Jin Ruchao was born on December 7, 1960, in China. At the age of eight, he suffered an ear infection that left him permanently deaf. This disability isolated him both emotionally and socially throughout his childhood. He was known as a quiet and withdrawn figure, and he often became the target of bullying at school. The persistent harassment, paired with his hearing impairment, fostered a sense of alienation and bitterness that only deepened as he grew older.

Jin’s education ended prematurely due to financial constraints. He dropped out of middle school and bounced between various jobs, including working at a textile factory. His personal life, much like his youth, was marked by turmoil. He kept a private diary filled with paranoia, resentment, and accusations against those close to him—especially his ex-wife. He believed she was responsible for nearly every misfortune in his life.

In 1988, Jin was convicted of rape. Though the details of the case remain unclear, he blamed his ex-wife for the conviction, believing she was behind the accusations. His resentment toward her intensified further in 1994 after his mother was killed and his father seriously injured in a car crash.

On March 16, 2001, in Shijiazhuang, Hebei province, Jin Ruchao carried out one of the deadliest mass murders in modern Chinese history. The attack consisted of five bombs, placed at various residential buildings connected to individuals from Jin's past. His targets included his stepmother, his ex-wife, his ex-mother-in-law, and individuals he blamed for personal betrayals or injustices.

In the days leading up to the attack, Jin acquired explosives from an illegal operation run by Wang Yushun and Hao Fengqin. He paid roughly 950 RMB (about $115 USD at the time) for ammonium nitrate and detonators, materials he had been buying in small quantities since the previous year for experimentation. After murdering his girlfriend in Yunnan province, Jin traveled to Tianjin and then made his way to Shijiazhuang, where he prepared his final act of vengeance.

From March 12 to 15, 2001, he made multiple purchases of explosives and transported them in bags marked “chicken feed.” After a truck driver refused to carry the suspicious cargo all the way to town, Jin stored the bombs in an abandoned building and later used three-wheeled carts and taxis to place the devices near his chosen targets.

The first explosion occurred at 4:16 AM on March 16 at the No. 15 Cotton Mill dormitory, where Jin’s stepmother was living. The next bomb destroyed the No. 16 Cotton Mill dorm, which housed Jin himself and where he had quarreled with a neighbor over property rights. A third bomb exploded at 4:30 AM at the Shijiazhuang No. 1 Construction dorm, where Jin’s ex-wife once lived. At 4:45 AM, the fourth bomb detonated at the Hardware Company dormitory, targeting another of Jin’s ex-partners. The final bomb exploded at 5:01 AM on Minjin Street, near a property Jin had inherited but had sold at a financial loss.

The attacks killed 108 people and injured 38 others. Buildings were reduced to rubble, families devastated, and panic swept through the city. Authorities quickly launched a nationwide manhunt and offered a 100,000 RMB ($12,000 USD) reward for information leading to Jin’s capture.

Just 11 days later, on March 27, 2001, Jin was arrested in Beihai, Guangxi province. He was found hiding and was taken into custody without incident. He confessed to planning and executing the bombings, claiming that revenge was his motive. He also admitted to previously killing his girlfriend, further strengthening the case against him.

Following a short trial process, Jin was found guilty and sentenced to death. Also convicted were his suppliers, Wang Yushun and Hao Fengqin, who were executed alongside him on December 26, 2002.