Date of letter:1993-12-10
Address of author:Shenyang City, Liaoning Province
Date of event:1944-06 to 1945-04
Location of event:Shenyang City, Liaoning Province
Name of author:Yang Zhiquan, Sun Shizhen
Name(s) of victim(s):Yang Bofu (Yang Zhiquan’s brother), Yang Bofu’s grandmother, Wu Huiqing (Sun Shizhen’s wife)
Type of atrocity:Others (OT)
Other details:In June 1944, Yang Bofu was arrested by Japanese on anti-Japanese charges. He was prisoned and tortured till leg bones smashed and muscles rotten. He died shortly after release in April 1945. His grandmother was also beaten up before passing away 7 days later. Sun Shizhen’s wife Wu Huiqing was beaten by Japanese spy and miscarried, and his family belongings robbed.
Comrade Tong Zeng:
Hello!
About the material attached to the letter mailed to you, I also prepared a copy for the Political Section of the Japanese Embassy in China.
According to comrade “Tiehan”: This time’s compensation claim against Japan is handled by you; so first, we would like to thank you for making this endeavor for China and the Chinese people, we Chinese people have stood up, our innocent compatriots who have been killed by the Japanese invaders should not die in vain, demanding compensation from Japan is natural and justified, we all approve of and support this action, meanwhile we also feel gratified.
We are common people living at the grassroots level, though we have that kind of heart, willingness, and intension, we feel helpless that we have no such channel and ability to accomplish the aim. Over the past half century, deep hatred was buried in the heart, for which we are extremely distressed, we always feel our Chinese are too weak and meek, and have no reaction whatsoever whenever being bullied by others, such things are really disheartening.
What you are doing today is indeed to the great satisfaction of the people!
If there is an opportunity, at appropriate time, if you consider it OK, we really want to pay you a visit! (of course regardless of the outcome of the compensation claim)
Wish you health and all the best!
Yang Zhiquan
Correspondence address: No. 2-2, Unit Six, Building 35, Hunhewang Residential Quarters, Tiexi District, Shenyang
Claim for compensation from Japan by victims of the People’s Republic of China
Name of victim: Yang Bofu Date of Birth: January 1924
Native place: Shenyang Nationality: Han Sex: Male
(I) When and where receiving damage:
In June 1944, Yang was arrested by the Japanese Invasion Army on the pretext of anti-Japanese behaviors, and was interrogated by Gaiping County Puppet Police Bureau before being sent to Fengtian Supreme Public Procurator’s Office and imprisoned at the Puppet Fengtian First Prison; during the interrogation process, these inhuman Japanese special agents used all means of torture, which resulted in leg bone damage and festering of flesh, he was released on parole around April or May 1945, and in June he passed away.
(II) Consequences and losses brought by the Japanese Invasion Army:
(1) In the process of life, at the prime of youth, only 20 year old Yang Bofu was persecuted to death, his 66-year old grandma also received torture, and passed away seven days after returning home.
(2) When Yang Bofu was imprisoned and after he returned home for treatment, also when his grandma was captured, they spent a lot of money, valuables that could be sold were all sold, yet it’s still not enough, finally the house was also sold.
(3) Yang Bofu’s son who was less than one year old starved to death because of no milk; seeing it’s impossible to make a living, his wife also left, ;leaving behind only 12 year old younger brother, since there was no house to live in, he became a beggar on the street, and later was adopted by an orphanage, it was after liberation that the people’s government arranged job for him.
(4) “Wu Huiqing”, wife of “Sun Shizhen” who along with Yang Bofu were hounded by the Japanese enemy special agents and fled, was beaten by the Japanese special agents to result in miscarriage, the consequent aftereffects have never been cured, these robbers in human disguise not only searched the house and left behind a mess, they also looted her family’s jewelry (including one pair of gold bracelet, 14 small gold ingots, three gold bangles, one pair of gold earrings, plus a string of imperial court beads worn by third-rank official in the Qing Dynasty and a pair of jade bracelet, a pair of emerald mandarin duck hair clip which were given by his grandpa)
(III) Testimonial documents:
(1) See Appendix (I) Memories about the death of my brother Yang Bofu as a result of persecution by special agents of the Japanese Invasion Army
(2) See Appendix (II) “Memories of Yang Bofu” originally published on the “Chenzhou Xinghuo” of Yingkou Literary and Historical Archive in June 1991
(3) Witnesses who are alive:
① Hou Genzhi who was captured and imprisoned simultaneously (Liaoning Daily)
②”Jiang Songhuang”, who was the best friend of “Yang Bofu” and “Sun Shizhen”, they always stayed together before he joined army to fight the Japanese (Director of Shenyang Institute of Applied Ecology, now retired)
(IV) Some thoughts on demanding compensation from Japan:
Yang Bofu’s whole family was killed by the Japanese enemy special agents, his family was destroyed, the house of “Sun Shizhen” was totally plundered, this is not merely a disaster for the two families, it is also the disaster of the Chinese people, such deep-seated hatred was never forgotten for even one moment throughout the past years. The Japanese Invasion Army meanwhile brought hideous disaster to the Japanese people, and cast shadow on the friendship between people of the two countries, Japanese people are also kind and peace-loving, the Japanese people expressed sincere resentment and condemnation toward the crimes committed by the invading Japanese imperialists and remorse toward the tremendous disaster brought to the Chinese people in those unforgettable years, such friendly indication implies that it is necessary to offer compensation to those who have suffered damage from the invading Japanese army including us, which we also appreciate deeply, we wish the peaceful relation will forever ensure people of the two countries to live in tranquility and happiness!
(V) Claimers demanding compensation & compensation amount:
(VI) Correspondence address: Sun Shizhen c/a Sun Lijing, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, 6/2 Wenhua Road, Shenyang Postal code: 110015 Tel: 3842515
Memories about the death of my brother Yang Bofu as a result of persecution by special agents of the Japanese Invasion Army
It was in 1944, there were only five people in my family: Grandma, elder brother, sister-in-law, niece and me, back then I was only 12, and was studying in primary school, our livelihood depended on my elder brother’s job at the post office and my sister-in-law’s mending work, though the family condition was poor, it was harmonious and enjoyable, but it never occurred to us that a great calamity would fall form sky, in the early summer of that year, my elder brother was persecuted to death by the Japanese Invasion Army, my grandma also passed away after receiving severe torture from the Japanese invaders, my little niece also starved to death due to lack of milk from my sister-in-law, I could only beg for food on the streets, and was later adopted by an orphanage. About the cause of the tragedy, its process was supplied by senior brother “Sun Shizhen”, the then best friend of my elder brother, the details are as follows:
(I) Cause: It was in early May, 1944, two girl students aged only 17 and 18 came to Shenyang to look for my elder brother and senior brother Sun in order to evade the pursuit of Japanese special agents, both of them were students of “Hua Xilu”, back then Teacher Hua had been arrested by Japanese special agent organ, they first came to look for my elder brother, my elder brother brought them to senior brother Sun’s home.
My elder brother and senior brother Sun’s best friend “Jiang Songhuang” ad “Zang Guanghua” have all fled inside Shanhaiguan Pass to join the Eighth Route Army to fight the Japanese, at that time at first the four of them wanted to go together to fight the Japanese, because senior brother Sun and my elder brother were all married, and they had children, Teacher Hua persuaded them: Fighting at the front line and doing beneficial things in the occupied zone for the nation and the people are both anti-Japanese actions, these two girl students came this time to go to inside Shanhaiguan Pass to find “Zang Guanghua” (one is Zang Guanghua’s girl friend named “Mu Yuqi”, another is “Hou Genzhi”) to fight the Japanese, for this reason they both temporarily lived at senior brother Sun’s home, meanwhile senior brother Sun and my elder brother would find ways to prepare border pass, so they could go inside Shanhaiguan Pass, soon the passes were ready, because there’s no travel expenses, “Mu Yuqi” returned to Xiong Yue’s home in Gaoping to fetch money, in order to prevent others from knowing, after “Mu Yuqi” left, my elder brother also brought “Hou Genzhi” to the countryside of Zhangwu, and stayed at the home of my elder brother’s mother-in-law (back then my elder brother told my grandma that: He would pay a visit to the home of my sister-in-law’s mother)
At around eight or nine o’clock in the morning of a Sunday not long afterwards, suddenly about five Japanese special agents, including one traitor, escorted “Mu Yuqi” and intruded into senior brother Sun’s home (fortunately senior brother Sun was not at home). After these jackals entered the front yard, they closed the front gate, and the second gate, and assigned sentinels, upon entering the house, they cursed and asked Aunt Sun, where “Sun Shizhen” had gone? Aunt Sun said she was a rural woman, and knew nothing, these inhuman beasts beat and kicked Aunt Sun till she was unconscious, with blood streaming down to the ground, she later had a miscarriage, till today there are aftereffects. Finally they searched every corner of the house, and robbed the several gold jewelry pieces of the family before leaving in disappointment.
Fortunately, “senior brother Sun” returned from back door just several minutes after these jackals left, it was then that he knew what happened in the home, he only asked his mother to tend to his wife who was beaten by the Japanese special agents, and he left home, and immediately notified my elder brother who was working on Sunday, my elder brother dared not return home, and he requested his classmate to deliver a message to my home, saying he had gone to the countryside.
(II) Details of the persecution of my elder brother by the Japanese Invasion Army special agents:
(1) Details of Japanese special agents coming to my home to search and capture my grandma: the group of beasts who first went to the home of “senior brother Sun” again intruded into our home, first they closed the door and kicked my grandma, I who was only a little over ten was not spared, everything in the house were thrown into a mess, because they failed to capture my elder brother, they escorted my 66-year old grandma to the Puppet Special Agents Organ, my grandma was beaten by these savage beasts, but she only told them my elder brother had gone to the countryside, my grandma was later released, but one week later, she passed away with bitter hatred, why did we suffer such a disaster?
(2) In April 1945, Japanese enemy special agents notified my home, saying they would release my missing elder brother to home on parole; it was not until after accompanying him home that we knew my elder brother was too weak to be saved, his figure had deformed, as emaciated as firewood, and with wounds and bruises all over, one leg’s bone was broken, and he ankle was festering. My Elder Brother told us: After he and “Hou Genzhi” were arrested by the Japanese special agents in Zhangwu, these brutal Japanese invaders tortured him day and night, including electrification, splashing with cold water, the rack, hanging, hanging upside down, this means these Japanese special agents used iron hook (iron hook for picking pork) to hook two ankles of my elder brother’s legs, then hang him upside down, they also used red burning iron to scorch the legs, in this way his legs were broken, flesh in contact with the hook festered, blood and pus flowed out, he could hardly sleep due to the pain, it was really a horrible sight. As it couldn’t be cured, he was sent to the hospital for amputation from below the knee, but several days later the fester developed upwards, then the legt were amputated to the end of the thigh, but here’s no improvement, soon my honest and good brother passed away with bitter hatred, what a saddening result!
(3) What did the Japanese Invasion Army bring to my whole family?
My elder brother was tortured to death, my grandma was beaten to death, the little niece also died in the swaddle, due to death of parents and child, life at home could no longer be sustained, the poor sister-in-law cried day and night and was forced to leave the home which no longer existed (it was rumored she already died), leaving behind myself who was only 12-year old, without parents, with no home, I was forced to beg on the street, tormented by hunger and coldness, it was indeed a helpless and hopeless condition, who afflicted such hardship on me? And who left such indelible scar in my heart. Suppose, these Japanese imperialists who invaded China, and those Japanese invaders special agents who persecuted innocent Chinese people in those years, if you were still alive, if you have not totally lost the conscience as a human being, I believe if you ask yourself, you will be smitten by conscience because of your crime, you also have brothers and sisters, and parents and children, if they were invaded and persecuted, what would you think, don’t you feel remorseful and guilty? I believe the absolute majority of the Japanese people would revolt against and seriously condemn the invasion of the Japanese imperialists, and would give deep and sincere sympathy to the Chinese people especially those who received persecution from the Japanese invaders.
(4) The chief criminal who persecuted my elder brother, our family and the family of senior brother Sun was none other than the Japanese imperialists who invaded China.
The executioner was “Qian Dou Bang”, Chief of Liaoning Province (i.e. Fengtian Province under the Puppet Manchuria regime) Gaoping County Japanese Puppet Police Bureau Special Agent Section, and Japanese special agent “Jia Bu”.
The above material is sorted out by Yang Zhiquan, brother of Yang Bofu, and Yang Bofu’s good friend “Sun Shizhen” through collective reminiscence.
Narrated by Yang Zhiquan
Recorded by Sun Shizhen
December 10, 1993
Memories of Yang Bofu
Sun Meng
It was the spring of 1944, Jiang Zonglian (elder brother of Jiang Jingfang, we all called him Second Brother, at that time he worked with Hua Xilu) suddenly came to my home to send message to me and Mu Yuqi. He said: “Teacher Hua was arrested, you exchanged correspondence with him, in case your letters were found by the enemy, you must be prepared.” I immediately fetched Mu Yuqi who lived in the school dormitory. After Second Brother Zonglian told us the details about Teacher Hua’s arrest, he comforted us repeatedly: Don’t worry, you are all students, in the extreme case you are merely suspects. He told us to remain calm.
But how could we remain undisturbed? After all we were only teenagers below 20, with no experience and no independent idea. After Second Brother Zonglian left, we felt uneasy, I would often jump out of bed at midnight when hearing dog barks; when I passed the gate of the Police Bureau, I would invariably felt the two gun-toting policemen were staring at me. In this way, several days passed, it seemed that we were waiting for something. At his moment, Mu Yuqi received a letter from Peking written by a friend who left not long ago to go to the liberated zone in Shandong, saying that in the near future someone would come to Northeast China, if she wanted to go (to the liberated zone), she could find Yang Bofu in the Frontier Bank at the Big South Gate in Fengtian, he would help make arrangements. Naturally all these were written in code words. Mu Yuqi took the letter to my place and asked me if I would go. Of course, I said. Going to the liberated zone is a thing we had been looking forward to, now here is the savior. What were we waiting for if we didn’t go? In this way, we decided to depart, and leave this cage, so to speak.
In early May 1944, it was the season of marketing yellow croaker in Gaixian County, I left home two days after Mu Yuqi departed. Back then I wrote a letter to Zang Yongchang who was “working diligently” at Wolongquan Mine, it was he who sent me to Shenyang. We found Yang Bofu at the Frontier Bank, he immediately sent me to his classmate Sun Shicheng’s home, there I met Mu Yuqi. I joined Zang Yongchang to have a meal at a small restaurant before saying farewell, we never imagined that several months later we would meet again in the prison. When I left, Gaixian county was shrouded in peaceful atmosphere, we only knew Hua Xilu was arrested in Shenyang, who could have imaged that the classmates in Gaixian County was facing a storm, a large-scale arrest.
In this way I became acquainted with Yang Bofu. He was slender and tall, with pale and lean face, a man of few words, looking somewhat melancholy, but warm-hearted and practical. Back then, I followed Mu Yuqi to visit him, but he didn’t show any surprise. Against such background, sending people inside Shanhaiguan Pass was a risky thing, and protecting political suspects was also an offence incurring death. In the very beginning perhaps Yang Bofu did not realize the serious consequences of the matter, but later as the matter was disclosed in Gaixian County, and the situation took a turn for the worst, he still was able to meet danger head on and stand out to protect an indirectly known friend, this is not done by ordinary man! This matter comprehensively demonstrated Yang Bofu’s morality, his awareness as a Chinese. He hated the Japanese imperialism, and loved the motherland. Later, I heard from his friend Sun Shizhen: “They have been in contact with Hua Xilu for a long time. Two of them have gone to the liberated zone, he has received revolutionary influence.”
Here I would like to record the unforgettable help and protection that Yang Bofu had given me.
Mu Yuqi and I were arranged to stay at Sun Shizhen’s home, and waited for the person who came from the other side. One day, Second Brother Zonglian came and said: We needed a sum of money before leaving, and asked us how much we were carrying with us. Because we fled without giving notice, we didn’t take much money with us. Since we were all living outside hometown, we could only find money through different channels respectively. After we discussed it with each other, we deiced to let Mu Yuqi return to Xiong Dai’s home to ask for money, and I would wait her at Sun’s home. About two to three days later, after I returned from a stroll to old book stalls, I found a note left by Yuqi, it said the situation in Gaixian County was urgent, she was in a hurry and could not wait for me (later I learned she followed her uncle to go to Liaozhong County). How about me? The question now is not waiting to go inside Shanhaiguan Pass, the Japanese wanted to capture ideological criminals, during the period of Puppet Manchuirai regime, everyone knew ideological criminals were doomed to meet death. How could I incriminate others? Just when I was thinking it over in anxiety, Yang Bofu, a man of few words at ordinary time, said decisively: “Don’t worry, we will not see you fall into the hands of the Japanese invaders.” At this time Jiang Zonglian also came. They discussed for a while, Second Brother Zonglain decided to go to Shanhaiguan Pass to climb the Great Wall, and would leave first, he asked me to go to the home of Yang Bofu’s mother-in-law in Zhangwu for temporary shelter, and wait for news. At this time, Yang Bofu’s wife and child were already at Zhangwu, which would further facilitate to disguise my identity. In the evening of that day, I came to Yang Bofu’s home, and met his grandma, it was then that I learned he was an orphan without parents, and was brought up by his grandma. No wonder he was so introvert and aloof. However, who could have imagined that beneath such weak appearance, he had an unyielding soul, and a selfless and warm heart. After all, he had no relation with Gaixian County, going inside the Shanhaiguan Pass was also not a fact, he could have completely avoided this fatal disaster. But he didn’t walk away, for the sake of justice, and in order to save others, he stepped forward boldly, and voluntarily participated in this struggle, what a noble character!
When I came to the countryside of Zhangwu, it was a typical day of June, looking around, everything is green, I was surrounded by a stretch of luring natural scenery. Nevertheless, I only felt sand in the wind, sweltering heat, and anxiety. Fortunately Aunt Yang accompanied me here. This is an impoverished family, but to entertain me, a “distant relative” (they said I was a distant relative of Yang’s family), that grandma still often put toufu dishes onto the table. Seeing me dressed in lined jacket, Aunt Yang lent me her short-sleeved coat, and helped me alter the lined jacket into unlined garment; before Second Brother Zonglian left, he left me a long coat, and asked me to wear it after alteration. Friend’s care, and assistant from warm-hearted people enabled me to live peacefully for more than 20 days in this remote village. Today whenever I thought of those days, I still cherished overwhelming gratitude toward Aunt Yang like Yang Bofu. But I don’t know her whereabouts today. Later I heard after Yang Bofu died, her only child also died, Yang Bofu’s grandma also passed away due to anxiety and worry. Thinking of these, I cherished a sense of guilt on top of gratitude; over the years, it weighed on my heart like a rock.
After sending me to Zhangwu, Yang Bofu immediately returned to Shenyang to go to workplace. Previously I thought, perhaps I could avoid this disaster; meanwhile, I anxiously waited for any letter from Second Brother Zonglian after he arrived there. I still cherished great hope toward walking out, in fact this was also possible. After joining the revolution, I met Jiang Zonghuang, Jiang Zonglian’s younger brother, (he arrived at the liberated zone first), he said: that time when the Second Brother came, we immediately contacted you, but failed. It might be that we were already imprisoned. After all I was naïve at that time. How could I know the complexity of life, the enemy’s cruelty and cunning, in the end I was unable to escape the enemy’s claws, Yang Bofu and I were both arrested. I clearly remember the scenario of the day when we met disaster. After noon, Yang Bofu suddenly came. He looked in a hurry, and appeared paler in facial color. Immediately after entering the room, he told me: The situation is urgent, you couldn’t stay here any longer, tomorrow I will send you to Qiu Weiguo’s home in Faku County (later I had given this much thought, how could he know the situation was urgent that time, what on earth had happened, but he didn’t explain, nor did I ask him. After more than 40 years, I met Sun Shizhen, it was then that I learned that the enemy came to his home to catch me, and failed to meet me so they went to Yang Bofu’s home, Yang might have fled to Zhangwu). After talking to me, he talked with sister-in-law, I then came out to dig vegetables in the field in front of the house. In less than one hour, I heard dog barks, and saw two persons swoop down on me like mad, I then understood they came to capture me. It was later that I learned the Japanese special agent leading the way was Jiabu, he was followed by traitor Zhao Jingwen. They very likely came to Zhangwu riding on the same train that Yang Bofu rode. They naturally came to home first. When they brought me to the house, Yang Bofu was hung on the roof beam. Sweat rolled down his head, but he said nothing. His bravery encouraged me, and I calmed down instead. In the evening, they put us on handcuffs, wrapped our head with white cloth, and delivered us to the Zhangwu County Detention Center. We slept on a mud kang, which was infested with fleas, I could hardly fall asleep in the night. I heard the policeman in the corridor say: “You see it was this girl, she is dressed in high school uniform!” I understood they were studying my photo. Obviously, the enemy came to capture me with a photo as evidence.
That night at Zhangwu was the threshold to the gate of hell.
There. I only felt the vehicle stopped and we disembarked, it was not until we entered a room before the white cloth on our head was removed, as it turned out it was the small government office in front of the Shenyang Station. Then I saw Mu Yuqi stood there, needless to say, she was arrested before us. They did not allows us to speak, and crammed Yang Bofu and me into a small cellar. At this moment Yang Bofu told me:
“If the enemy didn’t ask, never mention the matter to go beyond the Shanhaiguan Pass.” This is the last time I heard him talk. Then we were again wrapped around the head with cloth, asked to board the train. So where would we go? Listening to the rhythmic clanging of the train wheels, my heart was in turmoil, because we only knew Teacher Hua was arrested, I thought we would be sent to Shenyang. At this moment, how could I imagine that in Gaixian County a group of people had already been captured and sent to prison, nor did it ever occur to me “Chenxing” would be exposed, or that my whole family was captured due to my escape. The train stopped, we disembarked, and boarded the police car, which brought us to Gaixian County Police Administration Section at midnight. At first I was still unable to identify the place, when I saw volumes of books on the file cabinet, and I found my name on one volume, I then realized I had returned to Gaixian County. There was no interrogation in the night, we three persons were imprisoned separately in three cells. All the guards were Japanese, who were rumored to be specially transferred from Shenyang. The cell was already full, some of them were my classmates, most of them were strangers, some of them I only heard of their names. As it turned out, they had been here for a while, Yuqi and I came last. From then on we received interrogation day and night, and tasted all cruel tortures, we began the real life in the hell. When being interrogated in Gaixian County, I saw Yang Bofu twice, once we were interrogated together, beating, the Big Hang, pressing legs with wooden sticks, we were tormented to half dead. Yang Bofu closed his mouth, and said nothing, nor did he cry out. It was rumored that he was always heavily tortured. During my interrogation process, I never heard anything mentioned by him, it was clear he is a person of high morality, he is also an unyielding person, even if facing death. Today whenever I think of these things, I would feel remorseful and sorry on top of respect and admiration. After all he died in order to protect us, I really want to say: “My friend: you died too early and too regrettably. The biggest regret is that you never saw the day you look forward to seeing. If you were still alive today, you would surely embrace revolution early, just like us; and I believe you would certainly did more and better than us.”
After overnight on-the-spot interrogation, they mandatorily settled the case (the Japanese wrote an affidavit and forced hand print). In the autumn of 1944, we were dispatched in batches to the Puppet Fengtian Public Procurator’s Office, and sent to the Puppet Fengtian First Prison. Inside the prison, I didn’t see Yang Bofu again. However, from the talking of a male orderly who delivered things to the female wards (most of whom are political prisoners who had been sentenced), we could also learn something about the men’s prison. Sometimes they also voluntarily brought some news to us. For instance: the news about Hua Xilu and his encouraging words for us were brought to me by a political prisoner called Yang Ye. In another case: Chen Fan and Wang Shenglun died, we all knew that news. from the mouth of a male orderly, I learned the news that Yang Bofu was severely interrogated, both his legs festered and he was admitted into the patient prison ward. Before “August 15” we were released through “parole”, I joined Mu Yuqi, Jiang Jingfang, and also Li Jisheng to visit Yang Bofu. By that time he was confined to bed, and looked in extreme pain. Back then, I only thought that he might lose his legs, but it never occurred to me that he would die, nor did I realize at that time that it was our final face-to-face meeting before his death. I heard of his death when at home in Gaixian County, and instantly I felt very sad. In reflection, I realized that he didn’t even hear an appreciative remark from me when he was alive, and I thought other friends may not be so ungrateful. Back then, I was troubled by many thoughts, and picked up a pen to write an essay and a short poem to commemorate him. Later I delivered them to the “Wen Feng (Literature Style)” hosted by Lu Qi . Two years ago, Lu Qi came to Shenyang and gave me these two manuscripts, which could be regarded as a souvenir. Although the essay and the poem were in awkward format, they reflected my childish and yet genuine emotion at that time, now I copied them here, which is still intended to show the respect and mourning of a dead friend. The poem’s title is “Remote Condolence”, and the text is as follows:
For the sake of justice
You stepped into prison
For the benefit of friend
You lost both feet
Ultimately for the wellbeing of mankind
You stopped your heartbeat
You shed no tears
You heaved no sigh
Because in front of the truth
You raised the banner of victory
You had moments of joy
You had peals of laugher
Because on the soil of hardship
You planted the healthy seedlings
What you have accomplished
I hate to make empty lamentation
I’m willing to
Praise your deeds written in blood
You are glorious
You are great
You are a beacon in the night
A visible star in the dark sky.
A somber evening in December of the 34th year of the Republic of China
Yang Bofu fought for the motherland, and died to protect his comrades. Over the past 40 plus years, I myself experienced vicissitudes in life, and had no spare time to care for his offspring. In 1978 I returned from working in the countryside, Yang Bofu’s brother Yang Zhiquan paid me a visit. He was only very young in the year when his brother met the tragedy, and later suffered a lot for the reason of his elder brother. This time he mainly wanted to learn true facts about his brother. I said I’m sorry, I really knew very little about his brother, what I could say is only such a segment. In fact this segment of his life is enough to illustrate a person’s true essence and overall character. I wanted to tell Zhiquan: “You have such a good brother, you should feel satisfied.” The second time when Zhiquan came to see me, he brought a photo of his brother when he was in school. After returning to home, I took out the photo and stared at it for a long time, that slender figure with an emaciated face immediately emerged in front of my eyes, I couldn’t help shed tears. I wrote several words on the back of this photo: “A good man, a true Chinese. Good people will never be forgotten, let alone people who benefited oneself. Comrade Yang Bofu: I will remember you forever, and thank you for what you have done for me.”
A person who has no interest in vanity will not care whether or not there’s tomb stone and flowers on his grave. Nevertheless, those who are living should after all do something within their ability. What can I do? I wrote these words with a trembling hand, perhaps it’s exactly for reducing a little sense of guilt and expressing my remembrance, and also for making more people know him, understand him, and commemorate him.
Comrade Yang Bofu: Rest in peace! You will forever live in our hearts.
About the author: Sun Meng Original name Hou Gengzhi, female, pen name Qian Meng. A native of Gaixian County, Liaoninig Province. Born in 1927. She joined revolution in January 1946. Former executive editor of “Liaoning Daily”, now retired.