War veteran recalls a rich life
By Cui Songge and Pan Zheng |
August 1, 2009, Saturday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
XIA Guoxun, an 85-year-old man, has had a rich life in different roles. In the Chinese Civil War, he was a brave soldier and narrowly survived the Shanghai Campaign (a series of battles fought between the nationalists and the communists for the control of Shanghai in the Chinese Civil War). Inside Xia's head still remain two pieces of shrapnel.
After 1949, he was appointed the honorary manager of Minhang Hotel and welcomed many domestic and foreign leaders. After the reform and opening up in 1978, he became vice director of Shanghai Housing Administrative Bureau.
Now, Xia lives in the Minhang Old Cadres Sanitarium on Liuzhou Road, where he enjoys a peaceful life. In the past 60 years, he has witnessed the great changes that have occurred in Minhang and the rest of Shanghai.
Xia joined the People's Liberation Army in 1943 when he was 19. In the Chinese Civil War, he was a soldier in the main force and participated in the Huaihai Campaign and Yangtze River Crossing Campaign. In May 1949, Xia was a PLA scout in the Shanghai Campaign in which the 25-year-old man almost lost his life.
"It was in the battle of Yuepu Town. Since it was a key point of the whole campaign, it was destined to be a mortal fight," Xia recalls.
On May 12, Xia's mission was to go to the front line with three other soldiers and assess the enemy's plans as well as learn the names of their 19 officials.
"It was extremely dangerous since I could be killed at any time," he said. But Xia still completed the mission successfully. "Finally we got enough information about the enemy's tactics and beat them."
Unfortunately, just when victory was coming, a cannon shell almost killed him.
On May 19, at the end of the battle of Yuepu, Xia was hit by shrapnel when he was monitoring enemy movements with a telescope, sustaining a severe head injury.
He lay in hospital unconscious for over a month and woke to learn that Shanghai had been liberated on May 27.
Xia points to the back left of his head where the shrapnel pieces remain, saying "the doctor said I'd better not have any more operations because of my age," though he still suffers headaches.
On May 28 this year, Xia took his children and grandchildren to Yuepu Town.
"I wanted them to realize how hard it was to win the peace," Xia says. "Remember those three guys who went on the scout mission with me? One of them was killed in that mission," he said, then fell silent.
After being discharged from the army, Xia's life took a new turn, working in different roles, including honorary manager of Minhang Hotel.
"At the time, Shanghai was a very important industrial base of China, while Minhang was one of the most important industrial districts of Shanghai, so many leaders often visited here, such as Deng Xiaoping and Chen Yi," he said.
When recalling Deng's visit to Minhang Hotel in 1958, Xia still remembers the details.
"Actually they stayed in the hotel for half an hour. After a cup of tea, they wanted to visit some factories." Xia led them to the Steam Turbine Factory, Electrical Machinery Factory, Boiler Factory and Heavy Machines Factory, which were called the "Four Great Guardians" of Minhang at the time.
During the visit, Deng and Chen also talked about the long-range plan for Shanghai, like building bridges across the Huangpu River.
"Now, their hopes have come true," Xia says. Minhang also attracted the attention of foreign guests.
"Although the hotel had only four floors, it used to be one of the highest in Minhang," he said. "And because it was built according to diplomatic standards, many foreign party leaders and experts paid a visit to our hotel."
In the "cultural revolution" (1966-1976), Xia was sent to the countryside to do farm work and afterwards returned to the city and was appointed the vice director of Shanghai Land and Housing Administrative Bureau.
At that time, except for the Minhang government building, police stations and officials' dormitory buildings, most parts were farms.
Now, as he walks around Minhang, he is proud of the great changes. "I feel my efforts were definitely worthwhile," he said.
After 1949, he was appointed the honorary manager of Minhang Hotel and welcomed many domestic and foreign leaders. After the reform and opening up in 1978, he became vice director of Shanghai Housing Administrative Bureau.
Now, Xia lives in the Minhang Old Cadres Sanitarium on Liuzhou Road, where he enjoys a peaceful life. In the past 60 years, he has witnessed the great changes that have occurred in Minhang and the rest of Shanghai.
Xia joined the People's Liberation Army in 1943 when he was 19. In the Chinese Civil War, he was a soldier in the main force and participated in the Huaihai Campaign and Yangtze River Crossing Campaign. In May 1949, Xia was a PLA scout in the Shanghai Campaign in which the 25-year-old man almost lost his life.
"It was in the battle of Yuepu Town. Since it was a key point of the whole campaign, it was destined to be a mortal fight," Xia recalls.
On May 12, Xia's mission was to go to the front line with three other soldiers and assess the enemy's plans as well as learn the names of their 19 officials.
"It was extremely dangerous since I could be killed at any time," he said. But Xia still completed the mission successfully. "Finally we got enough information about the enemy's tactics and beat them."
Unfortunately, just when victory was coming, a cannon shell almost killed him.
On May 19, at the end of the battle of Yuepu, Xia was hit by shrapnel when he was monitoring enemy movements with a telescope, sustaining a severe head injury.
He lay in hospital unconscious for over a month and woke to learn that Shanghai had been liberated on May 27.
Xia points to the back left of his head where the shrapnel pieces remain, saying "the doctor said I'd better not have any more operations because of my age," though he still suffers headaches.
On May 28 this year, Xia took his children and grandchildren to Yuepu Town.
"I wanted them to realize how hard it was to win the peace," Xia says. "Remember those three guys who went on the scout mission with me? One of them was killed in that mission," he said, then fell silent.
After being discharged from the army, Xia's life took a new turn, working in different roles, including honorary manager of Minhang Hotel.
"At the time, Shanghai was a very important industrial base of China, while Minhang was one of the most important industrial districts of Shanghai, so many leaders often visited here, such as Deng Xiaoping and Chen Yi," he said.
When recalling Deng's visit to Minhang Hotel in 1958, Xia still remembers the details.
"Actually they stayed in the hotel for half an hour. After a cup of tea, they wanted to visit some factories." Xia led them to the Steam Turbine Factory, Electrical Machinery Factory, Boiler Factory and Heavy Machines Factory, which were called the "Four Great Guardians" of Minhang at the time.
During the visit, Deng and Chen also talked about the long-range plan for Shanghai, like building bridges across the Huangpu River.
"Now, their hopes have come true," Xia says. Minhang also attracted the attention of foreign guests.
"Although the hotel had only four floors, it used to be one of the highest in Minhang," he said. "And because it was built according to diplomatic standards, many foreign party leaders and experts paid a visit to our hotel."
In the "cultural revolution" (1966-1976), Xia was sent to the countryside to do farm work and afterwards returned to the city and was appointed the vice director of Shanghai Land and Housing Administrative Bureau.
At that time, except for the Minhang government building, police stations and officials' dormitory buildings, most parts were farms.
Now, as he walks around Minhang, he is proud of the great changes. "I feel my efforts were definitely worthwhile," he said.
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