Chinese Heroic Spirit 2: Female Heroes

  Zhao Yiman (1905-1936), originally named Li Kuntai, also known as Li Shuning and Li Yichao, was a native of Yibin, Sichuan. In 1926, he joined the Communist Party of China and engaged in student movements in Yibin. In early 1927, he entered the Wuhan branch of the Central Military and Political School for study, and later was sent by the party organization to study at Sun Yat-sen University in the Soviet Union. After returning to China in 1928, he worked secretly in Yichang, Shanghai, and Nanchang. Following the September 18th Incident in 1931, he went to Northeast China to engage in anti-Japanese struggles, serving as acting secretary of the Harbin General Labor Union. In the summer of 1934, he was transferred to work in Zhuhe, where he served as a member of the Zhuhe Central County Committee, secretary of the Dongbei District Committee, and political commissar of the Second Regiment of the First Division of the Northeast People's Revolutionary Army. He was killed by the enemy on August 2, 1936.

  1. Women of Shu

  In the spring of 1932, Zhao Yiman was sent by the party organization to Shenyang, where she carried out secret activities among women for over a year. In the autumn of the same year, she arrived in Harbin and successively served as secretary of the Manchurian Provincial General Labor Union and head of its organizational department. In October 1933, the Preparatory Office of the Manchurian Provincial General Labor Union was established, and Zhao Yiman was transferred to Harbin to work on union organization under the leadership of the provincial committee. Soon after, she concurrently served as acting secretary of the Harbin General Labor Union, responsible for guiding the workers' movement.

  To better carry out revolutionary work under the enemy's rule, Zhao Yiman and Provincial General Labor Union Secretary Lao Cao pretended to be husband and wife, organizing a "family" as cover. On one hand, he worked in the government agency, on the other hand, he went to the tobacco factory and electric car factory to engage in revolutionary activities among workers.

  On April 2, 1933, the puppet Manchurian police brutally beat an electric car ticket seller named Zhang Hongyu, arousing the electric car workers' boundless anger and preparing for a strike. Zhao Yiman followed the instructions of the Provincial Party Committee and personally went to the electric car factory to guide the strike.

  Under her guidance, the strike committee composed of party members and activists put forward five demands to the police: (1) punish the culprit; (2) give 50 yuan compensation to the injured worker; (3) pay double salary during the worker's recovery period; (4) let the police bear medical expenses; (5) make a public apology in the newspaper. The strike committee also distributed and posted leaflets, slogans, and cartoons exposing the crimes of Japanese invaders and traitors.

  The next day, the strike took place as scheduled, with all city buses stopping and traffic congested. Due to the strong leadership of the party organization, the strike committee resisted the enemy's threats and temptations, saw through their various deceptive tactics, and the workers persisted in the struggle, finally forcing the enemy to agree to the electric car workers' demands and achieving a victory in the strike.

  Zhao Yiman was clever and brave in the fight against the enemy. One evening in May, she and five or six young men and women were holding a meeting in a Russian-style wooden house on Beiyang Island in the Songhua River to discuss anti-Japanese work. Unexpectedly, the door was opened by a child, and a fake policeman discovered it and suddenly rushed in. At that time, there were some documents on the table, and it was too late to hide them. The guy pulled out his gun, stretched out his hand to grab the documents, and everyone was stunned for a moment. At this time, Zhao Yiman quickly stood up, poured a basin of rice porridge from the windowsill onto the fake policeman's face, and the fake policeman couldn't open his eyes for a while, with both hands rubbing his face wildly. Everyone took advantage of the situation to rush forward, pressed him to the ground, tied him up, stuffed a towel in his mouth, and hid him under the bed. Until nightfall, they quietly threw him into the Songhua River.

  Zhao Yiman wrote a poem "Binjiang Shuhuai" during her anti-Japanese struggle in Harbin, expressing her grand ambition to dedicate herself for the liberation of the Chinese nation, far away from home and her husband and son. It is also a true portrayal of her short life.

  Be loyal to the people, not to the family.

  Crossing rivers and seas, walking to the ends of the earth.

  Boys are not all good.

  Why is girls' luck so different from others?

  No regrets for the new country, even if it costs one's head.

  I will shed my hot blood for China.

  White Mountain Black Water expels bandits and enemies

  Laughing at the red flags like flowers.

  In the spring of 1934, the Harbin Party organization was destroyed by the enemy, and Zhao Yiman's situation became very dangerous. The Manchuria Provincial Committee decided to send her to work in the Zhuheshan County (now Shangzhi County) Anti-Japanese Guerrilla Zone. After arriving at the guerrilla zone, Zhao Yiman served as a member of the Zhuheshan Central County Committee, special commissioner of the county committee, and head of the women's association. She integrated with the peasants, helped women with household chores such as cooking and sewing, organized meetings to propagate anti-Japanese ideas, and mobilized women to make military uniforms and shoes, stand guard, gather intelligence for the guerrilla troops, and provide supplies. During battles, she organized stretcher teams to transport wounded soldiers.

  At that time, the anti-Japanese guerrilla force was short of weapons and ammunition. Zhao Yiman often risked danger to enter the enemy-occupied area to collect supplies for the guerrillas. On one occasion, the local party organization purchased several dozen handguns and some bullets from the puppet army in the city through connections. However, due to the tight enemy inspection, they were unable to transport them out. The county committee comrades were all very anxious, and Zhao Yiman volunteered to complete this perilous task. She brought a girl surnamed Sha, disguised as visiting relatives, into the city of Zhuhe County. In a restaurant, she met with connections and then walked around the street to observe the situation and think of a strategy. At that time, a cow cart carrying night soil slowly came over, and she suddenly had an idea: "There's a way!" She quickly returned to her residence and researched with underground party comrades. They found a large night soil cart, wrapped the weapons and ammunition in oil paper and cloth, and placed them in the cart. Zhao Yiman and the girl surnamed Sha followed the cart at a distance of several dozen steps towards the city gate. The Japanese soldiers and puppet troops guarding the gate were disgusted by the smell and covered their noses without conducting a thorough inspection, allowing them to pass through. These weapons were successfully delivered into the hands of the guerrilla force.

  To get weapons, Zhao Yiman thought of ways to seize guns from the enemy. At that time, on the highway leading to Maoshan Railway Station, there was a police sentry post every five or six miles, with four or five policemen in each post, and a telephone connecting them. Zhao Yiman and county committee member Lei Yan studied how to collect weapons from these sentry posts many times. One night, Lei Yan led the way in front, while Zhao Yiman followed behind with several people. After killing the sentries, everyone rushed forward, charging into the sentry post to seize guns. After taking down one sentry post, they cut off the telephone line and rushed to another sentry post. That night, more than 20 guns were seized.

  3. Gān will shed his hot blood for China.

  In the spring of 1935, the county party committee decided to appoint Zhao Yiman as the secretary of the North Railway District Committee. She went deep into the Binzhou Railway North Houlin Township area, actively mobilizing the masses to carry out anti-Japanese struggles and organized a peasant self-defense team of over 20 people in Houlin Township. This peasant self-defense team became stronger and stronger in the fight against the enemy, and the team continued to expand, later reorganized into a local guerrilla company, often coordinating with the main force of the guerrilla army to fight.

  In the autumn of that year, the Japanese invaders launched a brutal campaign of burning and killing against our Pearl River guerrilla base, causing great losses to local organizations and masses. The county committee decided that the main force of the Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army's Third Army would go on an expedition to Fangzheng, Boli, and Tangyuan areas, opening up new guerrilla zones. Zhao Yiman led the local guerrilla regiment into the third army's first division second regiment, where she served as the regimental political commissar. The second regiment remained in the base area, pinning down enemy forces.

  Due to the enemy's crazy attack, the environment of the Second Regiment became more and more difficult day by day. On November 15, 1935, Zhao Yiman and Regimental Commander Wang Hui led more than 50 soldiers from the Second Regiment to operate near the west of Liangzhu River in Zuoyegou, where they were surrounded and attacked by more than 300 Japanese puppet troops. The enemy's artillery fire was very fierce, and the Second Regiment had few people and insufficient bullets, but each one was brave and stubborn, with one against ten, continuously repelling the enemy's five charges, killing more than 30 Japanese puppet soldiers. Our army also suffered heavy losses, and at night when breaking through the siege, the troops were dispersed, and Commander Wang was wounded and captured, then killed by the enemy. Zhao Yiman's left wrist was pierced by a bullet and she was injured, after breaking through the siege, she joined forces with Zhou Boxue, the head of the propaganda department of the Tiebei District Committee, soldier Lao Yu, 16-year-old women's committee member Yang Guilan, and transportation worker Liu Fusheng, and came to a small hut in Xiaoxibeigou where Liu Fusheng had lived before to treat her wounds.

  Six days later, their whereabouts were discovered by the secret service. On the morning of November 22, the Pearl River County Japanese puppet police team raided their residence, and in the battle, Lao Yu and Liu Fusheng sacrificed themselves. Zhao Yiman's left thigh bone was broken, and she fainted and was captured. The enemy found a cow cart to take Zhao Yiman, Zhou Boxue, and Yang Guilan to Pearl River County. Zhao Yiman instructed Yang Guilan to only say that she had been brought in to serve the wounded and not to say anything else, with everything being borne by Zhao Yiman. The enemy could not find any evidence, and after 28 days of detention, Yang Guilan was released. At that time, the head of the external affairs section of the pseudo-Binjiang Provincial Police Department's special affairs bureau, Taiji Ohno, was investigating the Chinese people's anti-Japanese struggle in Pearl River County. He met Zhao Yiman at the pseudo-county government police department and feared that she would die soon due to her serious injuries and not be able to provide any information. Therefore, he arranged for a doctor to simply treat her leg injury while interrogating her all night. In the face of the enemy's cruelty, Zhao Yiman, who was seriously injured, showed a strong will and determination to fight against Japan until death. When Taiji asked Zhao Yiman why she wanted to resist Japan, she endured the pain and angrily rebuked him, saying: "I am Chinese, and the crimes committed by Japan since its invasion of China cannot be described in just a few words. If you were Chinese, how would you feel about the Japanese army's current burning, killing, and looting behavior in Pearl River County? The Chinese people oppose such actions by the Japanese army; do they still need to be explained? We Chinese have no other way out except to fight against Japan."

  The Japanese didn't ask any more questions, and in a fit of rage, they repeatedly tortured Zhao Yiman, trying to force her to surrender. They used whips to brutally lash the wound on Zhao's left wrist, and used the whip handle to viciously poke at the injured area on her leg. Zhao was in so much pain that she almost fainted. But no matter how cruel the enemy was, she didn't waver in her determination to fight against Japan and for her country. Every time she was interrogated, she firmly told the enemy: "You don't need to ask any more questions, my purpose is to oppose the Japanese and Manchu, and to spread this idea, it's my ideology, my faith!" Ohno realized that Zhao Yiman was not an ordinary peasant woman, and through interrogating other captured people, confirmed that she was a leader of the Central County Committee of Zhuhe. For such an important figure, the enemy naturally attached great importance to her. 15 days later, Ohno mobilized a large number of soldiers and police, and took Zhao Yiman back to Harbin.

  Due to Zhao Yiman's leg wound festering and becoming septic, her life was in danger. The enemy, in order to obtain important testimony from her, sent her to Harbin Municipal Hospital for surveillance and treatment on the night of December 13th. After more than three months of meticulous care by patriotic doctor Zhang Baiyan, Zhao Yiman's leg injury had improved. In order to facilitate their interrogation of her, the enemy arranged for her to be placed in a single-person hospital room, which also provided Zhao Yiman with convenient conditions for activity. She took advantage of every opportunity to conduct patriotic ideological education on the police officer guarding her, Dong Xianxun, telling him many moving stories about the anti-Japanese struggle and revolutionary principles. Dong Xianxun was a young man with a sense of justice, and through listening to the "Anti-Communist League"'s stories of struggle, he developed a deep respect for the anti-Japanese heroes. He also read articles written by Zhao Yiman, which stirred up his hatred for Japanese imperialism and Han traitors, and awakened his patriotic passion. After more than 20 days, Zhao Yiman finally won him over. Dong Xianxun expressed his willingness to join the "Anti-Communist League" and dedicate his life to national liberation.

  The enemy sent a 17-year-old nurse, Han Yongyi, to take care of Zhao Yiman. She was a cheerful and lively girl who knew that the person she was taking care of was a legendary anti-Japanese heroine, so she took extra care in her nursing. Zhao Yiman also treated her like an older sister, telling her stories about the "Anti-Communist League" and educating her on patriotic ideology, soon winning her over. They respected Zhao Yiman and decided to help her escape from the enemy's clutches.

  One night in June, the on-duty Dong Xianxun rushed into the ward and told Zhao Yiman with a flustered expression: "The Japanese are going to execute you by firing squad." Nurse Han Yongyi burst into tears upon hearing this. After calming down, they thought of ways together, and Dong Xianxun said he would do everything possible to help Zhao Yiman. At first, Zhao Yiman was afraid of implicating them, but after repeated persuasion, the three decided to take action. Han Yongyi sold his two rings and coat, and prepared the necessary medical supplies. They decided to act before the enemy on the night of June 28.

  After careful research and preparation, on the night of June 28, 1936, Han Yongyi and Dong Xianxun carried Zhao Yiman out of the hospital's back door, got into a rented car, and drove to the outskirts near Wenmiao. After getting off the car, Zhao Yiman sat in a small sedan chair that had been waiting there beforehand, and arrived at the home of Dong Yuance, Dong Xianxun's uncle, in Jinjia Wopeng, Acheng County, the next morning. With the help of Dong Yuance, they got on Wei Yuhe's horse cart that night, preparing to rush to the anti-Japanese guerrilla area.

  On the morning of June 30, just over 20 miles from the guerrilla zone near Lijiayuan, they were unfortunately caught up by the pursuing enemy. Zhao Yiman habitually touched the place where she usually hung her gun and only then realized that she didn't have a gun. She calmly told Dong Xianhui and Han Yongyi: "Don't be afraid, no matter what happens, we can't say where we're going." The enemy surrounded the horse cart, whipping Zhao Yiman and others with horsewhips. Zhao Yiman fell into the clutches of the Japanese puppet regime once again.

  Zhao Yiman and others were taken back to Harbin, locked in the detention center of the puppet Harbin Police Department. The enemy subjected Zhao Yiman, Dong Xianxun, and Han Yongyi to cruel torture, Dong Xianxun died in prison due to excessive punishment, and Han Yongyi was sentenced to imprisonment. Zhao Yiman remained steadfast and unyielding, the enemy decided to send her back to Zhuhe County to be executed "as a warning to the public".

  August 2, 1936, at dawn, Zhao Yiman was taken to the train going to Zhuhe River. She knew that her final moment had arrived and couldn't help but think of her relatives in Sichuan, her husband abroad, and her 7-year-old son in prison. She decided to write a letter to her son and was sure he would see it. So she asked the police for paper and pen, and with deep emotion wrote down the sincere hopes of an anti-Japanese mother:

  Niang'er!

  Your mother has not been able to fulfill her educational responsibilities for you, which is a regrettable thing. Your mother also made the anti-Manchu and anti-Japanese struggle with determination, and today she has already reached the eve of sacrifice. Your mother and you will never have the opportunity to meet again in this life. I hope that you, Ning Er, will quickly grow up and come to comfort your underground mother! My dearest child! Your mother does not need a thousand words to educate you, but uses her actions to educate you. After you grow up, I hope you don't forget that your mother sacrificed for the country!

  Your mother Zhao Yiman was in the car

  August 2, 1936

  On August 2, 1936, the enemy tied Zhao Yiman to a cart and took her to the small north gate of Zhuhe County to show her off. The enemy asked her: "Do you have anything else to say?" Zhao Yiman replied with great righteousness: "Dying for the anti-Japanese struggle is glorious!" And loudly shouted: "Down with Japanese imperialism!" The people's good daughter, outstanding patriotic heroine Zhao Yiman made a heroic sacrifice at the age of 31.

  Zhao Yiman's English name and her noble spirit will forever live in the hearts of the people. The Harbin people renamed a main street where she fought, "Xiao Jie", to Yiman Street. Zhu De once wrote an inscription for Zhao Yiman: 'Revolutionary Hero Zhao Yiman Martyr Forever!' Guo Moruo also wrote a poem full of revolutionary passion on April 9, 1962, to commemorate Zhao Yiman:

  In Shu, there are many heroic women.

  The stone pillar still exists, and the jade trail remains.

  The world today sings of Zhao Yiman

  The people will always remember the female vanguard.

  Youth exchanged for a strong and prosperous country

  The green blood will dye the sky and earth red.

  The northeast southwest all look up together

  The Pearl River carries a vast cargo of waves eastward with the wind.