Liu Zhanjin, born in 1965, was a resident of Shajian Village in Shuozhou, Shanxi Province, China. He worked as a blaster at the local coal mine, a position that provided him with expertise in handling explosives. Liu was married and had three children: one son and two daughters. On March 11, 1999, his wife and six-year-old son disappeared. Liu informed others in the village that his wife had run away with another man, an action she had taken before. Following their disappearance, Liu exhibited signs of deep resentment and was quoted expressing a desire to demonstrate his power in a manner more devastating than the Great Fire of Daxing'anling. In the weeks leading up to the bombing, he conducted test detonations in the nearby wilderness.

On the morning of March 29, 2000, Liu instructed his two daughters to go to their grandmother's house after school and to avoid attending the upcoming village wedding. At approximately 10:15 a.m., during a wedding ceremony attended by over 200 people on both sides of Shajian's main street, Liu entered the area pulling a flatbed cart loaded with 40–50 kilograms of explosives concealed beneath corn. He detonated the explosives, resulting in the immediate deaths of 25 individuals, with 14 more succumbing to their injuries later in the hospital. Over 50 others sustained non-fatal injuries. The explosion shattered windows up to 100 meters away and left a large crater in the street.

Following the explosion, Liu's brother reported him missing. Upon searching Liu's home, police discovered a box with a note stating, "Open the box and the truth will be revealed." Inside the box was a lengthy suicide note directing authorities to inspect his toilet, where they found the remains of Liu's wife and son.