night, lighting up the dawn’s light.
For truth, his life echoes far and wide.
Amidst the singing and shouts, representatives from various groups put forward three clear and forceful core demands to the CCP authorities:
1. Release him immediately! Immediately account for Gao Zhisheng’s whereabouts and restore his personal freedom unconditionally.
2. Stop the persecution! Stop the illegal arrests and enforced disappearances of human rights lawyers and prisoners of conscience.
3. Defend human rights! Completely end state-sponsored terrorism tactics such as “black jails” (extralegal detention centers).
IV. Conclusion: As Long as Someone Keeps Asking, Gao Zhisheng Will Never Be Forgotten
Nine years—more than 3,280 days and nights. Nine years is long enough for countless trending news stories to fade from public view, and long enough for a name to be buried by new historical events. Yet for the nearly 50 companions who drove to Liberty Sculpture Park that day, remembering itself is a form of the most resilient resistance—a stance of refusing to forget.
Lawyer Gao Zhisheng once spoke out for vulnerable groups and the persecuted by his own solitary efforts, paying a tremendous price; after he lost his freedom, his family overseas, friends, and members of various democratic parties became his voice.
After the commemorative rally concluded that evening, night fell, the crowd eventually dispersed, and the desert returned to silence. However, the several-meter-tall Look Up at the Starry Sky sculpture still stands firmly in the desert, with Gao Zhisheng in the sculpture continuing to raise his head toward the sky.
Just as Mr. Fang Zheng said, as long as the spark is not extinguished, and as long as there are people publicly calling out and demanding answers, Gao Zhisheng will never be forgotten. That voice that has persisted for nine years continues to echo across the Mojave Desert and in the hearts of thousands upon thousands of people pursuing freedom:
“Gao Zhisheng, where are you?!”
Editor: Li Jing Proofreader: Kong Xiangqing Translator: Shen Meihua
