Changchun, 17 Sep (Xinhua) -- On the eve of the 92nd anniversary of the outbreak of the 918 Incident, this reporter followed archaeologists to the site of the Red Stone Anti-Japanese Base Area deep in the dense forest on the west side of the urban area of Panshi City, Jilin Province, to explore the traces left by the fighters of the Northeast Anti-Japanese Alliance.
Entrance to the archaeological site of the Red Stone Gravel site. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhang Boyu
"Red stone stone, blue stone stone, our resistance to the world is everywhere." Not afraid of the high mountains and long distances, not afraid of wind and rain. "In the Rock region, there has always been such a slippery mouth. This is the place where Yang Jingyu and other anti-Japanese national heroes fought.
The early autumn weather in the northeast has turned cooler, with majestic green mountains and lush trees. Walking deeper along the forest path, the ruins have been cleared into shape. Cellars, square sites, platforms, terraces... At the site of the Hongshi Anti-Japanese Base Area, through these sentries, residential sites, camp training, and battle remains, the environment for the training and production and life of the soldiers of the Anti-Japanese Federation in those years was clearly presented.
Archaeological teams and villagers are cleaning up the site. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhang Boyu
After the outbreak of the 918 Incident, the CPC Rock Central County Party Committee organized and led the people of all ethnic groups to launch a series of anti-Japanese rescue campaigns. At the beginning of 1933, the CPC Panshi Central County Party Committee and Yang Jingyu led the team to establish rear hospitals, repair equipment and printing houses and other logistics institutions in the Panshi Hongshi Yanzi area, which later gradually developed into an anti-Japanese guerrilla zone.
Fragments of a bowl unearthed at a site in the Red Stone Anti-Japanese Base. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhang Boyu
"It is hard to imagine what a harsh environment the anti-coalition soldiers had to fight against the Japanese invaders." Jiang Rong, a member of the archaeological team, said. Some nearby villagers were also involved in cleaning up the site. "Since we were young, we have listened to the old people in the village tell the stories of the anti-alliance fighters on the mountain back then." Liang Xiuying, a villager in Hongshi Village, said, "It feels very meaningful to come to this site, and we must remember the hardships endured by the revolutionary martyrs." ”
After systematic archaeological excavations, archaeologists confirmed that the site of the Hongshi Anti-Japanese Base Area contains 15 areas such as Bajiagou and Jinjiagou, with a distribution area of 32 square kilometers and more than 3,000 relics related to the Northeast Anti-Japanese Federation, which is currently the largest and best preserved anti-Japanese site in China.
The location of a stove at the ruins of a cellar. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhang Boyu
In fact, before the systematic archaeological excavations were carried out, only a corner of the site was known, and only now has the full picture of this important anti-alliance site been clarified. "This is because almost all the anti-alliance soldiers who lived and fought here have died, and only the nearby village has left a legend that there was an anti-alliance battle here, but it is not clear what it looks like." Meng Qingxu, leader of the archaeological team at the site of the Red Stone Anti-Japanese Base Site, said.
Green mountains bury loyal bones, mountains and rivers recite heroic souls.
More than 90 years later, the green mountains are still there, but the heroes and martyrs are gone, leaving only the ruins hidden by the trees. In order to restore the scene of more than 90 years ago to the greatest extent on the basis of archaeology, Meng Qingxu and his team made systematic planning for the display of the site at the beginning of the archaeological work. Today, visitors can wear auxiliary equipment and see the restored scenes of various relics combined with three-dimensional modeling, just like in the environment where the anti-alliance soldiers fought and lived.
"What we want to do is to show the form of life and production of the Northeast Anti-Japanese Federation in the Hongshi Anti-Japanese Base Area through archaeological and technical means, so that future generations can know how they lived and fought here." Li Ningning, a member of the archaeological team at the site of the Hongshi Anti-Japanese Base Site, said.
Archaeology team member Li Ningning observes a copper whistle that has just been excavated. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhang Boyu
More and more tourists and groups come to visit the site. "Only by remembering the past can we better look to the future." Meng Qingxu said.
Source: Xinhuanet