Samurai Min: Daiichi writes patriotic integrity in awe

The picture shows the bronze sculpture of Wu Shimin in Chaigoubao Town, Huai'an County, Hebei Province.

Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Bai Mingshan

In the center of the garden in the center garden of Chaigoubao Town, Huai'an County, Zhangjiakou City, Hebei Province, stands a tall bronze statue dressed in a military uniform, with one hand crossed at the waist and staring ahead. He was the anti-Japanese hero General Wu Shimin, who fought heroically for the liberation of the Chinese nation all his life until he fought with the Japanese army on the Prancing Horse Front and sacrificed his life for the country.

Wu Shimin, also spelled Mianzhi, was born in 1892 in Chaigoubao Town, Huai'an County, Hebei Province. He was admitted to Xuanhua Middle School in 1908, and after graduation, he entered the Tianjin Beiyang Political Science and Law College. Joined the League as a student. He participated in the War of Defending the Country and Opposing Yuan. In 1918, he joined the Shaanxi Jingguo Army and opposed the Beiyang warlords. In 1925, he was appointed commander of the cavalry detachment of the 3rd Army of the Nationalist Army. In 1926, he went to the Soviet Union for military research. After returning to China in 1927, he served as the commander of the 2nd Brigade of the 1st Division of the Northwest Army, the brigade commander of the 124th Brigade of the 42nd Division, and the commander of the Tongguan Garrison. After the Xi'an Incident in 1936, he was the commander of the 169th Division of the National Revolutionary Army.

After the outbreak of the National War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression in 1937, Wu Shimin led his troops to the anti-Japanese front in Hebei and Shanxi. In 1939, he was promoted to commander of the 98th Army of the National Revolutionary Army. In May 1941, the Chinese army lost the Battle of Zhongtiao Mountain. Wu Shimin led the 98th Army into enemy lines and fought the Japanese army in Shanxi with the Eighth Route Army. In late September, the Japanese army concentrated its main force to encircle the 98th Army in Dongyu and Xiyu in Qinshui County, Shanxi. The Japanese army repeatedly sent people to persuade Samurai Min to surrender, but all of them were refused. On September 23, the Japanese army launched an attack on the 98th Army, and Samurai Min commanded the troops to resist stubbornly and organized several breakthroughs. On September 29, Samurai Min was shot in the head during a breakout battle and died of excessive blood loss at the age of 49.

After Wu Shimin's sacrifice, the Jinji-Hebei Luyu Border Region Government posthumously recognized him as a revolutionary martyr, held a memorial meeting throughout the region, and decided to change qinshui county where he died to Shimin county. In 1983, the Huai'an county government renovated the former residence of Wu Shimin and displayed his relics.

The former residence of Wu Shimin has become a patriotic education base in Huai'an County. "The patriotic spirit and great righteousness of Samurai Min not only did not disappear with the passage of time, but were carried forward and remained in the world forever." Zhang Jinshan, a retired cadre of Huai'an County who has been engaged in literary and historical research for many years, said.

In September 2014, Wu Shimin was listed in the first batch of 300 famous anti-Japanese heroes and heroes. In September 2015, the bronze sculpture of Wu Shimin was inaugurated in the town of Chaigoubao in Huai'an County. Every year on the Day of Qingming and Martyrs' Remembrance, the vast number of local cadres and masses come to the bronze sculpture to pay tribute to the heroes.

The Democratic Primary School of Chaigou Fort Town established the "Samurai Min Hero Squadron", and under the inspiration of the patriotic spirit, generation after generation of Young Pioneers worked hard to learn and thrive. Shen Ziyi, a student of the Hero Squadron, said: "The spirit of General Wu Shimin who would rather die than give up his life inspires us. Today's good life is not easy to come by, we must study hard and contribute to the country when we grow up. ”

Taketetsu, the son of Samurai Toshi, said: "I was only 7 years old when my father died. In 2015, as a descendant of the martyrs, I participated in the military parade commemorating the 70th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. In the same year, I returned to my hometown of Chaigoubao Town, Huai'an County, to participate in the inauguration ceremony of my father's bronze sculpture. As the descendants of heroes, no matter where we are, we must inherit our legacy and complete their unfinished business. ”