Xiao Chuanguo’s open letter to all media in the nation, all fellows in academia and Fang Zhouzi
By xysergroup | 2月 25, 2010
On June 8, 2006, days before the legal proceedings started in Wuhan court, Professor Xiao Chuanguo published an open letter to “all media in the nation, all fellows in academia and Fang Zhouzi” regarding his case. It is an unusual letter for a professor and an Academician candidate, as it was filled with vengeance, hatred, personal attacks towards Fang Zhouzi, and occasional profanity.
It also contains lies. For example, in his open letter, Xiao claimed that he was one of and the key people who charged Dr. Fang of plagiarizing an article from the Science Magazine in 2001; that “everyone who was not blind could see that the Science Magazine would never want to have anything to do with” Dr. Fang because of the plagiarism; and that “in the Science Magazine … there has never been any mention of you”.
Science already investigated and cleared Xiao’s false plagiarism charge against Dr. Fang in 2001, see the response from Science appended in The Truth of so Called “Solid Evidence of Fang Zhouzi’s Plagiarism”. Before the “plagiarism” allegation, Dr. Fang had criticized Xiao’s indecent supports to the so-called “nucleic acid nutrition” and the ”gene queen” scandal?
Science reported Dr. Fang and the New Threads right before and after Xiao’s open letter was published: Newsmakers in April 2006, and China’s Fraud Buster Hit by Libel Judgments; Defenders Rally Round in December 2006. The latter reported the three defamation lawsuits, including the Xiao vs. Fang case, that Dr. Fang faced and just lost. Later on, Xiao accused the reporter of “obviously biased reporting” (”明显偏见的报道”), and accused Ms. Xiong, who first reported Dr. Fang in 2001, of “playing tricks to cheat Science” (”做的手脚欺骗了科学杂志”) in the 2001 plagiarism investigation, see Exposing the Secret of Science Magazine’s 2001 Investigation of Fang Zhouzi’s Plagiarism (in Chinese, 美国科学杂志2001年调查方舟子抄袭内幕曝光) originally posted by Xiao in his pen name Porter (搬运工) and re-posted on the New Threads Reader’s Forum by someone else.
After the English translation of Xiao’s open letter was posted by New Threads netizens, Danwei, a nice blog about “Chinese media, advertising, and urban life” has picked the open letter as its “Danwei Picks” of 12/12/2007. Here is what Danwei said about the piece:
http://www.danwei.org/from_the_web/danwei_picks_20071212.php
Xiao Chuangguo is an academic whom anti-fraud activist Fang Zhouzi accused of falsifying his resume. He sued, and published a rather nasty open letter before legal proceedings began last year. A translation of that letter appears on a new blog, the China Scientific & Academic Integrity Watch, which follows the activity of people in China working to uphold academic and professional standards.
Xiao’ open letter was translated by netizens of the New Threads. The original letter in Chinese can be found at:
http://www.xys.org/xys/ebooks/others/science/dajia7/xiaochuanguo75.txt
or
http://www.whuh.com/js/Show.asp?ArticleID=1516
Xiao Chuanguo’s open letter to all media in the nation, all fellows in academia and Fang Zhouzi
Xiao Chuanguo
Department of Clinical Urology, Xiehe Hospital
Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan
June 8, 2006
Ladies and Gentlemen:
An ugly bride eventually has to show her face to her in-laws. Fang Zhouzi, maybe you can hide yourself for now, but you cannot hide yourself forever. You will be brought to justice someday. The two defamation cases of Xiao Chuanguo vs. Fang Zhouzi will be heard on June 21st, 2006. I hereby announce this event to the media and fellows in academia who are interested in these cases, and sincerely invite and welcome all of you to come to Wuhan to be present in court.
Fang Zhouzi launched large scale false accusations, libel and personal attacks right before the membership election of the Chinese Academy of Sciences using his website New Threads and some of other irresponsible media. I tried my best to persuade my friends, relatives and students to refrain from counter-attacking on the internet, also gratefully turned down my employer’s offer to stage positive reporting to set the record straight. One obvious reason for my doing so, is that I would like to follow the Academy’s rule forbidding the seeking of publicity using the media. But more importantly, I desire to carry out the revenge myself. My membership in the CAS is secondary to such more vital things as my reputation and my dignity. Not only did Fang Zhouzi’s accusation based on pure fabrication blemished my flawless image built over a period of 30 years, he also maliciously insulted my spouse, vilified my teacher. If I do not settle the score, I swear not to call myself human. My advice to you, Fang Zhouzi, is to receive the punishment according to law without any resistance.
A thief is in constant fear of being caught. Fang Zhouzi has under various circumstances admitted his “pessimism” about the outcome of the above mentioned litigations and has “prepared himself mentally” for the defeat. But Fang complained vociferously about the “unfairness” of the trial before the verdict was given and even before the court hearing, which is a blatant derogation of the law of the People’s Republic of China. Fang Zhouzi, do you really think that in the court room over looked by the National Emblem, you will be allowed to do whatever you like and wag your tongue without any regard for truth, just as on your rogue website which is a shelter for evil activities? Do you really think that the reporters all over the country who will be attending the court hearing, their cameras and tape recorders especially their eyes and ears cannot tell the right from the wrong? Fang’s talk about local protectionism and social network is completely nonsense. I have returned to China for ten years, in the past four years, I have been nominated for both the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering, but I am only acquainted with no more than ten members of the Academies, most of whom are neuroscientists that I got to know while serving as the principle investigator for 973 project. I did not use “networking” for such important matter as getting nominated for the memberships of the Academies. It would be funny if I needed “networking” in order to deal with an unemployed person as insignificant as you, Fang Zhouzi. Fact and law are more than sufficient. A key step in my litigations with Fang is the issuance of a summons directly to Fang Zhouzi in Beijing. Fang Zhouzi, it is not easy flush you out in order to place a case on file for investigation and prosecution. When you sued Shanghai Zhen Ming Magazine, you asked the residents’ committee of the Xinhua News Agency to authenticate that Fang Shimin and his wife has been living in (the address omitted by the translator). However, all the summonses sent to that same address were returned. The Beijing Xi Cheng District court had to go so far as to deliver the summons in person while you were interviewed by Sohu. Is this local protectionism or national protectionism? You also said that the Xi’an court practices local protectionism. Does the case have to be handled by Judge Zhang in the court in your hometown in order for it not to be local protectionism? You have a habit of quoting the following sentence from the works of Mencius: “If on self-examination, I find that I am upright, I will go forward against thousands and tens of thousands.” And you also have a habit of bragging: “many people liken me to the character Qiao Feng in Tian Long Ba Bu.” Actually being liken to Qiao Feng may not be something that worth bragging about- Qaio Feng does not even know who his father is. Please don’t say that you don’t mind being called a turtle who dare not stick its head out of the shell hiding in your wife’s room or even under her skirt not having the guts to answer challenges to unsheathe the sword and to acknowledge the receipt of summons from the court. Fang Zhouzi, in order not to be chased around by “local protectionists” trying to deliver the summons from the court, I suggest you to publish your place of residence. But do you dare?
When you know you are in trouble, you should accept the fact that you are in trouble. “The truth of science and the merit of news can not be judged in court”. The above dim-witted remark as a death struggle to save face can only be written by an idiot like you, and can only be published imprudently by Zhao Jianhua, the editor of the Beijing Sci-Tech Report who has a special relation with you as a colluder. You already know where you trouble is: (1) my professorship has practiced medicine and conducted research for 30 years and have essentially flawless track record. (2) My professorship believes in returning favors and settling scores unlike some members of the academy who are unwilling to come down to your level to respond after being insulted by you. When I cure an illness, I only need one treatment plan. The more plans there are, the worse the outcome will be. If you want to destroy the career of a professor, it is enough to focus the attack on one issue. Too many issues won’t help your case. Your all-around attack of me only shows your sinisterness, ruthlessness and exasperation and your inability to find an issue to attack. On the other hand, it can serve as evidence of your crime in the court. Very soon the fake judge like you is going to meet a real judge. Are you ready with the “evidence”? If your are trembling with nervousness, here is an opportunity for you to achieve a “satisfactory” result without going to court: you can select any number of publications from your dozens of publications that attack me, attach anything you want to them as “evidence” and make two copies to send to Tsou Chen-lu and Ho Tso-Hsiu (who “always supports Fang”) respectively. If both of the two people agree that any of your accusations is true, that I have “committed fraud”, I will unconditionally accept their conclusion, I will resign from all the teaching positions in China and abroad that I current hold, and make an announcement in the Beijing Sci-Tech Report (which your livelihood depends on) to apologize to the whole country and disappear from the academia forever. What do you think? (Note: Please do not use any false evidence to deceive those two elderly people. I have caught you doing such things once before.) Please also note that I do not know those two members of academy in person. I have a great deal of respect for Academician Tsou. I do not have a favorable opinion on some of what Academician Ho said and did. But I believe that those two people will not lie.
As a Chinese saying goes, you do not need to worry about the shape of shadow if your body is straight; and you have to be strong enough to do the iron hammering. Fang Zhouzi has insulted me so much that his bad words are everywhere, which also deceived many immature young people. However, when we had a PK (personal kill), hasn’t all those words gone like smoke? Why do I need to explain the accusations item by item? I am busy. I am not a freelance. At the same time, I invite and welcome all of my fellow scientists and Chinese media from all over the country, especially the media in Hubei province, please do check every item that Fang Zhouzi has published on his website New Threads to accuse my wrongdoings. If you find one, I will give you 50,000 Yuan. I am confident that you will find that Fang Zhouzi’s accusations have no ground and are pure rumors. During the past 30 years, Xiao Chuanguo has done nothing that violates scientific ethics, and nothing that violates biomedical ethics. Nowadays, how many people can brag this? I am confident that I can. Since I was arranged by the ex-Minister of the Chinese Health Ministry Chen Minzhang, and by my mentor professor Qiu Fazhu, to return to China in 1997, I have tried my best to avoid the media, not only because I don’t like the vulgarity of some of the media reporters, but also because I know myself well. I know how much I have done for medical science and patients. I know the weight and share of my contribution. For people like me who have already achieved so much academically, if they still need the media to gain more fame, they should not work in the academic. This time, I heartily invite the media to report this issue not because I want you to testify my innocence, but because I hope you can expose more about Fang Zhouzi based on my case. I hope you can expose how Fang Zhouzi uses methods similar to that of the Chinese Culture Revolution to attack those researchers who are working hard for the development of Chinese science and technology, while Fang still has some supports; I hope you can examine how people like Fang Zhouzi can make great damages to the establishment of a harmony and legal-based society; I hope you examine how to morally and legally prevent people like Fang Zhouzi making more damages to the development of Chinese science and technology. Meanwhile, I hope you warn those individuals who did commit scientific frauds, don’t let their stupidity become the excuse that people like Fang Zhouzi can use at their wills to taint the reputation of Chinese academic.
Since I am PKing you, how about I also PK you, Fang Zhouzi, on your plagiarizing an article from the Science Magazine? so that you can be saved from being asked by everyone, and from the need of quibbling every time, which must be tiring. Yes, I was one of the people who reported your plagiarism to the well known US magazine, Science, and the Editor-in-Chief and editor J who was in charge of the actual investigation mainly contacted and discussed the issue with me because I was holding the title of Professor in one of the top US universities. Since I had an agreement with the Editor-in-Chief and editor J that we would not reveal any details of the process and the final conclusions to any third party, I have kept the promise. And I will still keep that promise. Of course, since then, everyone who was not blind could see that the Science Magazine would never want to have anything to do with you. Now there is the huge scandal of Hwang Woo-Suk in Korea, and there are many news reports plus commentaries in the Science Magazine, but there has never been any mention of you, “biochemist” and professional “debunker” since year 2000, whom they once specially reported on. Didn’t you understand? Sure you did. Otherwise why did you take your almost crazy revenge by “debunking” my “falsehood”, which was almost non-existent? If you really want to deny it and insist that it was not plagiarism, I dare you to give both the paper by Greene that appeared in the Science Magazine in September 2001 (Science: September 2001, volume 293, pages 2105-2108), and the issue of Southern Weekly on October 4, 2001, where Fang Zhouzi’s article was published, to Academician Chen-lu Tsou and Academician Ho Tso-Hsiu who “always supports Fang Zhouzi”, and let them decide whether you were plagiarizing. Wouldn’t you at least trust these people? If they two were bold enough to put their signatures on a statement that asserts that you were not plagiarizing, I would immediately write a letter to apologize to the Science Magazine, and make all the relevant articles and documents public by putting them on news papers, and I would quit the academia forever. How about that? Everyday I am saving lives, facing blood and flesh, leaving my back to the heaven. Every night I am doing research around the clock in labs. These are indeed noble and good deeds, but this is damn f***ing tiring. It would be much easier to write some articles on popular science using “one’s own words”, or do some bad deeds. But, but, but, “what if” those two academicians also think that you were plagiarizing? What then? I believe at least Ho Tso-Hsiu, the Academician who “always supports Fang Zhouzi”, will not keep his silence.
This lawsuit only involves Fang Zhouzi’s attacks on me published in the Beijing Sci-Tech Report and on the website Sohu. Fang Zhouzi used other pen names to publish dozens of articles with defamatory statements and personal attacks on me in the column “Snapshots” (of Academic Misconducts) on his website New Threads. Since those attacks were more malicious, I will make Fang pay for each of those articles. Being afraid? Want to hide in the US? Wait for me. The part-time faculty position I have been kept at the New York University was for my academic purpose in the past, but now it is mainly for the purpose of you, Fang Zhouzi. I could temporarily leave Academician behind me, and also temporarily forget about a Nobel Prize; however, I have to carry out the revenge on Fang. Using such means as “speaking out freely, airing one’s views fully, writing big-character posters, and holding great debates”, which originated from the Great Cultural Revolution and are forbidden by the Chinese Constitution, Fang Zhouzi maliciously made personal attacks on Chinese scientists, especially the Academicians with outstanding achievements, by wielding a stick, putting a label on other people, “capturing wind or shadow instead of a real person”, making false accusations anonymously, making a mountain out of a molehill, and tarnishing other people’s reputation on purpose. He got his fame and made a living out of damaging other people’s reputation, which is shockingly disturbing. Fang’s defamatory statements against me are just one typical example. A person who devotes oneself to sciences has no intention to get promoted to a government officer position, has a more difficult task to make a fortune, but cherishes one’s own reputation the most. Chinese scholars usually stick to the bad habit of “A pure person keeps oneself free from obscurity”. Furthermore, many well-known scientists don’t want to get down dealing with such a no-name low-life rat. Therefore, many people who got defamed by Fang Zhouzi either ignored him or failed to clear themselves of such defamation because they found nowhere to submit a lawsuit due to Fang’s wandering in the dead-zone between Chinese law and US law. As a result, there came an extremely angry professor Yu Jianrong, calling Fang “Son of Bitch”. However, the good days of Fang Zhouzi are coming to an end: I have determination, financial ability, and capability to fully expose and severely punish Fang, no matter where he is hiding, China or America.
Fang Zhouzi, personality-wise, I disdain you to the most; academic-wise, I look down upon you even more; professional ethics wise, sorry, you do not have a profession. But I would treat you equally in front of the law. See you in court if you dare to show up.
Topics: Xiao Chuanguo |
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