This story (with video) was filed by CBS News Beijing producer Steven Jiang:
He’s been compared to the Tom Hanks character in “The Terminal” by news media the world over, but Feng Zhenghu had never heard of the Hollywood blockbuster until a supporter recently brought him a portable DVD player and a copy of the 2004 Steven Spielberg movie.
“I feel my life is a lot harder than the character’s,” the 55-year-old Chinese human rights activist tells CBS News. “The movie is a romantic comedy, and my story is more of a tragedy.”
Since Nov. 4, Feng has been an unusual fixture at the bustling Narita International Airport outside Tokyo. While the Hanks character became trapped at a JFK terminal when his native country was wiped off the map following a coup, Feng is a Chinese citizen with a valid Japanese visa. He refuses to pass through immigration checkpoints to enter Japan for a simple reason — he wants to go home.
But the Chinese government has blocked his path since mid-June. Airlines in Japan – including U.S.-based Northwest Airlines – denied him boarding four separate times, citing orders from Chinese authorities. On four other instances, he made it as far as Pudong International Airport in Shanghai – only to be sent back to Tokyo in increasingly forceful manners. After the last round of tussles, Feng put his foot down and began camping out at Narita
Read more about Feng Zhenghu on CDT.
Feng’s twitter account @fzhenghu currently has over 4800 followers. His supporters also set up another twitter account in English for him @fzhenghu_en
Here are some latest updates from his English tweets:
Daily log.http://docs.google.com/View…via @fzhenghuabout 9 hours ago from web
27th day – Hot water. http://docs.google.com/View… via @fzhenghu
Internet at last. http://docs.google.com/View… via @fzhenghu
26th day at the gate of Japan. http://docs.google.com/View…via @fzhenghu
Breakfast is western, pizza, veg salad n a cup of water. How I wish I could microwave the pizza! Last pizza for lunch. via @fzhenghu9:22 AM Nov 29th f
They know my story. Canada is home of Bethune. Now her sons n daughters r helping a rights activist to go home. via @fzhenghu9:21 AM Nov 29th
The air hostess who brought me newspaper yesterday is off today. Seems they r taking turns to help a Chinese rights activist. via @fzhenghu9:19 AM Nov 29th
Can eat 2 meals. Fr the bag I know they bought these specially 4 me at Vancouver airport. They wished me luck. I thanked them. via @fzhenghu9:17 AM Nov 29th
Canadian air hostesses gave me water, 3 slices of pizza, a large pack of veg salad, a blank n a few towels. Fresh veg 25 days. via @fzhenghu9:09 AM Nov 29th f
I’m sticking to my ‘Uphold the Constitution, Protect Human Rights’ ideal. Welcome oversight from the people.http://kl.am/5bx4 via @fzhenghu9:06 AM Nov 29th
I agree to take donations w/ no political condition attatched. I must be politically independent n spiritually free… via @fzhenghu9:03 AM Nov 29th
25th day at the gate of Japan. http://docs.google.com/View…via @fzhenghu8:52 AM Nov 29th
Sichuan ppl say hi 2 u. We all support u. We r protesting against Shanghai gov.’ I asked him 2 send my regards 2 Sichuan ppl.’ via @fzhenghu
1:30pm yesterday, famed Sichuan right activist Mr Chen called, ‘I activated international call service to make this call… via @fzhenghu8:44 AM Nov 29th from
I’ve become the beloved baby of people from all over the world. http://docs.google.com/View… via @fzhenghu8:40 AM Nov 29th f
Some Chinese Canadians called me at 12:30am, expressing support n offering help. via @fzhenghu8:38 AM Nov 29th from
Click here to watch a music video: “Let Feng Zhenghu Return Home” on Youtube, made by a Chinese netizen, Flying White Cloud (白云飞）.
The music in the above video is from Taiwanese singer Feng Feifei (凤飞飞)’s famous song: The Road Home (归乡路) (1982), lyrics translated by CDT:
The Road Home
I try to set my sights beyond the far horizon
The road seems to extend forever
And is indistinct from the vastness of the earth
I can’t find the words to ask the heavens
True, there are thousands of waves deep in the sea of clouds
But nothing can stop my determination to return homeThe night has run its course and the sky is alreadly dim
After experiencing all the vicissitudes of life
How eager I am
To once again see the mountains and rivers of my homeland
And the brilliance of the Sun and the Moon there臺灣電影《血濺歸鄉路》主題曲，原錄於1982年出版的【你來了】專輯。
鳳飛飛 -《歸鄉路》
詞/晨曦 曲/劉家昌望斷天涯路茫茫 無語問穹蒼
雲海深處雖有千層浪 難阻我歸鄉夜已盡 天已亮 世事歷滄桑
迢迢山河 日月重光 切切在寄望And the words in the last shot are from Chinese blogger Zhai Minglei’s article “To not let Feng Zhenghu return home is China’s national shame, ” translated by CDT:
“A real man does not say the word ‘love’ lightly. Once he says it, he needs to have the courage to die for this love, whether the object of the love is your country, or your woman.”
“一个男人，千万别轻易说爱。一旦说了，就要有为爱而死的勇气，无论爱的是你的祖国，还是女人。”
Feng Zhenghu published his contact information as follows:
Cell phone in Japan：0081-80-3445-7210
Email box on his cell phone：ga7674eed77t8jf@softbank.ne.jp
Twitter account：http://twitter.com/fzhenghu
Website：http://fzh999.net
E-maill：fzh2005@hotmail.co.jp
Update: Feng Zhenghu’s family and supporters published the following information calling for donations to support his efforts to return China:
The account numbers of Feng Zhenghu：
Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ 272-1590194 Feng Zheng Hu
PayPal account：fzh999net@gmail.com
