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Comrade Tong,

On my journey back to Jiangyin, Jiangsu Province to learn more about how my father was murdered on January 10th of lunar calendar. I heard numerous Japanese armies’ crimes of raping, burning and killing. For example: on December 1st, 1937 (Year 26 of the Republic of China), the Japanese army occupied Jiangyin County and set a fire which had been burning for 3 days; on December 3rd, the Japanese slaughtered 286 farmers and refugees and burned 473 houses in Caobao Village and 8 other small villages near the spur of Hua Mountain, Jiangyin County. Some of the victims’ names were engraved on tablets. Before that, on September 25th-29th, the Jiangyin area was bombarded by over 200 Japanese planes, causing countless casualties and injuries; on August 19th, Jiangyin Nanxiang School was destroyed; on November 26th, 1937, the Japanese aircrafts killed 6 villagers in Tangqiao Town, Jiangyin; on November 20th, the Japanese army landed on Fushan and recklessly burnt and killed all the way, more than 200 innocent people including children were killed and the streets were covered with blood; at 8 o’clock in the morning of November 21st, one Japanese infantry entered Gangkou Town, killed 18 civilians, raped over 10 women and burnt more than 240 residences; on November 22nd, tens of houses in Yangshe Town were destroyed by Japanese planes; on November 25th, four or five people in Yangshe Town including Ye Jianzhang and Shen Jianyun were killed; on November 27th, over 40 residences of Zhashang (Sigang) Village were burnt by the Japanese army; on August 8th, Year 27 of the Republic of China (1938), the Japanese army captain Kishiyama, his translator Li Jianci and a spy head caught over 300 innocent civilians and detained them at Niuweiba beside Wanshuigou. Thirty six of them were murdered on the spot; Wang Zhulin and Tang Xishi were two survivors; on March 14th, Year 30 of the Republic of China, over 100 Japanese soldiers debarked on Sanyi Harbor, robbing ‘Houcheng’ Store of more than 150,000 RMB; on August 5th, a young man called Wu Songshan and Geng Lianpei, the owner of a grocery store, were killed in Shangang Village. Their crimes are too numerous to be listed.

Because I didn’t have the chance to publicize this time, and the feelings of the victims and their families were on the verge of breaking out, I was afraid this would result in some bad influences, so when speaking of this, I just expressed some general opinions. In addition, according to Luo Pingfan’s introduction, he is working carefully now and hasn’t heard much news. He is a little lack of confidence, for he has heard some rumors and is concerned that he would be used by others…

I believe our cause is righteous. What guilt does a just move have? My father was killed by the Japanese army, so it is completely justified for me to cry for justice. If not, where are the national interests and common sense? I am determined to accomplish the reparation claim against Japan. I have laid a foundation for next generation’s appeal and will not give up until our goals are reached. Hope everything goes your way! Take care of yourself! Goodbye.

Geng Kunyuan
April 25th

Comrade Tong,

Hello!

Here I entrust you to claim reparations against the Japanese Government regarding my father Geng Buzhou’s innocent death by the Japanese army and its resulting loss . 8% of the actual reparations I will receive from the Japanese Government will be your remuneration. I will not break this promise and this writing is the proof.

Claimant: Geng Kunyuan (name seal)
March 15th, 1994

Postcode: 110032 Gate 1, No. 9-1, Liutiaohu Street, Shenyang City
Tel: 6832538 6858463

Power of Attorney

Today I entrust Tong Zeng to claim reparations for my father’s death caused by the Japanese army and relevant losses against the Japanese Government. All the relevant issues hereafter shall be decided by Tong Zeng.

Attachment: 3 copies of the petition

Claimant:
Geng Kunyuan (name seal)
Former employer: Shenyang Agricultural Production Material Corporation
Contact address: Gate 1, No. 9-1, Liutiaohu Street, Shenyang City
Tel: 0-24-6832538
Tel: 0-24-6858463
Postcode: 110032

Petition for reparations for victims

Claimant: Geng Kunyuan, male, Han Chinese, 66 years old, ancestry origin: Lujiali, Deshun Township, Jiangyin County, Jiangsu Province (now changed to Shahong Village, Deji Township, Zhangjiagang City). My father, Geng Buzhou (also called Sha Buzhou), engaged in educational work; my mother, Geng Yundi, a housewife.

During the Second World War, the Japanese army invaded Jiangyin County at the end of 1937. They committed all the crimes of burning, raping, murdering and looting everywhere they went. The innocent civilians ran away one after another. My father followed the fleeing crowd to Sanbao Village at the foot of Hua Mountain, Jiangyin County, but was unfortunately killed by the Japanese army there. Due to the chaos at that time, his body was found and buried in our village in the spring of the following year.

After my father was killed by the Japanese army, my mother suffered deep grief and indignation over his death and fell ill. Despite long treatment, she still could not recover. She was confined to her bed for several years and then passed away with hatred.

Because of my parents’ death, I became an orphan at the age of 12. I was destitute and homeless, living a miserable life, until the CPC liberated the whole nation and then I started a new life.

My family is one of the millions of Chinese families which suffered misfortune during the sino-Japanese war. According to the provision in the International Law that the defeated nation who has launched the aggression war shall pay reparations for the victorious nation,. As a victim or family of the victim, I am entitled to asking the Japanese Government to pay reparations for the following:

1. The Japanese army murdered my father Geng Buzhou without any reason; I claim reparations of 30,000 US dollars.
   2. My mother‘s eventual death after suffering from deep griefing over my father’s murder,; I claim reparations of 15,000 US dollars.
   3. Being an orphan and homeless at an early age and without proper education due to my parents’ death, I failed to realize my ambition; I claim reparations of 28,000 US dollars.

In total I am seeking reparation of 73,000 US dollars. But the payment has been defaulted for 57 years, so an extra 41,600 US dollars shall be paid as default fee. So I shall claim altogether 114,600 US dollars of reparations.

My claim is rightful and completely complies with international laws. I believe that it will definitely win sympathy and support from the Chinese people as well as the Japanese civilians, and eventually gain the victory.

Shenyang Agricultural Production Material Corporation
Claimant: Geng Kunyuan (name seal)
Address: Gate 1, No. 9-1, Liutiaohu Street
March 15th, 1994
Attachment: four verified documents
Postcode: 110032
Tel: 6832538

On December 1st, 1937, Jiangyin fell and was occupied by the Japanese army. On February 3rd, the Japanese slaughtered 286 farmers and burned 473 houses in Caobao Village and 8 other small villages near the spur of Hua Mountain. Below is the investigation about Sha Buzhou and Zhang Erbao who were killed for no reason in Sanbao Village during the slaughter:

Sha Buzhou, male, an instructor in Deji Township, Shazhou County (Deji Township, Zhangjiagang City. He knew a woman called Qiu Wumei in Shahe Village, Yaosai Town, Jiangyin County. (The locals called him the husband of Qiu Wumei)

Zhang Erbao, male, from Sanbao Village, Yaosai Town, Jiangyin City, an instructor and a cousin of Qiu Wumei.

In the night of December 2nd, 1937, the above two victims did not run away but hid at the home of Zhang Erbao in Sanbao Village. They were arrested when the Japanese army was sweeping the village, and got killed in a field of Batunli, east of Sanbao Village. Later, Qiu Wumei and Zhang Erbao’s families buried them separately with the frame taken from a water wagon in Badou Tomb in front of Sanbao Village.

Oral Testifier: Liu Xibao, the second sister-in-law of Zhang Erbao
Qiu Houkun, the younger cousin of Qiu Wumei
Recorded in writing by: Shen Qisheng, a villager of Yaosai Town
May 9th, 1994

Above is true.
People’s Government of Deji Town, Zhangjiagang City (government seal)
People’s Government of Yaosai Town, Jiangyin City (government seal)
March 12th, 1994

Village Committee of Pinong Village, Yaosai Town, Jiangyin City (committee seal)

I am from Jiangyin County, Jiangsu Province by origin. My father Geng Buzhou, also named Sha Buzhou, was married to Geng family. At first, he was a teacher in his hometown Caogang, and then he came to work in the education department of Jiangyin County. At the end of 1937, the Japanese imperialists occupied Jiangyin County and raped, burnt and butchered everywhere. The Chinese people started to flee. My father escaped to Sanbao Village, a village at the foot of Hua Mountain, Jiangyin; then was murdered by the Japanese army for no reason. I was only 9 when I witnessed my father’s tragic death. While my mother got sick because of the sadness and passed away before long, leaving me alone at the age of 12. My family was broken. Since then, my life had been so hard that it is beyond description. After the liberation, I took up a job and appealed to the personnel and organization department for several times, holding the belief that the justice can be redressed.

Geng Kunyuan (name seal)

Checking the personnel archive, there is material verifying his father’s killing, which has also been recorded in his autobiography and comprehensive files.
Personnel Department, Agricultural CPC Information, Shenyang City
February 18th, 1994
Shenyang Agricultural Production Material Corporation (seal)

Proof Material

I am Lu Xinzhong, from Jiangyin County (now Zhangjiagang City), Jiangsu,75 years old.

Here I testify that the deceased Geng Buzhou, another name Zha Buzhou was killed without reasons by the Japanese soldiers in Hua Mountain of Jiangyin at the end of 1937. Due to the chaos at that time, his body was found and taken back with the frame of an old water wagon from the foot of Hua Mountain in the spring of the next year. The coffin was made of the black gum planted by his family. When I saw the body, it had been decayed already, which was also witnessed by others in the village. His wife Geng Yundi became sick from this unbearable suffering and confined to her bed for 2 years, and died. The orphan, Geng Kunyuan, only over 10 years old was left alone,. The family was ruined.

Above is true.

Information confirmed by neighbor, Lu Xinzhong (handprint)
March 16th, 1994

People’s Government of Deji Town, Zhangjiagang City (government seal)
Shahong Village Committee
March 17th, 1994
Village Committee of Shahong Village, Deji Township (committee seal)

Testification

Sha Buzhou, whose hometown was Lujiayu, Deshun Township, out of East Gate, Jiangyin, now the 8th group of Shahong Village, Deji Township, Zhangjiagang City (also called Geng Buzhou) was once a teacher in the private school of my township and good at calligraphy. Later, he left and worked in the education department of Jiangyin County. In 1937, Japan invaded China and adopted the policy of ‘burn all, kill all, loot all’. Sha Buzhou and his girlfriend Qiu Wumei were forced to flee to the foot of Hua Mountain, Jiangyin. The army found Sha’s girlfriend and was trying to capture her. Sha Buzhou struggled and tried to fight with them, but was stabbed to death. His girlfriend (Qiu Wumei) informed the families in Lujiayu and sent four people to bury the body. Sha also had a wife at home, who was almost shocked to death when hearing the news. She got sick and passed away soon. Only the orphan Geng Kunyuan remained.

Testifier: Chen Xieqin, 70 years old. Above is true.

Testifier: Chen Xieqin (name seal)
March 15th, 1994

Upon knowing, above is true.
People’s Government of Deji Town, Zhangjiagang City (government seal)
Shahong Village Committee
March 17th, 1994