Song Binbin's Cultural Revolution apology sparks national remorse call
Broader reflection from a national perspective is needed, say commentators
Two weeks earlier, students at Song's high school had beaten their vice-principal to death, in what was widely viewed as one of the first killings of the revolution. In the ensuing decades, the photo came to represent the state's sanction of the violence carried out by the revolution's youth gangs.
Last Sunday, Song stood with former classmates and offered an apology over the death of the teacher, Bian Zhongyun. She said she could not intervene during the incident because she was afraid she would be blamed for hindering the "criticising and denouncing efforts".
Song is the daughter of Song Renqiong , one of the eight founding generals of the People's Republic, and her plea touched off discussion about its timing and what effect it might have on the nation's attitude towards the chaos that ravaged China between 1966 and 1976.
The said in a commentary on Tuesday the admission was overdue but that it demonstrated Song's sense of responsibility both on behalf of herself and her family.
"If she could not have taken a hard look back at what she did at the onset of the Cultural Revolution, she couldn't [carry] … the glory of her family and her father's revolutionary legacy," the paper said.
The revolution remains a sensitive topic on the mainland and authorities have so far refused to heed calls for a dedicated museum.
