Taipei - At 9:00 this morning, the farewell ceremony to former general secretary of the CCP, Zhao Zhiyang’s body is held at the hall of Beijing Babaoshan Revolutionary Cemetery. After the ceremony, the body is cremated. According to today’s report by Hong Kong Wen Hui Pao, four types of people attended the farewell ceremony, including Chinese officials.

The report quotes words of people who have seen the list of attendants. People who attended the farewell ceremony to Zhao Zhiyang’s body mainly comprise of four types: 1) current officials; 2) Zhao family’s relatives, friends and Zhao’s former subordinates; 3) doctors, nurses, and service staff; and 4) people from all walks of life.

Li Zhao, wife of former general secretary Hu Yaobang, Fan Jingyi, former chief editor for Beijing Economy Daily and the People’s Daily, current president of College of Media and Communications, Qinghua University, and families of some senior comrades in the CCP will attend the farewell ceremony.

It is pointed out that Du Yunsheng, China’s economist, former member of the CCP’s Advisory Committee, former director of the Rural Policy Research Office of the central government is also on the list. A senior man recalls during the period when Zhao Zhiyang was the premier, there was a strong team of researchers for policy research in agriculture, and Du Yunsheng was one of them.

The report says Zhao Zhiyang’s body was cremated after the ceremony. As to where the ash is to be placed, there are various sayings among Zhao Zhiyang’s family members. One said Zhao Zhiyang’s ash will be placed at home after cremation, but another family member said they worry that Zhao Zhiyang’s wife will be too sad as she accompanies the ash each day. Thus, for the moment, they may put the ash in the Babaoshan Ceremony.