Date of letter:1993-08-08
Address of author:Songpan County, Aba Prefecture, Sichuan Province
Date of event:1940-02-21
Location of event:Qinyang county, Jiaozuo City, Henan Province
Name of author:Zhang Lixuan
Name(s) of victim(s):Zhang Lixuan’s mother and other villagers
Type of atrocity:Other Massacres（OM）
Other details:My mother went to the town to grandfather’s home to give New Year greetings. Outside the town he met townsfolk and they went home together, totaling 10 persons. Two young women took children and walked toward our village, and I also followed. The Japanese Army stabbed and killed 7 people indiscriminately. Now I demand Japan to repay the debt of blood and compensate loss.
Comrade Tong Zeng,
How’s your heath? You must be busy working. Wish you a happy family and good luck with everything.
Comrade Wu Peng from Deyang told me in a letter that you care about me and that you are determined to serve the people who suffered from Japan’s invasion of China. You are such an admirable man.
Today, I sent my letter of claim for compensation to the Japanese embassy in China by express and I am now sending a copy of the letter to you for modification. Please tell me if there is any inadequacy in my letter of claim.
Best regards,
P.S. The number of the express letter addressed to the Japanese embassy in China: No. 0120. It was sent on August 9.
Zhang Lixuan
August 9, 1993
Chinese Victim’s Letter of Claim for Compensation from Japan
Japanese government,
Japan launched the war of aggression against China on July 7, 1937. Later, the Japanese army occupied my hometown Qinyang County, Henan Province. The Japanese army stationed in Mapo Village killed 7 innocent people from Beikong Village, including 3 men and 4 women, one of whom was my mother.
It was a painful tragedy. On the morning of February 11, 1940 (lunar January 4) during the Spring Festival, my mother took me (then 10) to pay a visit to my grandfather in the county. On our way home in the afternoon, we encountered 3 middle-aged women (with bound feet), 2 young women, one 18-year-old young man and two 6- or 7-year-old girls from our village outside the county. So, we, a total of 10 people, walked home together. When we reached Mapo Village, we saw the body of Liang XX from our village by the roadside. When we walked half past Mapo Village, Mrs. Qin, before her death, said, “Those who walk faster go first.” So, the 2 young women walked forward by dragging 2 girls and I following behind them. We ran fast towards our village, leaving them behind. So, the Japanese soldiers failed to block us, although they shot us and missed. But the rest 7 people were bayoneted to death for no reason (The people from Mapo Village and Beikong Village of Qinyang County, Henan Province and those who escaped with me can be witnesses). It was indeed a painful tragedy.
Now, I can only demand a compensation of USD 25,000 from Japan for each of the victims to make up for our losses for so many years.
My claim for compensation is just and reasonable because according to the system in my country, if the people suffer from a work-related injury or an accident, their children shall be properly compensated. As the Japanese army killed people for no reason during Japan’s invasion of China, the Japanese government is inescapably responsible for compensating the victims. Please think about this seriously and reply us.
On August 15, 1945, Japan unconditionally surrendered as a defeated country, ending the 8-year war. But the Chinese people’s losses in the war haven’t been compensated. According to international documents such as Yalta Agreement, Cairo Declaration and Potsdam Proclamation, the defeated country that launched the war of aggression must compensate the people of the invaded countries for all their losses. As Japan was the defeated country that launched the war of aggression against China, the Japanese government must compensate the Chinese people for all their losses. But our government didn’t suppress your country as a winning country or immediately ask for compensation. Why? Because our generous, noble government considered the difficulties of your country. Finally, our government announced to give up war reparations, but didn’t give up the claim for damage compensation. It’s totally reasonable that our government leaders handled the matter this way, which fully meets the will of both Japanese and Chinese people. I sincerely ask the Japanese government to properly compensate us by taking active measures to further deepen the friendship between Japanese and Chinese people and develop Sino-Japanese diplomatic relations. Let’s join hands together to remove the historical trauma!
Ordinary Chinese citizen Zhang Lixuan
August 8, 1993
Address: Zhenjiangguan, Songpan County, Sichuan Province
Zhang Lixuan
Sons Zhang Lei and Zhang Yun
Daughters Zhang Li and Zhang Jiao
