September 3, the anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, is also the anniversary of the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War. In this day remembered by the Chinese people, Mr. Gao Wenbin, the last person in China to witness the whole process of the Tokyo Trial, was buried in Shanghai Fushou garden and has been buried next to the Tokyo Trial Monument ever since.
Dan Xin has always been a family country, and the loyal soul will always be casting meritorious deeds. In the view of Gao Wenbin's daughter Gao Lan, this is the best description of his father's life. "My father always had a patriotic feeling of dedication to serving the country," Gao Lan recalled at the scene, in order to serve the motherland, his father never gave up studying in the most difficult period, and insisted on learning to serve the country.
The Tokyo Trial is a history worth remembering for all Malaysians. Not forgetting history is also for the future of the motherland. Gao Lan always remembers that in those years, his father, who was in his twilight years, was still busy with the propaganda and dissemination of this history of the Tokyo trial. In the past few months, Gao Wenbin's family has been sorting out his belongings. Among them, there are manuscripts, books, and teaching handouts in Both Chinese and English. There is also a lot of correspondence about academics. She hopes that in the future, these precious relics can be donated to the society, so that more people can understand the patriotic heart of that generation of intellectuals for the motherland.
Next to the first large memorial statue of the "Tokyo Trial", a few words condensed nearly 100 lives
Gao Wenbin, born in Shanghai in December 1922, attended the Law School of Soochow University as a young man, and was recommended as a translator for the International Prosecutor's Office because of his knowledge of Anglo-American law and proficiency in English.
A small stone stele, a color photo of Professor Gao Wenbin and a few words are quietly placed in the flower bed on the side of the Tokyo Trial Monument, which inscribes the outstanding contribution of this famous jurist in his life and condenses the indifferent life of the old man for nearly a hundred years.
Tokyo Trial Monument, the first large-scale commemorative statue in China created against the backdrop of the famous "Tokyo Trial". The stele is a wall symbolizing the "Nanjing Massacre", and above it are inlaid bronze busts of procurator Xiang Zhe and Judge Mei Ruzhang, as well as the names of seventeen Chinese jurists who participated in the Tokyo trial. Underneath the statue is a unicorn symbolizing the dignity and justice of the law, stepping on a broken Japanese saber and steel helmet, a reminder to future generations not to forget history.
In 2007, the 85-year-old Professor Gao Wenbin personally attended the inauguration ceremony of the statue, and the old man said excitedly: "The Tokyo Trial gave Chinese the opportunity to raise their eyebrows, and to this day we still have to report the attitude of 'the past does not forget the future'. ”
Two things in my life: the Tokyo Trials and the Great Dictionary
Gao Wenbin summed up his life like this before his death: "In my life, there are probably two things: one is the Tokyo Trial, and the other is the Great Dictionary. ”
From 1946 to 1948, Gao Wenbin participated in the Tokyo Trials (Far Eastern International Trials). As the secretary and translator of the Chinese prosecutor Xiang Zhetao, he cooperated with the Chinese procuratorial team in prosecuting, presenting evidence, debating, hearing and sentencing.
During his time, in order to collect more evidence, he plunged into various documents whenever he had time. From official archives and media reports to classified documents, he did not spare every piece of information that could "convict" Japanese war criminals. By chance, he found a news photo taken in 1937 in a pile of old Tokyo Ilbo Shimbun newspapers —a brutal "hundred-man beheading contest" between Japanese war criminals Toshiaki Izumi and Takeshi Noda, in which the Chinese had more heads cut off. This finding was later transferred to the International Tribunal as strong evidence, which ultimately brought the Japanese war criminals to justice.
After returning to China, Gao Wenbin continued to enrich his research and teaching in law, and worked hard in the field of international law for 40 years, training students throughout the legal practice and academia.
The sound and smile are clear in everyone's thoughts
Today, a memorial service for Mr. Gao Wenbin was also held in the Shanghai Fushouyuan Humanities Memorial Hall. At the memorial service, people recalled the bits and pieces of his interaction with the elderly, and his voice and smile became clear in the minds of everyone.
Fei Jian, secretary general of the Shanghai Municipal Committee of the China Democratic League, said that Mr. Gao Wenbin is a respected veteran member and senior of the China Democratic League. His life was full of ups and downs, which was a legend. His noble patriotic feelings, selfless dedication and outstanding career achievements are worthy of being a model for future generations, and the NLD will certainly take over and pass on the beliefs, character and ethics advocated and adhered to by Mr. Wang.
As gao wenbin's alumni, Jiang Yong, secretary of the party committee of Soochow University, and Yan Dalong, deputy secretary of the party committee of Shanghai Maritime University, reviewed the scene of his interaction with Mr. Gao, and they said that Mr. Gao's patriotic feelings, exquisite professional level, rigorous academic attitude, sincere educational enthusiasm, and elegant gentleman's demeanor all left a deep impression on people. In his hundred years of life, Gao Lao's life has perfectly interpreted the meritorious and moral words, the patriotic spirit and great righteousness embodied in him, and his deep love and expectation for his alma mater are worthy of eternal learning, inheritance and promotion by future generations.
Xiang Longwan, the son of Xiang Longwan, honorary director of the Tokyo Trial Research Center of Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Chinese prosecutor at the Tokyo Trial, recalled more than several decades of contacts with Gao Lao, and expressed his respect for gao Lao's indifferent and open-minded character and rigorous and serious attitude toward learning.
At the memorial service, the memorial hall collected the cameras used by Mr. Gao Wenbin. According to reports, Gao Laoyou loves photography, and when he was in Tokyo, he used this camera to take a group photo of the famous Tokyo Trial Ten Junjie. This old camera, which has accompanied Gao Lao for more than half a century, and the "Yuanzhao Anglo-American Dictionary" compiled by Mr. Gao Wenbin will be treasured together in the memorial hall.
Author: Wang Jiayi
Edit: Zhou Chen