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| At Kindergarten Blast in China, ‘The World Didn’t Seem Real’ | At Kindergarten Blast in China, ‘The World Didn’t Seem Real’ |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| XUZHOU, China — On most days, the pageant of parents jostling to pick up their children began at 4:45 p.m. on the tree-lined streets outside the Chuangxin kindergarten. Car horns blared. Parents whistled and waved their arms, holding boxes of juice and cookies, as the children emerged. | XUZHOU, China — On most days, the pageant of parents jostling to pick up their children began at 4:45 p.m. on the tree-lined streets outside the Chuangxin kindergarten. Car horns blared. Parents whistled and waved their arms, holding boxes of juice and cookies, as the children emerged. |
| But on Thursday, the rite turned into a scene of carnage, as an explosion outside the school’s main gate killed eight people and injured 65 others. Children, their faces covered in blood, screamed on the sidewalk. Parents lay on the street, some unconscious and others pleading for help. | But on Thursday, the rite turned into a scene of carnage, as an explosion outside the school’s main gate killed eight people and injured 65 others. Children, their faces covered in blood, screamed on the sidewalk. Parents lay on the street, some unconscious and others pleading for help. |
| “Suddenly, we were in a nightmare,” said Bo Li, 62, who was waiting to pick up his 4-year-old granddaughter. “The world didn’t seem real.” | “Suddenly, we were in a nightmare,” said Bo Li, 62, who was waiting to pick up his 4-year-old granddaughter. “The world didn’t seem real.” |
| Chinese investigators on Friday pointed to a suspect in the explosion, Xu Taoran, 22, a university dropout who had written violent screeds against parents and children. The police recovered explosive materials in the home of Mr. Xu, who died at the scene. | Chinese investigators on Friday pointed to a suspect in the explosion, Xu Taoran, 22, a university dropout who had written violent screeds against parents and children. The police recovered explosive materials in the home of Mr. Xu, who died at the scene. |
| The episode caused widespread alarm in China, where bombings and violent crime are relatively rare. At the same time, there is a grisly history here of attacks against young children on school campuses. In 2012, for example, a man wielding a meat cleaver wounded 23 children at a school in the central province of Henan, prompting calls for the government to do more to protect children. | The episode caused widespread alarm in China, where bombings and violent crime are relatively rare. At the same time, there is a grisly history here of attacks against young children on school campuses. In 2012, for example, a man wielding a meat cleaver wounded 23 children at a school in the central province of Henan, prompting calls for the government to do more to protect children. |
| The bombing on Thursday also focused attention on the plight of mentally ill people in China, who are often stigmatized and struggle to get help. The authorities said Mr. Xu had antisocial tendencies and was struggling with a debilitating autonomic nervous system disorder that had forced him to take a leave of absence from school. He was working temporary jobs, officials said. | The bombing on Thursday also focused attention on the plight of mentally ill people in China, who are often stigmatized and struggle to get help. The authorities said Mr. Xu had antisocial tendencies and was struggling with a debilitating autonomic nervous system disorder that had forced him to take a leave of absence from school. He was working temporary jobs, officials said. |
| “They feel frustrated that they can’t solve the problems in their life,” said Pi Yijun, a criminology professor at China University of Political Science and Law in Beijing. “The attention and terror they get by hurting children are far more than that achieved from hurting adults.” | “They feel frustrated that they can’t solve the problems in their life,” said Pi Yijun, a criminology professor at China University of Political Science and Law in Beijing. “The attention and terror they get by hurting children are far more than that achieved from hurting adults.” |
| While a booming economy has spread prosperity across China, rapid changes in society have caused anxiety in some regions. In recent years, as the economy slowed, a glut of college graduates has left many young people struggling to find work. | While a booming economy has spread prosperity across China, rapid changes in society have caused anxiety in some regions. In recent years, as the economy slowed, a glut of college graduates has left many young people struggling to find work. |
| Mr. Xu, who lived across the street from the kindergarten, seemed to be grappling with feelings of isolation. Over the past several days, he appeared to reach a breaking point, writing violent messages inside apartment buildings, the authorities said. | Mr. Xu, who lived across the street from the kindergarten, seemed to be grappling with feelings of isolation. Over the past several days, he appeared to reach a breaking point, writing violent messages inside apartment buildings, the authorities said. |
| “Criminals=fathers and mothers,” said a message scribbled in an apartment entryway that was viewed by The New York Times. | “Criminals=fathers and mothers,” said a message scribbled in an apartment entryway that was viewed by The New York Times. |
| “When two people commit a crime, two people die,” said another. “When a nation commits a crime, a nation dies.” | “When two people commit a crime, two people die,” said another. “When a nation commits a crime, a nation dies.” |
| Joshua Miller, a professor at Smith College who has studied attacks at schools, said many people in China were caught between traditional definitions of love, success and filial piety and the pressures of modern life. | Joshua Miller, a professor at Smith College who has studied attacks at schools, said many people in China were caught between traditional definitions of love, success and filial piety and the pressures of modern life. |
| “Whenever there’s a lot of social upheaval, people are in a less secure, stable situation in general,” he said. “Sometimes there is a localized grievance, fueled by a person’s sense of being disenfranchised, angry and upset at unfairness or inequality in society.” | “Whenever there’s a lot of social upheaval, people are in a less secure, stable situation in general,” he said. “Sometimes there is a localized grievance, fueled by a person’s sense of being disenfranchised, angry and upset at unfairness or inequality in society.” |
| At the same time, many Chinese hospitals are ill equipped to handle patients with mental health problems. The country’s psychiatric system was torn apart under Chairman Mao, who considered mental illness a creation of the bourgeoisie and prescribed communist writings as a remedy. | At the same time, many Chinese hospitals are ill equipped to handle patients with mental health problems. The country’s psychiatric system was torn apart under Chairman Mao, who considered mental illness a creation of the bourgeoisie and prescribed communist writings as a remedy. |
| In recent years, the field has made important strides. But financing remains limited, and a social stigma against people with mental illness is pervasive. | In recent years, the field has made important strides. But financing remains limited, and a social stigma against people with mental illness is pervasive. |
| “There’s been far fewer public health campaigns like in the West that have educated people that psychiatric problems are an illness,” Professor Miller said. | “There’s been far fewer public health campaigns like in the West that have educated people that psychiatric problems are an illness,” Professor Miller said. |
| Attacks at schools have gained widespread attention in recent years, prompting some reflection about campus safety and mental health. Guns are strictly regulated in China, but assailants often employ knives and other tools. | Attacks at schools have gained widespread attention in recent years, prompting some reflection about campus safety and mental health. Guns are strictly regulated in China, but assailants often employ knives and other tools. |
| In addition to the 2012 attack, a man wielding a knife climbed over the wall of a kindergarten in January and attacked 11 students in Pingxiang, a city in the southern region of Guangxi. And last month, a disgruntled driver in eastern China lit a school bus on fire, state news media reported, killing 11 children. | In addition to the 2012 attack, a man wielding a knife climbed over the wall of a kindergarten in January and attacked 11 students in Pingxiang, a city in the southern region of Guangxi. And last month, a disgruntled driver in eastern China lit a school bus on fire, state news media reported, killing 11 children. |
| Top government officials, including Premier Li Keqiang, have in the past promised to improve school safety. But mental health issues persist, especially in rural areas, where health care for the poor is often inadequate. | Top government officials, including Premier Li Keqiang, have in the past promised to improve school safety. But mental health issues persist, especially in rural areas, where health care for the poor is often inadequate. |
| The Chinese Ministry of Education, seeking to ease concerns among parents, issued an order on Friday calling for stricter security on school campuses in light of the case in Xuzhou. | The Chinese Ministry of Education, seeking to ease concerns among parents, issued an order on Friday calling for stricter security on school campuses in light of the case in Xuzhou. |
| The authorities have said that no children or teachers from the kindergarten were killed in the explosion there on Thursday. Most of the victims appeared to be parents and grandparents, who were lining up outside the school gate to pick up students, according to interviews with relatives and hospital officials. When the explosion occurred, children were still inside classrooms, parents said. | The authorities have said that no children or teachers from the kindergarten were killed in the explosion there on Thursday. Most of the victims appeared to be parents and grandparents, who were lining up outside the school gate to pick up students, according to interviews with relatives and hospital officials. When the explosion occurred, children were still inside classrooms, parents said. |
| Witnesses said the explosion had occurred just as the main gate was sliding open for dismissal. In interviews, residents said they did not recall seeing Mr. Xu at the scene. | Witnesses said the explosion had occurred just as the main gate was sliding open for dismissal. In interviews, residents said they did not recall seeing Mr. Xu at the scene. |
| But a dossier that circulated on social media and was verified by The Times said the police believed that Mr. Xu had thrown an explosive at the gate. The authorities said they had DNA evidence linking Mr. Xu to the attack. | But a dossier that circulated on social media and was verified by The Times said the police believed that Mr. Xu had thrown an explosive at the gate. The authorities said they had DNA evidence linking Mr. Xu to the attack. |
| Li Quanquan, 27, who was picking up his son, said the crowd of people had fallen to the ground as soon as the explosion broke out. | Li Quanquan, 27, who was picking up his son, said the crowd of people had fallen to the ground as soon as the explosion broke out. |
| “I didn’t know what had happened,” he said from a hospital bed as he received treatment for hearing problems. “I lost consciousness.” | “I didn’t know what had happened,” he said from a hospital bed as he received treatment for hearing problems. “I lost consciousness.” |
| Mr. Xu’s parents worked for the People’s Liberation Army. As a child, he lived in a compound for military employees and their families in Xuzhou. His former neighbors said that the family was well off and that Mr. Xu appeared to have a normal childhood. | Mr. Xu’s parents worked for the People’s Liberation Army. As a child, he lived in a compound for military employees and their families in Xuzhou. His former neighbors said that the family was well off and that Mr. Xu appeared to have a normal childhood. |
| Along the streets surrounding the kindergarten, residents said they worried about safety. A small explosion in a nearby apartment building several weeks earlier had gone unexplained, they said, and the police were slow to respond to Thursday’s attack. | |
| “If it didn’t happen so close to me, I wouldn’t care,’’ said Liu Yao, who lives near the kindergarten. “But it’s right here in my own neighborhood. It’s frightening.’’ | “If it didn’t happen so close to me, I wouldn’t care,’’ said Liu Yao, who lives near the kindergarten. “But it’s right here in my own neighborhood. It’s frightening.’’ |