Date of letter:1992-12-29
Address of author:Xinxiang City, Henan Province
Date of event:1942
Location of event:Tai’an City, Shandong Province
Name of author:Bi Yulan
Name(s) of victim(s):Li Guimin(Bi Yulan’s maternal grandfather), Li Jianyin (Bi Yulan’s uncle, Li Guimin’s son), Li Jianyin’s wife Xu (Bi Yulan’s aunt), Li Yuan (Bi Yulan’s cousin, Li Jianyin’s son)
Type of atrocity:Air Bombings, Rapes, Murders（AB, RA, MU）
Other details:My grandfather was a famous artist in Shandong Province. In 1942, my grandfather and my uncle went to Tai’an City to repair a temple, but were killed by the Japanese bombers. My aunt took my younger cousin then at the age of eight to Tai’an to look for them. Unfortunately, she was raped and then killed by the Japanese soldiers. Her son was also killed. The Japanese invaders committed unforgivable crimes in our country, and my family and I hate them to guts. The Japanese government must compensate us for our family members’ death and our economic losses.
Comrade Tong Zeng of the China Research Center on Aging,
I am writing with respect to report the tragic event of how my grandmother’s whole family were cruelly killed by the invading Japanese army.
My grandfather was a famous craftsman in Shandong Province who excelled in building temples and carving wood, etc. His name was Li Guimin, but he was more widely known as a “know-all”. One day during the wheat-harvesting period of 1942, on their way to build a temple, my grandfather and second oldest uncle Li Jianyin were bombed to death by Japanese planes at a place not far from Qilipu in the urban area of Taian County. My second oldest aunt Mrs. Li, née Xu went to look for them by taking my 8-year-old male older cousin Li Yuan along. But when they arrived at the west of Taian County, they came across a Japanese soldier. My aunt was raped and bayoneted to death by the soldier in a field in Xiwang Village, Taian County and even my 8-year-old cousin was also killed. Half a century ago, the invading Japanese army committed unforgivable crimes in China. Even until today, the mention of the invading Japanese army will cause my whole family to gnash their teeth in anger. The loss of the Chinese people’s lives cannot be compensated by money. I was born in Zhoudian Town, Taian County, while my grandfather’s family were in Nanhuang Village, Zhoudian Town. The number of Chinese people killed by Japanese invaders cannot be calculated by number. The Japanese government should compensate countless Chinese victims for their economic losses because they have suffered from extreme cruelty of the invading Japanese army.
In addition, Japan is an economic power and able to pay compensation. Japan should compensate the Chinese people for their lives and economic losses.
Electric Fan Factory, Xinxiang City, Henan Province
Bi Yulan (retired)
Address: Bi Yulan in care of Liu Rulin, Laboratory of No. 116 Factory, Xinxiang City
