Song Zhenming

During the Cultural Revolution, Song was required to attend a May Seventh Cadre School.^[1]: 154

He was removed from office after the collapse of an oil rig in the Bohai sea which killed 72 oil workers in November 1979.^[2] Song was accused of falsifying reports in a cover-up during the investigation into the accident.^[3] Song wrote a self-criticism which was published in all major Chinese newspapers on 26 August 1980, and was removed from office that day.^[1]: 199

As General Manager of China Oil Development Corporation in 1985, Song was involved in the opening of large areas of the Chinese interior for oil exploration by foreign firms.^[4]

Song's last wish was for his ashes to be spread around the first oil well at which he had worked.^[1]: xxii