Soul of Blood and Glory: The Story of Zhao Yiman

Author: Wen Ye
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-04-01
Features: Zhao Yiman, female, was born on October 10, 1905, in Yibin County, Sichuan. In 1923, she joined the Chinese Socialist Youth League. In 1926, she joined the Communist Party of China. By the end of that year, she enrolled in the branch of the Wuhan Central Military and Political School for studies. In September 1927, she went to the Soviet Union to study at Moscow Sun Yat-sen University. In winter 1928, she returned to China and engaged in underground work successively in Shanghai and Jiangxi. After the "September 18th Incident," she was sent to Northeast China to launch the anti-Japanese struggle. She was martyred in 1936.
On November 1935, the third unit of the Anti-Japanese United Front Army of Northeast China was surrounded by Japanese and puppet forces. Zhao Yiman, the unit's political commissar, led the troops in fierce battle, killing more than 30 enemies, including Major Kotsuji Kiyotaka. To cover the unit's escape, Zhao Yiman was severely wounded. A few days later, while recuperating in a rural house, she was discovered by the enemy. In the battle, she was injured again and captured. Faced with the enemy's brutal torture, Zhao Yiman refused to yield. To extract a confession, the enemy sent her to a hospital for treatment. In the hospital, she actively promoted the principles of resisting Japan and saving the nation. The female nurse Han Yongyi and the guard Dong Xianxun were deeply moved and helped her escape. During the escape, she was captured again and subjected to even more cruel interrogation, but she remained steadfast. Enraged and humiliated, the enemy decided to execute her. One of the enemy's "reports" recorded the following, which shows the touching scene of Zhao Yiman facing death with courage and composure: During the escort, although she felt death was near, she showed no panic but instead expressed the belief that dying for the anti-Japanese struggle was glorious.
On August 2, 1936, after writing a farewell letter to her child, promising to continue the struggle in her mother's place, Zhao Yiman sang the "International Song" and the "Red Banner Song," shouted slogans such as "Down with Japanese Imperialism!" and "Long Live the Communist Party of China!" and walked to the execution ground, where she died heroically.