For more than 60 years, southwest China's Chongqing Municipality have been silently guarding the tomb of a Soviet war hero, embodying a profound Chinese people's gratitude that transcends time and national borders.
Wei Yingxiang is the current guardian of the marble monument in Wanzhou Xishan Park that marks the resting place of Captain Grigori Kulishenko, a Soviet pilot who sacrificed his life helping China fight Japanese invaders in 1939.
Wei took over the duty from his mother, Tan Zhonghui, who began watching over the tomb in 1958.
"Kulishenko came from the Soviet Union to aid China, to support us in defending our country. For us Chinese people, this evokes a deep sense of gratitude. My mother voluntarily went to her work unit and requested to take on this duty - to guard Captain Kulishenko's tomb. These trees were planted back in my mother's time; they were very small when they were first planted," said Wei.
Historical records from Xiong Shizhong, a former first-class researcher at the Wanzhou District history and archives office, reveal the context of Kulishenko's mission.
Xiong explained that the residents in the county of Wanzhou (now Wanzhou District in Chongqing) endured Japanese airstrikes for eight long years, with over 2,500 casualties. In the early stages of the War of Resistance, China's air force was nearly wiped out.
When the Soviet Union began dispatching its air force volunteers in November 1937 to China, Kulishenko was among those who answered the call.
"Kulishenko's unit called for volunteers to support combat operations in China. At that time, Kulishenko submitted a formal request to serve as a volunteer and was appointed commander of a bomber squadron. He led 12 Soviet DB-3 heavy bombers to China to aid in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. After arriving, he spent three months training Chinese pilots at Chengdu's Taiping Temple Airport. Upon completing the training in September, he immediately led his bomber squadron into combat," said Xiong Shizhong, the former first-class researcher at Wanzhou District history and archives office.
On September 29 and October 3, 1939, Kulishenko's squadron successfully bombed Japanese-occupied airfields and destroyed dozens of enemy aircraft in the cities of Guangzhou and Hankou in southern and central China.
"Thanks to the Soviet air force and the assistance of heroes like Kulishenko, who bombed Japanese-occupied airfields, the Japanese military command was forced to order the retreat of the air bases they occupied by 600 kilometers. This provided significant protection for both our frontline and our rear areas," said Xiong.
Sadly, on October 14, 1939, Kulishenko's plane was severely damaged after a successful mission destroying 103 Japanese aircraft in Hankou.
Despite being wounded and surrounded by enemy fighters, he managed to break through the encirclement. As his damaged aircraft ran out of fuel near Wanzhou, Kulishenko chose to ditch in the Yangtze River rather than bail out, ensuring his plane wouldn't crash into the city.
Wei's family witnessed the crash.
"My grandfather's family lived right on the banks of the Yangtze River. They witnessed the entire scene of the plane crash," said Wei.
"The entire county of Wanzhou then was mobilized to search for Kulishenko. Twenty days later, his body was discovered in the area of Mao'er Tuo," said Xiong.
The people of Wanzhou never forgot Kulishenko's sacrifice. Thousands attended his funeral. In July 1958, the local government established his tomb at Xishan Park, and it was then that Tan Zhonghui, Wei's mother, voluntarily committed to guarding the site. Wei eventually took over the duty from his aging mother, continuing the family's commitment.
Now retired, Wei sees his mission as preserving Kulishenko's legacy.
"The main structure, including the gate and the tombstone, was designed by senior engineers from the Wanzhou District Architectural Design Institute. Its current location in Xishan Park remains evergreen throughout the year, surrounded by towering trees. We Chinese people have a strong sense of conscience and gratitude. I once told his nephew, Sergei, 'Your grandfather will never be lonely on Chinese soil. We, the Chinese people, will guard his tomb for generations - please rest assured.' Now that I'm retired, I see it as my duty to share and carry forward Captain Kulishenko's heroic story. It brings me great comfort, and I feel deeply honored to have fulfilled such a meaningful and dignified responsibility," said Wei.
Kulishenko's sacrifice has been officially recognized multiple times, including being named in 2009 as one of the 100 heroic figures who made outstanding contributions to New China, and in 2014 as one of China's first group of renowned martyrs of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression.
WWII Soviet hero remembered in Chongqing for over 6 decades
