Open Letter from Renowned Artist Gao Shen’s Wife and Son on His 70th Birthday

Dear Mr. Gao:

Happy birthday！

I hope that by the time this birthday video is broadcast， you will have returned to me and our son。 Together, we will celebrate your birthday and that of your twin brother。 This is also part of the nightly prayer that my son and I offer to God before going to sleep。 I hope God will hear our prayers， and bring you back to us as soon as possible。 Although you have never liked or wanted others to remember your birthday。 Only I know， that on that day you want to be alone and remember your mother。 But

When you return from this ordeal， the days our family spends together will all be the joy of rebirth。

From August 26， 2024, to now， you have been forcibly taken away for more than 600 days。 From crying throughout the first half-year， to drying our tears and praying devoutly during the second half-year， to smiling as I took our son to and from school after a year had passed， studying together， and writing letters to you together。 And now, patiently waiting for your return。 I have accompanied our son in trying to live a normal da

One day our son said to me： Mom， by the time Dad finishes his “work” and comes home, it will be as long as the time I spend attending school， and it feels so slow。 But holidays and every weekend pass too quickly， and I do not like this feeling at all。 I suspect that “time” has been enchanted by God。 After Dad comes back, I want to study and discuss this issue with him。

That’s right。 The days of waiting for you to come home pass like years。 I can calm down only when the lawyer visits you， and when I look through your letters and admire the torn-paper artworks you make for us。 Those are also the happiest moments for my son and me。 Again and again, we imagine the scene of being reunited with you， and how beautiful it will be。 When you met with the lawyer after the trial, you said that on the morning of the trial， you saw my son and me standing at the courthouse entrance， that we could not see you， but you could see us。 How I wish this heartbreaking beauty were not momentary, but that we could hold each other tightly and never be separated again。

When we got up this morning， our son said that recently he has always been having the same dream， for several days now。 He said he dreamed that you had returned， and lifted him high into the air like a strongman。 I said that was not a dream， but a beautiful reality that would come very, very soon。

With love, Ya Liang and your son Gao Jia