Date of letter:1993-02-14
Address of author:Yangshuo County, Guilin City, Guangxi Province
Date of event:1945
Location of event:Yangshuo County, Guilin City, Guangxi Province
Name of author:Li Zongci
Name(s) of victim(s):Li Zongci’s uncle
Type of atrocity:Others, Other Massacres, Slave Laborers（OT, OM, SL)
Other details:In 1945 the Japanese occupied the Yangshuo County and carried out its “Burn All, Kill All, Loot All” policy. The people hided in the cave, while the Japanese smoked them to death with toxic smoke. According to incomplete data, more than 300 people were killed and arrested. My family building of both residential and commercial use was burnt down by Japanese on July 24. My uncle was caught by Japanese and made a porter. He was tortured to death in the end. Now I claim compensation from Japan.
Comrade Tong Zeng,
I fully support your signature campaign demanding damage compensation from Japan and sincerely ask you to sign my name for me.
According to the newspaper, you, with a strong sense of national mission, have received many victims of Japan’s war of aggression against China going to Beijing from other places across the country and made arrangements for their meals and accommodation and you’ve taken many trips to submit materials for victims to the Japanese embassy in China. Your action of pursuing justice from Japan reflects the will and just request of the Chinese people, especially the victims, and fills me with admiration and respect.
Below is my report on the suffering and losses of the people in Yangshuo County, Guangxi and my family during Japan’s war of aggression against China. Please forward this to the Japanese government and demand compensation for us.
Below is a description of the losses that the Japanese army caused to the people of Yangshuo County and my family when they invaded Yangshuo County, Guangxi.
1. The Japanese army invaded Yangshuo County, Guangxi on November 1, 1944 and China regained its possession on July 24, 1945. During the 9 months between the two time points when the Japanese army occupied Yangshuo County and 10 villages, they implemented the Three Alls (burn all, kill all and loot all) policy. For example, the Japanese army put a pile of old bran mixed with poison powder and chili powder in front of mountain caves where the Chinese people were hiding, set fire to them and used a pinwheel to blow the smoke in the cave to suffocate them alive. According to an investigation, 27 people were suffocated to death in Yankuang Village, 26 people in Niu cave, Zhuqiao Village, 14 people in Houshan cave, Bijia Mountain, 6 people in Yifu cave, Dengziyan Village and 2 old women in Baimian cave, Fuli. According to incomplete data, over 300 people were cruelly killed or captured; over 8,900 houses were burned or demolished; 3.5 million kg of rice, over 66,130 pieces of various clothes, 49,164 quilts and mosquito nets, 16,500 kg of cotton and gauze and 10,000 heads of farm cattle were robbed; 5,000 farm tools and 50,000 kg of seeds were damaged; 10,000 public trees, oil-seed camellia forests of 25,000 mu (1 mu is about 667 square meters) and tung oil forests of 15,000 mu were burned (The above data is abstracted from the Records of Yangshuo County, first edition of October 1988). Therefore, the beautiful scenery of Yangshuo was seriously damaged and the people there suffered. Many families were torn apart. We demand compensation from Japan for the above losses.
2. My family had a house (a two-floor building with front and back rooms,made of brick and wood, with an area of nearly 300 square meters) in Jixing street, Baisha Village (now a town), Yangshuo County, which was used for both residential and commercial purposes. Before July 24, 1945 prior to its surrender and retreat, the Japanese army burned our house including all products, furniture and living supplies in it, which are worth over RMB 20,000. Our losses including the house itself are over RMB 80,000. After the house was burned, our 7-member family became homeless and lived a difficult, vagrant life for a long time. My fourth oldest uncle Li Zhifu, who was then nearly 60, was captured by the Japanese army to carry supplies for them and tortured to death. I demand compensation from Japan for the above losses caused to my family.
Address:
Li Zongci (Personal seal)
No. 13, Lianfeng Lane, Yangshuo County, Guangxi
(A retired cadre from the Business Bureau of Yangshuo County)
Postal code: 541900
