155:, the most authoritative newspaper in China's science and technology, to publish it. This publication explained that when Hongcheng's invention hit newspaper front pages in 1993, different newspapers reported different proportions of oil and water in their announcements, and used this to make a critical analysis. It publicized the invention, started an opposition feeling, and silenced Hongcheng and their supporters.
108:, a former soldier with ninth-grade education and no scientific training. In 1983 he claimed that he invented a liquid that could transform a liter of regular water into a fuel by simply adding two or three drops of his liquid, and that this resulting fuel was as combustible as petrol. Hongcheng called it "the fifth greatest invention of China", in a reference to the
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made on 5 December 1994 a joint public declaration called "Some
Suggestions on How to Reinforce the Popularization of Science". In it they lamented the recent withering of public education and the growth of pseudoscience and anti-science ideas, and then indicated that they would reinforce the public
64:
with no scientific education, claimed in 1983 that he could turn regular water into a fuel as flammable as petrol by simply dissolving a few drops of his liquid in it. He founded the
Hongcheng Magic Liquid company with funds from Chinese governmental agencies and other supporters, raising a total of
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as well a notable scientist and debunker, had been invited several times by
Hongcheng's supporters to visit the northeast and watch his invention in action. In 1995, Zuoxiu asked them to Beijing to pass a scientific appraisal of his liquid, as the country capital would be a proper place for such a
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The
Chinese Government were alarmed by this and other similar cases of promotion of pseudoscience even before Hongcheng's refusal to carry a scientific appraisal at Beijing and the publicity it carried. The Chinese government decided to tighten the appraisal system for scientific claims and other
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in the post-Mao era, made a declaration decrying the deterioration of science education in the country, taking several measures to improve science education and to improve the prevalence of science and technology in courts. One of these efforts was to require the scientific authoritative journal
136:
In 1994 the
Chinese Government was alarmed by a recent raise in pseudoscience and a revival of old superstition, and issued a declaration declaring the rise of superstition and ignorance, how the science education had declined among the population, and how it would make efforts to combat this
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to pull a letter critical of
Hongcheng at the last minute. He Zuoxiu explains that corruption will also have to be fought at the same time as pseudoscience, since some officials and journalists may "have a stake" in these inventions, and would be harmed by their exposure.
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and 40 other scientists made a statement calling for the
Chinese Government to investigate his claims. Hongcheng was eventually arrested, put to trial, and in 1998, was found guilty of fraud and deceit and condemned to 10 years of prison.
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After the public backlash caused by He Zuoxiu's article, the
Chinese people started to realize that Hongcheng's "technique" was a fraud. Hongcheng faced growing criticism from scientists and media. He Zuoxiu, a member of the
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to carry an article critical of
Hongcheng's invention, which had been previously rejected at several major Chinese publications. This created a growing publicity and opposition of Hongcheng's invention, silencing his supporters.
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of China, and his invention became more popular, finally reaching on 28 January 1993 the front pages of a major national newspaper. In the winter of 1985, Wang showed this technique in
Beijing, Hebei,
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In 1998 he was found guilty of fraud and deceit and sent to prison for 10 years Hongcheng acquired the status of a legendary figure, because some people thought that it was a case of
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measures like creating science and technology courts. After the death of Mao Zedong, several Western pseudoscience theories appeared in rural areas, together with the return to
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Meaning that he was schooled until the age of 14 or 15 years old. The magazine stating this is from the US, "ninth-grade" in the US corresponds to the first year of
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scientific and universal invention. Hongcheng refused, prompting Zuoxiu and a group of other 40 scientists to ask the top Chinese legislative body, the
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184:, where he would be imprisoned not because his formula would not really work, but because of refusing to release his secret formula to the government.
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The Chinese security and military departments started to look into his claims and funded his research. In 1992–1993 Hongcheng founded a company called
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to manufacture his product and raised a total of 300 million yuan (US$ 37 million). No product, working or otherwise, was ever commercially released.
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had caused almost a generation to receive incomplete or no education, had reduced the literacy rates severely, and had killed or driven away many
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In 1995 Hongcheng refused an invitation to carry out a scientific appraisal of his invention at Beijing, and the notable scientist and debunker
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Hongcheng's invention had been refused publication in three major national newspapers and one scientific publication. Song Jian then required
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173:, to investigate his claims. After this declaration, his invention collapsed by itself, and it was finally found that it was a fraud.
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in China, although the government still sends occasionally mixed signals, like one incident when a high-ranking official ordered the
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ideology is raising again in the Chinese countryside". Individual claiming to have "special powers" claimed that they project their
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Meiyue Zhou (10 May 1996). "China: Scientists Seek Allies in Fight Against Pseudoscience".
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Around that time, in 1994, the Chinese Government, alarmed by an increase in
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Wang Hongcheng is given 10-year imprisonment for defrauding 300 million yuan
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From a Carl Sagan article, the same text also appeared verbatim in his book
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720:"An interview with He Zuoxiu: How he exposes and fights against Falun Gong"
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209:. The government newspaper had lamented "the superstition of
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out of their body to cure people, and called "masters of
548:(Spanish ed.). Editorial Planeta. pp. 28–29.
233:, despite the fact that Rhinoceros horn is composed of
69:(US$ 37 million), but no product was ever released.
666:(7 April 1995). "China Tightens Appraisal System".
225:was being driven to extinction because pulverized
542:El mundo y sus demonios (The Demon-Haunted World)
785:Anonymous Science Channel Source (28 May 2005).
260:Most officials support the effort to root out
294:List of topics characterized as pseudoscience
132:Chinese Government reaction and repercussions
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329:had estimated the amount to be $ 50 million.
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60:; born 20 August 1954), a bus driver from
626:(in Chinese). 29 May 1998. Archived from
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766:"今天的"水变油"骗局 (Today's 'water oil' scam)"
580:"From scientist to 'science policeman'"
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104:Wang Hongcheng was a bus driver from
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137:situation. After this declaration,
772:. 22 December 2004. Archived from
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248:To address all these issues, the
100:Invention and initial experiments
27:Chinese scientific fraud incident
718:Zhang Pengwen (20 August 1999).
32:Hongcheng Magic Liquid incident
188:Political and cultural context
120:Hongcheng Magic Liquid company
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1:
578:Jia Hepeng (18 August 2005).
279:List of water fuel inventions
791:(in Chinese). Archived from
742:Science and Technology Daily
469:10.1126/science.272.5263.807
152:Science and Technology Daily
84:Science and Technology Daily
724:China Information Newspaper
682:10.1126/science.268.5207.23
393:Skeptical Briefs newsletter
387:Wu Xianghong (March 2005).
166:Chinese Academy of Sciences
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143:National Science Committee
257:education about science.
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747:12 February 2010 at the
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510:The Demon-Haunted World
254:Chinese Communist Party
182:free energy suppression
126:Hongcheng Magic Liquid
389:"Paranormal in China"
229:were said to prevent
110:four Great Inventions
797:(online translation
778:(online translation
730:on 18 February 2012.
643:(online translation
403:on 21 November 2008.
732:hosted at facts.org
520:14 May 2014 at the
250:government of China
770:Xinhua News Agency
630:on 10 October 2004
515:Does truth matter?
323:Before the trial,
819:Confidence tricks
537:Editorial Planeta
463:(5263): 807–808.
284:Water-fuelled car
16:(Redirected from
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751:chinaculture.org
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223:Asian Rhinoceros
199:ancestor worship
159:Fraud conviction
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664:Ted Plakfer
585:China Daily
528:, pages 8–9
313:High school
243:fingernails
814:Water fuel
808:Categories
634:8 November
591:8 November
533:Carl Sagan
526:Carl Sagan
353:References
239:human hair
477:154272467
231:impotence
203:astrology
147:debunking
139:Song Jian
93:He Zuoxiu
745:Archived
690:17755222
617:王洪成被判刑十年
535:(2000).
518:Archived
273:See also
252:and the
178:cover-up
114:Zhejiang
669:Science
539:(ed.).
456:Science
326:Science
235:keratin
219:Qi Gong
44:Chinese
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397:CSICOP
211:feudal
180:or of
106:Harbin
62:Harbin
54::
52:pinyin
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34:was a
546:(PDF)
524:, by
473:S2CID
300:Notes
686:PMID
636:2008
593:2008
550:ISBN
338:The
241:and
205:and
76:and
67:yuan
36:scam
30:The
678:doi
674:268
465:doi
461:272
48:王洪成
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215:Qi
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