Blog

Mr. Tong Zeng:

　　How have you been?

　　I am Liu Fan, 68, a retired worker from Ansteel. I was told the other day that the newspaper published an article regarding some civilians from Shandong being taken away by the Japanese army during the puppet Manchuria period to be laborers in Japan. I admire you so much for working hard to pursue justice for them. And I just cannot forget your name or what you’ve done for Chinese victims.

　　Mr. Tong, I am one of the victims. When I was 16 in 1940, I was captured by the Japanese from Shandong to Japan to be a laborer. I want to tell you about my pain and hate buried in my heart for dozens of years, but there’s a long distance between us and we don’t know each other and it’s inconvenient for me to visit you in Beijing, so I am writing the letter to you. Please give me help and guidance. I really appreciate it. The following is a brief description of me being captured to Japan to be a laborer.

　　I was born in Gaolixiang, Wei, Shandong (now called Gaolixiang, Hanting, Wei, Shandong). My family was very poor. My ancestors lived on laboring and farming. I never went to school for a day. My family had 8 members in 1940. I was taken away as the eldest son. I was 16 then and I had 3 younger brothers and 2 younger sisters. My siblings were so young that they had to depend on my parents. They lived a poor, hard life. On a day in about August 1940, when I was working in the house, a group of Japanese soldiers barged in. My younger brothers and sisters cried out of fear and ran away. The Japanese soldiers beaten my old and weak parents and me with sticks and then tied me up and threw me on a Japanese truck. I was taken to a Japanese military camp, where I met Jin Laoliu and Liu Zhen from my village. We three were taken to the county’s prison on that day and held there. In about one month, about 100 people were captured and held in the prison. We weren’t given enough food to eat or water to drink and weren’t allowed to wear clothes in the day time or at night. We slept on the cement ground. We were held in the prison to suffer and freeze. In about one month, many people got sick and over 10 people were dying. Then on one night a month later, the Japanese army tied us up and sent us in military trucks to a prison in Qingdao, Shandong. Several days later, about 100 of us were shipped to a place (I cannot recall it due to my age) in Hokkaido, Japan. It was a mine in Sagawa or Ryukawa. We were forced to dig coal there. We weren’t allowed to leave the mine once we got in it. We couldn’t see the sky or sun and didn’t know whether it’s day or night. We could only take a rest for a couple of hours. The Japanese watching us looked vicious and they each carried a wooden stick, ready to beat anyone he disliked until they bled. The head of the squad 金木拉山 beat us the hardest. Jin Laoliu and some other laborers were beaten to death by him. As far as I knew, about 500 laborers were beaten in the mine and about 300 were beaten to death or died of illness. I dug coal for 5 years, during which I suffered from hunger and cold and lived an inhuman life of cursing and beating.

　　After Japan surrendered on August 15, 1945, the Japanese finally gave us enough food, but only grain and corn noodles. There were about 200 survivors. We were held in a yard and weren’t allowed to get out. Then, on a day in November, a Japanese person told us that we would be sent back to China if we wanted to and that we could stay and work in Japan and get paid if we didn’t want to go back. At that time, we all wanted to return to China because we missed our family very much (we then hated the Japanese very much, but we couldn’t kill them to make us feel better). Finally, we were done being slaves for them. Later on a day in November, about 200 survivors returned to Tianjin, China in an American ship and got off the ship at Tanggu dock. We were all relieved and so happy that we survived. We cried out of excitement. We wouldn’t be suppressed by Japan any more. We also missed the fellows killed by the Japanese. When I returned to my hometown in Gaoli, Weifang, Shandong (current name), I only saw my mother in bad spirits and one younger sister who lived a poor life. There was no sight of my father, 3 younger brothers or the other younger sister. Afterwards, my younger sister and countrymen told me that after I was taken away by the Japanese, my 3 younger brothers and second youngest sister ran away and their whereabouts were unknown. My mother was always in bad spirits. My father worried about us so much that he got sick and died. I was heart-broken after hearing the news. I cried my heart out. With the help and support of countrymen, my life with sick mother and second youngest sister began. After the People’s Liberation, the fields were divided between farmers and my life got better. And with the help of the Party, government and countrymen, I finally found my third and fourth youngest brother in the Liberation Army. I found my youngest sister in 1992. But I haven’t found second youngest brother yet. His whereabouts are unknown. In 1953 thanks to the care of the Party and government, I participated in economic construction of Ansteel in Anshan, Liaoning in Northeastern China and became a worker with the Sintering Plant, Ansteel. After my retirement in 1980, I’ve lived at No. 55, Block 8117, Liberation Office, Tiedong, Anshan, Liaoning.

　　Mr. Tong, the above is a description of how Japanese imperialism made me work like a slave and my family fell apart. I must charge Japanese imperialism with crimes. So, I sincerely ask for your help. Please take time to reply me. I really appreciate it. I will visit you if necessary to discuss about the details. Looking forward to your reply.

Best regards,

Liu Fan
February 19, 1993

Mailing address: Liu Fan, No. 55, Block 8117, Liberation Office, Tiedong, Anshan, Liaoning
Postal code: 114005