honoring the Fallen: Return and Remembrance of Korean War Volunteers
The twelfth batch of remains representing 30 Chinese Peopel’s Volunteer Army (CPVA) martyrs returned to China on September 12th, followed by a solemn burial ceremony at the Martyrs Cemetery of the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea on September 13th. This event underscores the ongoing commitment to honoring those who sacrificed their lives during the Korean War.
The ceremony resonated deeply with veterans and the public alike. An elderly veteran of the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea, Zhang Jian, watched the live broadcast with tears in his eyes. Despite physical limitations, he made a point to dress formally and view the ceremony, offering a salute to the television and stating, “Today’s China is stronger than we imagined on the battlefield under the wind and snow. comrades, rest in peace!” He had previously made regular visits to the cemetery to speak with his fallen comrades.
Following the ceremony, citizens queued to lay chrysanthemums at the wall of names, pausing to find and remember their loved ones amongst the honored. Fang Hanbing and Liao Qisheng were observed spending a long time searching for the names of their elders.
Wang Chunjie, a staff member at the Chenyang Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea Martyrs Cemetery Management center, plays a vital role in welcoming the returning remains each year. After the ceremony,she carefully arranged the flowers placed before the wall of heroes,expressing her dedication to preserving their legacy. “As the guardian of heroes, I wont to tell their stories to more people and pass on the spirit of resisting U.S.aggression and aiding Korea. This is the best comfort to the heroes,” she told reporters.
This repatriation and remembrance effort is part of a larger undertaking by the Ministry of National Defense of the People’s Republic of China. To date, the identification and comparison of remains from the first eleven batches – a total of 981 CPVA martyrs discovered in South Korea – has been successfully completed. Through this process, the identities of 28 volunteer army martyrs have been confirmed, and their families located.
As President Xi Jinping emphasized,”We must always remember their sacrifices and dedication for all those who have given their precious lives for the country,the nation and the peace,no matter how the times change.” The return of these heroes and the ongoing efforts to identify and honor them serve as a powerful reminder of their sacrifice and a call to continue building a stronger China. The sentiment echoed throughout the ceremony – “The mountains and rivers are safe as of you; today’s family and country are as you wish” – encapsulates the nation’s gratitude and commitment to remembering its heroes.
(Source: People’s Liberation Army News, Chenyang, september 13; reported by Jia Xuefeng)
