Interview with Chen Qing, a veteran of the Korean War: Memorable memories of Chen Qing during the Korean War. Chen Qing | Jincheng, North Korea | Veteran Soldier

On the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the victory of the Korean War, I visited Chen Qing, a veteran of the Korean War. He was born in 1925 with a straight waist and bright eyes, telling me about his years back then.

Say goodbye to your wife and children and join the army

At the end of 1950, the situation in North Korea took a sharp turn for the worse, and the border defense in Northeast China was tight. After graduating from East China Revolutionary University in Suzhou, 25-year-old Chen Qing was admitted to the English class of Shanghai Foreign Language College. At the school's conscription mobilization meeting, the school mobilized everyone to sign up to participate in the Korean language work team. Everyone was enthusiastic and the scene was very lively. Chen Qing wanted to join the military and enlist, but considering that his daughter was over one year old and his son had just been born a few months ago, he didn't know what his wife's attitude would be. When he returned home, he shared his thoughts and received the answer, "Don't worry, I will take care of my two children. You are nearsighted, so you need to take care of yourself." His wife understood the importance of justice and supported him in going to North Korea to participate in the war.

Chen Qing is about to register, and more than 40 students in the English class have been approved. They went to Beijing for concentration on February 10, 1951. On the day he left Shanghai, his wife carried her son to the station to see him off. As the train drove away, he saw his wife standing there waving at him

Chen Qing and his team reported to the North China Military Region in Beijing. Due to Chen Qing's 1200 degree myopia, the military specially sent a staff member to add a pair of glasses for him in case of emergency. At this point, Chen Qing stood up and went to the bedroom to take out an invoice, which read: "No. 79 Dong'anmen A, Beijing, Beijing Daming Glasses Company. February 16, 1951." After a long time, this invoice has been preserved intact to this day, carrying his nostalgia for the years of the Korean War.

Chen Qing takes a photo on the front line of Jincheng, North Korea

As a frontline instructor

In June 1951, the troops arrived in Dandong and after a brief rest, they crossed the Yalu River on foot with light equipment. When crossing the river, enemy planes roared overhead. To avoid airstrikes, the troops marched at night for more than ten consecutive days. Coincidentally during the rainy season, the mountain road was rugged, and Chen Qing's feet were blistered with blood, ulcerated and purulent. The blood stained his shoes red. This is a severe test for him who grew up in Shanghai. He gritted his teeth, suppressed the pain, and persisted in moving forward. After arriving at the front line, the troops were stationed in the Jincheng area, about a few tens of kilometers away from the 38th parallel.

Chen Qing's job is to teach soldiers with certain cultural knowledge drawn from various units. In the front line filled with gunpowder, he carefully prepared his lessons and taught every lesson well, receiving praise from the soldiers. The textbooks they used were two textbooks compiled by the English Translation Work Team of the 40th Army of the Chinese People's Volunteer Army.

He took out another "Surrender Safety Certificate" and said, "This is issued to disintegrate the enemy." There is a big red stamp on it for the Chinese People's Volunteer Army's defense, and the back is printed: "Order, all enemy officers and soldiers who surrender with certificates, regardless of nationality, should be treated according to our military's leniency policy, properly received, and escorted to the nearest command center or prisoner management office, and strictly abide by the four guarantees: first, to ensure life safety. second, not to confiscate personal property. third, not to abuse or insult personality. fourth, to receive treatment for the injured. This order."

Chen Qing studied English at school and had a language advantage in face-to-face communication with prisoners of war. He was also assigned to the Enemy Engineering Department of the Political Department of the 67th Army of the 20th Corps, responsible for conducting interrogations and ideological reviews of American prisoners of war.

By 1953, the Volunteer Army launched a counterattack near the 38th parallel, and the campaign entered a white heat. The young volunteer army translator is playing to their strengths on the front line. On a night before the Korean ceasefire in July 1953, Chen Qing was on duty at the enemy engineering department of the division headquarters, and the soldiers on duty reported that there was a situation. Chen Qing walked out of the bunker and saw several soldiers carrying an injured American soldier on stretchers at the entrance of the tunnel. This was a "living tongue" caught by the reconnaissance team of the Volunteer Army along the front line. He is eighteen or nineteen years old, over 1.9 meters tall, and his feet are stretched out on the stretcher.

The war trial of prisoners did not hesitate, and Chen Qing and his team immediately conducted the interrogation in English. The combat staff set up a sand table with soil, and the American prisoners identified the distribution of troops and firepower points in the frontline positions. Chen Qing translated sentence by sentence. After the initial trial, Chen Qing and his team quickly reported the situation and transferred the American prisoners.

Treasured items for future generations

Now, on Chen Qing's desk, there are some objects he treasures: a North Korean copper spoon, multiple commemorative medals, a commemorative album celebrating the second anniversary of the Chinese People's Volunteer Army going abroad, edited newspaper reports over the years, photos, etc.

A light yellow silk handkerchief with the words "Respectfully presented by the Chinese people's condolence delegation to North Korea" written on it; A small cloth bag embroidered with five pointed stars in red, white, and blue colors, embroidered with purple silk thread "Resisting US Aggression and Aid Korea, Defending the Country", and embroidered with "Miao Honglan Embroidery from Xiaomiaoying Village in Fengtai, Anhui Province, 1951" on the back.

Chen Qing said, "The Volunteer Army is on the front line, touching the hearts of the people of the whole country. These are the consolation gifts given to us by the Chinese people's delegation to North Korea. The small cloth bag is for candy, I wonder if the owner of the candy delivery is still here today."

The two commemorative medals are somewhat mottled. One is the North Korean Military Merit Medal, and the other is the Anti US Aid to Korea Commemorative Medal issued by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference in 1951. Recalling the scene of awarding the commemorative medal, Chen Qing said passionately, "When I hung the medal on my chest, I shed tears. This is the reward and expectation of our country and people, and it was also forged with the blood and life of volunteer soldiers. Martyrs should have worn commemorative medals, but they will rest forever on the land of Korea. Let us always remember them."

On the 50th anniversary of the Korean War, a collection exhibition was held in Shanghai. Chen Qing displayed two textbooks and some souvenirs used in the war, in order to make more people remember that period of history.