WUHAN – The message was tucked into a bouquet of chrysanthemums left by a mourner at the back of Wuhan Central Hospital to honor a Chinese whistleblower doctor who died from the coronavirus a year ago.
It was simply the number of a Bible verse: Matthew 5:10. “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven,” the verse reads.
A year ago Sunday, Dr. Li Wenliang died from the virus first detected in this Chinese city. A small stream of people marked the anniversary with visits to the hospital Saturday, some leaving flowers.
The 34-year-old ophthalmologist was one of eight whistleblowers who local authorities punished early on for “spreading rumors” about a SARS-like virus in a social media