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Comrade Tong Zeng,

　　Are you busy working?

　　I am writing to seek your help. My first letter of claim was sent to the Bureau of Letters and Calls, General Office, NPC Standing Committee. Recently, after reading from the newspaper the article about pursuing justice from Japan, I’ve learned that you are working on pursuing justice for Chinese people who were killed by the invading Japanese army. Therefore, I am copying the letter of claim and sending it to you. Please help me sign my name (He Ziyi or my infant name He Tusheng) to join your campaign of charging the invading Japanese army with crimes.

　　I am 66 this year and in poor health. But I still often miss my father and younger sister. Comrade Tong Zeng, my family history is a painful one. After the People’s Liberation, my uncle He Zhenxing told many people about my suffering in my hometown. But my suffering is not known even by my wife and children because I don’t want to bring up those sad memories any more. I’ve buried the memories deep in my heart for over 50 years. Only I know about them. (I was captured as a soldier by the Kuomintang in January 1945 and have never returned to my hometown. Just writing to each other.)

　　I’ll stop here. Thank you. I will always remember your name-Tong Zeng-if you bring Japan to justice.

Best regards,

He Ziyi
February 28, 1993

Address: 108 Geological Team within the Geological Cadre School, Chongqing County, Sichuan Province

I am uneducated, so please don’t laugh at me if there is anything wrong with my letter.

NPC Standing Committee,

　　I demand immediate compensation from the invading Japanese army for the death of my father and younger sister and the losses caused to my family. I am He Ziyi (infant name He Tusheng), a retired employee from 108 Geological Team of Sichuan Geology and Mineral Bureau. I was originally born in Buzijing Village, Hongmiao Town, Baocheng County (now Mian County), Shaanxi Province. As my father He Zhenyuan was conscripted into the Kuomintang army when the invading Japanese army occupied northern China (about 1938) and my mother died early, we four sisters were left to struggle due to poverty. To enable the whole family to live a better life, my father gave two older sisters, who were still minors, to another family as child brides. After my mother’s death, my father gave my 4-year-old younger sister to a family surnamed Yang in Hanzhong before conscripted into the army to fight the Japanese. Back then, I was less than 9, so I helped others herd cattle to make a living. When I was 14, I participated in the Baohui River conservancy project. On the construction site, I met a man called Zhang Zhen’gan, who was then over 30. By chatting with him, I got to know that he was conscripted into the army with my father and that they were assigned to the same squad of the same company. They two were quite close and he knew well about my father. He told me that after they were conscripted into the army, the army left Baocheng for Baoji where they were trained. Afterwards, the army moved to Hancheng, where they were trained for over half a year. Then, they were sent to the front line to fight. In Zhongtiaoshan Battle (not sure which year it was because they then talked about years by the time of the Republic of China), they were injured with arms cut off and captured. One day, the Japanese army gathered the captured Chinese soldiers to a valley and asked, “Who wants to go home?” My father didn’t know the true purpose of the question, so he answered honestly, “I have four children, who are all very young and my wife is dead. Officer, please be kind and let me go home.” A Japanese interpreter communicated with a Japanese officer and then asked my father to stand forward, saying, “We will send you home!” Suddenly, a Japanese soldier let go of a dog, which jumped at my father and bit at him. With pieces of meat hanging over my father’s body, he instantly became a man of blood. At last, the Japanese soldier went forward and bayoneted my father several times. Then, the Japanese officer asked again, “Who wants to go home?” The interpreter said, “Anyone who wants to go home will die like him!” When Zhang Zhen’gang talked about this part of the story, both of us cried bitterly. It wasn’t until then that I knew my father was injured with one arm cut off and captured in Zhongtiaoshan battle and tortured to death by the Japanese army. It’s impossible to accurately calculate the number of Chinese people who died in the hands of the invading Japanese army like my father.

　　My lovely, cute younger sister, who was affectionately called by all Fat Girl, died in Hanzhong due to heavy bombing by the Japanese army. In a few years, 2 of my 6 family members died in the hands of Japanese invaders. The invading Japanese army must be brought to justice for their crimes against the Chinese people. The Chinese people who have stood up have the right to demand compensation from the Japanese government for their losses!

　　I sincerely ask the NPC Standing Committee to help us and strongly demand compensation from the Japanese government for the death of my father and younger sister.

　　Please put the above case on record. Thank you.

Retired employee from 108 Geological Team of Sichuan Geology and Mineral Bureau
He Ziyi
October 23, 1992

Current address: 108 Geological Team within the Geological Cadre School, Chongqing County, Sichuan Province

Please investigate the following people in my hometown who all know about the suffering of my father and younger sister:
My fourth oldest uncle He Zhenxing, my fourth oldest aunt Mrs. Li, née He, and He Gaixiu, He Yingke, He Yingming, Wang Cheng, Wang Fuhua, He Ming, etc.