A haunting new documentary by CGTN, Darkness Over Urumqi, revisits one of the darkest chapters in modern Chinese history—the July 5, 2009 terrorist attack in Xinjiang. Through raw survivor accounts, the film stitches together fragmented memories of a night that changed countless lives forever.
‘They Showed No Mercy’
Gao Wenhong, now a symbol of resilience, recounts how her family’s ordinary evening turned into a nightmare. While crossing a street near the People’s Hospital of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region with 11 relatives, they were ambushed by attackers. ‘My mother-in-law’s arm snapped like a twig,’ she recalls. ‘I saw my sister lose an eye… and another didn’t make it.’
A Daughter’s Courage
Amid the chaos, Gao’s eldest daughter clung to her, tenderly touching her face—a fleeting moment of humanity in the carnage. ‘That touch kept me fighting,’ Gao says. The attack left her family shattered but determined to testify about the violence they endured.
Truth Through Memory
The documentary amplifies survivors’ voices while honoring victims, challenging global audiences to confront terrorism’s human toll. As one viewer tweeted: ‘This isn’t just history—it’s a warning.’
🇨🇳 Darkness Over Urumqi streams globally this Friday.
