The Dongjiang Column, a guerrilla force led by the Communist Party of China (CPC) in the fight against Japanese aggression, has been remembered for accomplishing the near-impossible feat of evacuating over 800 intellectuals and allied personnel from Japanese-occupied Hong Kong, achieving one of World War II's most extraordinary missions.
Every year, the Dongjiang Column Memorial Hall in Shenzhen City of south China's Guangdong Province receives tens of thousands of visitors, honoring the bravery displayed during the Great Hong Kong Rescue.
It was a dire time in December 1941 when Japanese troops seized Hong Kong, which was then under British colonial rule, and launched a ruthless search for intellectuals and anti-fascist activists.
"At the time, Japanese forces posted notices and even cinema slides, ordering prominent Hong Kong cultural figures to report to headquarter, or be executed," said Wang Yong, a researcher at the Guangdong Institute of Southern Red Culture and Research.
A reign of terror approached as the Japanese Imperial Army had already revealed the full extent of their cruelty during the Nanjing Massacre in 1937.
However, the CPC acted without delay. Its Southern Bureau directed the Dongjiang Guerrilla Force, later known as the Dongjiang Column, to evacuate the prominent cultural figures from Hong Kong to mainland resistance bases in multiple batches.
During the secret rescue, elderly patriotic democrats like He Xiangning and Liu Yazi were evacuated by sea as they couldn't endure the overland journey.
Jiang Shan, son of the guerrilla member Jiang Shui, recounted the perilous details of his father's participation in this daring mission.
"He Xiangning's vessel had crossed paths with Japanese troops, so they dismantled the engine to avoid detection. Stranded on windless seas, the boat could only drift helplessly for several days," he said.
"Seven days adrift - no fresh water, no food left. The situation was desperate," said Li Mei, granddaughter of He.
"Then my father transferred Madam He Xiangning to another vessel, provided them with water and food. They ensured her safe landing in Guangdong," Jiang added.
Shuiyuan Shiju, Shuiyuan Residence, a small house in northern Shenzhen, served as a resistance base and became the operational hub for the entire rescue mission.
"Shuiyuan Shiju was 30 kilometers from Hong Kong. It was at the foot of Tiantou Mountain. Serving as the headquarters of the Huiyang Frontline Working Committee and its pistol team, it became a critical hub during this mass rescue of cultural elites, as well as a central reception station for evacuating intellectuals," said Wang.
By November 1942, all 800 plus evacuees reached safety without a single loss of life.
The 11-month rescue mission successfully evacuated China's intellectual elite including Mao Dun, a pioneer of modern Chinese literature, and Zou Taofen, a renowned journalist and publisher.
Mao Dun hailed the mission as "the greatest rescue in history," while Zou praised the Column with calligraphy saying "Guardians of the nation, Vanguard of the people."
Chinese guerrilla forces remembered for rescuing over 800 intellectuals in fight against Japanese aggression
