Date of letter:1992-05-02
Address of author:Kunshan City, Jiangsu Province
Date of event:1943-09
Location of event:Dongtai City (county-level), Yancheng City, Jiangsu Province
Name of author:Xu Feng
Name(s) of victim(s):Xu Feng’s father
Type of atrocity:Others (OT)
Other details:One afternoon in Sept. 1943, the Japanese broke into my house, looted our belongings and captured my father for ransom. Since we were not able to get that money, my father was beaten and injured. Later we found someone to intercede and help him out by giving part of the ransom money.
Respectable comrade Tong Zeng:
How have you been?
I am so excited and emotional after reading the article “Issues About China’s Demanding Civilian Compensation Against Japan” reprinted on the 4th edition, Newspaper Abstracts of May 19, 1992. I admire you for speaking out what’s in the mind of victims like me for nearly 50 years.
The Japanese army and puppet local militants kidnapped and robbed my family, causing my family to bankrupt and owe a huge debt that we are unable to pay off until now. (The kidnapping process and debt status are provided on the next page)
I request to join the Chinese civilian organization for demanding compensation against Japan and participate in the signature program (or you may sign my name on behalf of me). Please tell me how to contact such organization?
Besides, there are many victims who were young during Japan’s war of aggression against China and didn’t receive much education. They know little about what’s going on and don’t know how to make a complaint. How should we help them to express their opinion?
Japan’s war of aggression against China caused many Chinese people homeless or losing lives. There are quite a number of other families that are still in debt like my family. Today, China and Japan restore the friendly government relationship and China has given up war reparations through government channel. But a lot of Chinese families will never forget the painful debt that Japan owes to them. Japan has become a large economic power, but we hope that Japan can also be a moral power. Japan should stop delaying or denying the compensation for our losses. Japan must compensate Chinese victims for recovering the mental and physical trauma of millions of Chinese people and put effort on establishing a new image of Japan and Japanese people.
The above is my request and thoughts for your consideration. Thank you.
Best regards,
Xu Feng
May 2, 1992
Mailing address: Hospital of Penglang, Kunshan, Jiangsu
1. Description of the kidnapping process
On a September afternoon in 1943, (in the late period of my 3rd-grade summer vacation. My family then lived in Fuzha, Zhouyang, Tangyang, Dongtai, Northern Jiangsu) the puppet Japanese army raided the countryside. Some soldiers came to our house, robbing our property and taking my father away and accused him to be anti-Japanese New Fourth Army. My father was held at the prison in Libao, Hai’an, a Japanese military camp about 10 km southwestern of our village. The puppet Japanese army charged 10,000 kg of cloth for each of their lives. My father was beaten badly as we couldn’t borrow so much money in a short time. Later, after we asked neighbors to bribe and plea for us, the army reduced the ransom to 5,000 kg of cloth. We paid the money and my father was released after being detained for nearly a month.
Soldiers of the puppet Japanese army, Wu Zhirong, Chen XX and Mao XX were once members of the Local Guerrilla. They once lived in our house, but later betrayed our country, so I recognized them. After Japan surrendered in 1945, traitors were punished at Anti-Japanese Bases. That was when I knew Wu Zhirong lived in southern Yangbei of the same village as mine. He may be still living. Local elderly people definitely remember him and can be my witnesses.
2. Description of my family’s bankruptcy
We sold land and other property to pay the debt, but still owed about 1/3 of the money to my grandfather and second eldest uncle, which are not paid off till today. Then, my parents got sick, my 16-year-old (nominal age) elder brother joined the anti-Japanese army (now retired) and my younger brother and sister were too young, so we moved back to Xinminda, Zhiliang, Qidong. My parents died before and after 1980, leaving us a broken bamboo hut and words that we shall not forget to pay our debt. I was in so much sorrow at that time. I didn’t ask about the specific amount of debt, let alone the interest. Now, my grandfather and eldest uncle and aunt all passed away. I will send money to step-grandmother as payback for the debt every year since the Land Reform. In the future, I will pay debt to the children of my second eldest uncle with my salary and I don’t know how many years it will take. The suffering is all caused by Japan’s war of aggression against China.
