China Found Century-Old Dungeon by Japanese TroopsA water dungeon built by Japanese troops 100 years ago was found recently in Shanhaiguan in north China's Hebei Province.Historical records indicate that the cell was built in 1900 by Japanese troops after they shelled the Shanhaiguan along with the Eight-Power Allied Forces, who then built their barracks covering an area of 2 square kilometers there. Guo Zemin, head of the local cultural relics conservation office, said that the newly found Japanese water dungeon was among the earliest ones set up by foreign invasion troops. Lying in southwest of the ruin of the Japanese barracks, the dungeon is near the central building -- "General Building," the residence of a high-ranking Japanese officer. Experts measured that the concrete square dungeon is five meters long and 4.5 meters wide. One narrow entrance is facing south. Two small ventholes are set on the southern top. "When I first entered the dungeon through the narrow entrance,"said Guo Zemin, "I was frightened by the sight of some skeletons lying on the clammy cement floor." About 100 meters north of the water dungeon lies another prison house which is 10 meters long and 4 meters wide. The Japanese troops didn't retreat from Shanhaiguan, arriving there in 1900, until they surrendered in August of 1945. "During the War of Resistance Against Japan from 1937 to 1945, I often heard some Chinese screaming painfully at night," said 80-year-old Zhang Shouben. In 1900, eight countries including Britain, the United States, Germany, France, Tsarist Russia, Japan, Italy and Austria sent over 6,200 soldiers to attack the Shanhaiguan area. They didn't withdraw until the start of World War II. Some 320 kilometers away from Beijing, Shanhaguan has long been an important military fort in northeast China. |
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