Date of letter:1993-08-26
Address of author:Wuxue City, Hubei Province
Date of event:1940
Location of event:Wuxue City, Hubei Province
Name of author:Feng Xibao
Name(s) of victim(s):Dozens of people including Feng Dongmin, He Nailin, Feng Boyou, Ma Jinhua, etc.
Type of atrocity:Other Massacres, Others, Rapes, Air Bombings（OM, OT, RA, AB）
Other details:In March 1940, the Japanese raided the Wuxue City and swept our village, bombing, burning, killing and raping. According to data, 11 villagers were killed, 21 raped; the villagers suffered from severe damage. Therefore, we now claim for compensation from Japan. Note: envelope missing
Letter of Claims Against Japan from Chinese Civilian Groups and Individuals
The Japanese government:
Japan launched the war of aggression against China on July 7, 1937, causing a dreadful disaster to the peaceful Chinese people and severe losses to our life and property. On March 26 and 27, 1940, the Japanese army that occupied Wuxue, Hubei raided my village, Fengxiu, which was about 10km away from Wuxue, where they bayoneted, shot and bombed the peaceful villagers, took away our property such as cattle, pigs and chicken, burned down our houses and raped women, causing a total loss of RMB 5,081,600 yuan.
1. They bayoneted, shot and bombed 11 villagers, including:
Feng Jinsheng’s father Feng Dongmin (bayoneted)
He Zhengrong’s elder brother He Nailin (bayoneted)
He Guixing’s elder brother He Zhifu (bayoneted)
Feng Guobin’s elder female cousin Wu Xifeng (bayoneted)
He Si’er’s elder brother He Pinsan (bayoneted)
Feng Xicheng’s mother Zhou Hezhi (bayoneted)
He Guixing’s elder male cousin He Yunsong (bayoneted)
Feng Kuocheng’s father Feng Ximei (shot)
Feng Xibao’s father Feng Boyou (shot)
Feng Xiyou’s eldest sister Feng Yongtao (bombed)
Feng Xiyou’s second eldest sister Feng Aiying (bombed)
A compensation of 200,000 yuan is demanded for each of the 11 dead people, so it’s a total of 2,200,000 yuan.
2. The Japanese army robbed Feng Boyou’s family of 680 silver coins, worth RMB 13,600 yuan according to the bank’s exchange rate.
3. The Japanese army killed 31 cattle, 38 fat pigs and 21 chicken in the village, causing losses of up to 40,000 yuan.
4. The Japanese army burned 104 houses, most of which were made of brick and tile. Each house is worth 7,000 yuan, so the total losses are 728,000 yuan.
5. 21 women were raped, including Ma Jinhua, Dong Ximei, He Rong’er, Hu Yunmei, Zhou Mei’e, Zhou Huarong, Chen Xiuyu, Liao Simei, Feng Huarong, Fang Yu’e, Feng E’yun, Tao Jinlian, Song Yumei, Hu Jiao’e, Cheng Hongtao, Hu Yun’ai, Hu Guiyun, Hu Jinhua, Hu Xuemei, Cheng Yumei and Song Hehua. Each of them demands a compensation of 100,000 yuan for medical fees and for loss of reputation, so it’s a total of 2,100,000 yuan.
On August 15, 1945, Japan’s war of aggression was ended with Japan’s surrender. Japan, the defeated country, is responsible for compensating Chinese civilian groups and individuals for all of their losses in accordance with international documents such as the Yalta Agreement, the Cairo Declaration and the Potsdam Proclamation. Our government gave up war reparations between countries due to consideration of the plight of Japan and the future friendship between China and Japan, but our government has never given up the right of civilian groups and individuals to claim compensation from Japan. In order to maintain and promote the friendship between Chinese and Japanese governments and peoples, we ask the Japanese government to carefully think about the circumstances and practically compensate Chinese civilians for their losses.
Representative of the claimants: Feng Xibao, the son of victim Feng Boyou from Fengxiu, Shifoshi, Wuxue, Hubei, China
August 26, 1993
Mailing address: Experimental Primary School, Wuxue, Hubei
Postal code: 436400
No. 0181 letter sending from Wuxue to the Japanese Embassy
on September 14, 1993
