Gulf Harbour body trial: Religious leader defendant challenges handwritten note translations

The leader of a religious group - facing trial over the death of a woman whose body was found in Auckland's Gulf Harbour - has challenged parts of translations of Chinese handwritten notes found in his home, including saying one part of the English translation can sound like "cult induction".

The body of 70-year-old Shulai Wang was found wrapped in layers of rubbish bags in March 2024 and was initially unidentified for more than half a year, before rice bags filled with stones tied to the body led police to Kaixiao Liu and his Ōrewa home.

On Monday, Liu cross-examined veteran translator Crown witness Cyril Young on the accuracy of his translation of notes and diaries found at their home, claiming that he had found dozens of mistakes.

Earlier, the jury heard evidence from a book of over 70 translated documents that detailed the daily life at the house known as "the Ark" by its occupants - its contents ranging from women at the house writing "covenants" pledging their bodies and souls to Liu, to diary entries on the punishment of Wang in the days and weeks leading up to her death.

The Crown said Wang, from Hainan Island in China, came to New Zealand to seek religious instructions from Liu, and that she and five other Chinese women lived "in servitude" to Liu and his family.

Liu, his wife Lanyue Xiao, and his mother Xiuyun Li - who is a doctor of more than three decades - and his father Jingui Liu have each denied the kidnapping and manslaughter of Wang.

The four defendants are self-represented in the trial, with the assistance of court-appointed standby lawyers.

One note said Wang was caught back after she tried to escape to a neighbour's yard, followed by notes saying "placed him/her onto the little black bed to make him/her repent" and "placed into the big suitcase/box".

Liu questioned Young on his use of the word "conversion" in his translation of the title of a letter signed off by one of the women at the house, which said "I'm grateful to have the opportunity to be converted to the secret LIU family of the tribe of Judah, descendants of David".

"So in English, conversion can sound like religious recruitment or cult induction," said Liu.

Young said he did not think the word was wrongly translated.

Liu said the meaning of the Chinese text referred to "family affiliation".

Liu also questioned Young on his translation of a paragraph in a covenant letter by another woman in the house, in which Young's English translation said: "I, a slave like, ant like living thing, existing in the passing time and space, coming and going, searching and searching. Not knowing the direction of life, not knowing where the path of destiny is."

Liu asked where Young saw the word "slave" in the Chinese text, to which Young pointed to a word that he thought was the word "Nu" (奴) for slave.

Liu said that word wasn't "Nu", but "Ru"(如) meaning like or similar to, and that it was a four word idiom which which meant life like an ant (命如蝼蚁)

Young said that particular word was scribbled and that Liu's interpretation could be possibly correct.

Earlier, the jury heard translations of a diary entry that wrote of establishing a "kingdom", and having "many servants". The jury had been shown notes where Liu was referred to as "the lord" and Xiao as "the queen".

Liu also asked Young about his translated text of "Thick skin slap, beat the face until broken" (the Chinese characters on a photo of the original note said 脸厚，把脸抽破).

Liu asked Young if he agreed that in Chinese, the word face could be idiomatic, such as the word thick skinned referring to arrogance.

Young said that was correct.

However, when Liu said he would translate it as "this person doesn't know shameful, so this person should break her own arrogance, not physically break the face, the literal face", Young disagreed.

Young said the Chinese characters in the notes said to beat the skin on the face until it's broken.

The more than 70 translated notes had references to slapping the face or swollen faces in many parts.

Including a note saying "those who delay for too long, slap/beat their face until broken," and a diary entry by Jingui Liu dated 3 March, 2024, saying Wang's face was swollen.

The notes revealed a point a system by which people in the house would be deducted points for breaking the rules, such as eating too slowly, or not having heads bowed while gardening, and awarded points for good behaviour, such as studying earnestly and singing seriously.

The trial is later expecting to hear audio recordings found on the devices seized from the defendants - including conversations between the defendants in Mandarin, mixed with Dongtai dialect.

Dongtai dialect is a language spoken in the Northern part of China's coastal Jiangsu Province.

The trial continues.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.