In hometown of WWII heroine, history never forgotten

CHENGDU, Dec. 2 (Xinhua) -- Eight decades have passed since the end of World War II, yet in a remote city by the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, the memory of a native-born female martyr remains deeply cherished in the hearts of local people.

This year marks the 120th anniversary of the birth of Zhao Yiman, a Chinese national hero who sacrificed her life fighting against Japanese aggression. In her hometown of Yibin, southwest China's Sichuan Province, the Zhao Yiman Memorial has witnessed a significant increase in visitors this year, with the number of visits doubling to nearly 600,000.

"Zhao Yiman has never truly left us. Here in Yibin, every child grows up hearing her story," said Yang Fan, a museum guide.

Located at the mountainside of Cuiping Hill in the downtown area, this memorial is not only a frequently visited site for local residents but also serves as a patriotic education base for students.

The museum has undergone continuous upgrades to better tell Zhao's story. "Our latest exhibition includes a section dedicated to her descendants, which showcases the enduring legacy of our heroine's bloodline," Yang added.

Eight-year-old primary school student Chuan Jinxuan visited the memorial with her aunt and two younger cousins. She has lost count of how many times she has been there.

"When I was little, I couldn't read the words on the walls. But now, I can understand more and more of them," she said. "I take great pride in her legacy. She was a brave person."

In celebration of the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC), Zhao was honored among the 100 major heroes and role models named by the country.

Originally named Li Kuntai, she was born in 1905 in a village of Yibin. She joined the CPC at the age of 21. Following Japanese invasions on Sept. 18, 1931, Zhao was sent to northeast China to lead the anti-Japanese guerrilla war amid extreme conditions of severe cold and hunger.

In 1931, China began its 14-year war of resistance against Japanese aggression, which is considered the beginning of the World Anti-Fascist War.

Zhao was severely wounded and captured by enemy forces in November 1935 while covering the retreat of Chinese troops. She endured brutal torture, yet steadfastly refused to divulge any information about the Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army.

Earlier this year, a series of detailed archival records documenting Zhao's arrest and imprisonment were publicly exhibited for the first time in the Museum of the War of the Chinese People's Resistance Against Japanese Aggression in Beijing.

Yang, who has reviewed these documents, noted that the Japanese had employed a variety of torture methods, including electric shock, inserting steel needles into fingers and pouring chili water up the nose, all deliberately designed to inflict extreme pain without bringing about immediate death.

The newly displayed records, featuring meticulous details, are living testimonies to history -- a past that must never be forgotten, Yang said.

She added, "I know some people in the world want to erase history, but for us Chinese, history is like an inseparable river flowing towards the future."

Yibin, where Zhao once lived, was also a heroic city in the fight against Japanese aggressors. During the war, it suffered eight bombings by Japanese planes, but still received a large number of refugees from occupied areas, including a group of famous scholars, and helped to preserve the cultural heritage of the Chinese nation.

The emotional climax of the exhibition in the memorial of Zhao Yiman is her farewell letter to her young son, written on Aug. 2, 1936, before she was executed by Japanese soldiers.

It's my regret that I haven't fulfilled a mother's duty to raise and guide you. There will be no chance for us to meet again in this life. My most beloved child, I have no need for a thousand words to teach you. I teach you by how I have lived. When you are grown, I hope you will never forget that your mother gave her life for the country, she wrote.

"We owe our life today to the war heroes," said Miao Jiarui, a student from Yibin University, who was among a group of volunteers cleaning the floors of the memorial.

"It is important for young people like us to revisit this history so that we can develop a deeper sense of national belonging," she added.

Near the exit of the memorial, on an electric handwriting screen, a young boy had written: "Never forget national humiliation."

"Zhao Yiman is one of countless heroes from that war. We remember her story not to nurture hatred, but to cherish peace and ensure history does not repeat itself," Yang said.