Among the many family letters that flew back to the motherland from the battlefield to resist US aggression and aid Korea, the family letters of Li Zhengming, a volunteer soldier, are unique.
Because his sister was still very young and did not know much literacy, Li Zhengming was worried that his sister would not be able to understand, so he drew many vivid pictures in the letter. For example, "Chairman Mao" and "Military Merit Medal" and so on, the images are depicted very realistically, which is refreshing. In the letter, Li Zhengming warned them to study hard and use the balance of his allowance to buy school supplies for his sister.
Li Zhengming is a cultural instructor of the 208th Regiment of the 70th Division of the 24th Army of the Chinese People's Volunteers. In September 1952, according to the unified deployment of his superiors, Li Zhengming entered the DPRK with the 24th Army of the Volunteer Army. On December 23, under the order of the Volunteer Army Headquarters, the 24th Army of the Volunteer Army went to the central line of Korea to take over the defense line of the 15th Army of the Volunteer Army in the vicinity of Jinhua, Pingkang, and Shangganling, and undertake the defense task.
The fighting on the Korean battlefield was ruthless, but in his letters to his family, Li Zhengming never mentioned the fighting, let alone described the brutal scenes of the war.
Li Zhengming's letter to his sister
"My dear sister, why don't you write to me, I wish you would write to me often... Last time, I sent 300,000 yuan (10,000 yuan from the old yuan to 1 yuan from the new yuan) to my eldest brother and asked him to buy you a pen and a harmonica, you are happy..."
"I don't have to worry about everything in the position, I want to study hard, work hard, resolutely kill the enemy, strive for meritorious service, and make the whole family glorious, and now I have worn the medal presented by the people of the motherland... I'm also trying to wear a military medal and go back to see Chairman Mao..."Every word is magnificent, heroic and fearless!"
Li Zhengming's letter to his sister
On the evening of June 23, 1953, our army launched a fierce counterattack on the enemy's position at the front of Wusheng Mountain, eliminating 6 enemy reinforced companies and 2 garrison companies. Li Zhengming was wounded in the battle and held out in the line of fire. He said: "It is glorious to shed blood and sweat today, for the independence of the Korean people, for the security of the motherland, and for the people and our families to live a good life." He braved the rain of bullets to rescue the wounded, was wounded again, and finally died because of his injuries.
Li Zhengming's life is forever fixed at the age of 23. But his reluctance to miss his relatives and his love for the motherland are still shining with dazzling brilliance after 70 years.
Selected from previous issues
- The tree of the martyr's cemetery has a "five-pointed star"
- There is not a word in this family letter, but it makes people cry when they read it
- 60,000 people keep the secrets of the mountains
Source: China Military Network