Mr. Zhang Quande was the deputy party secretary of the Wolong District Committee in Nanyang City, Henan Province. After he retired, he suffered from various diseases; however, after he took up the practice of Falun Gong, he soon recovered. In July 1999, Jiang's regime started the persecution of Falun Gong. Zhang persisted in his practice of Falun Gong, and as a result, he was arrested. During detention, he was tortured and became extremely weak. His family members used their influence and got him released after he was detained for three months. However, the Chezhan Police in Nanyang City would not leave him alone. After his release, they kept coming to his home to harass him.

Due to the long-term persecution, in May 2003, Mr. Zhang passed away.