This foreign doctor once opened up a secret channel for transporting drugs to anti Japanese base areas

In late July 1937, Beiping City fell. In the dark time, the CPC and its Eighth Route Army, which crossed the Yellow River eastward and headed for the anti Japanese front line, established the anti Japanese bases in Pingxi, Jidong and Pingbei in the suburbs of Peiping.

At that time, the conditions of struggle were extremely difficult, coupled with the strict blockade imposed by the Japanese army against the Japanese base areas, and there was a severe shortage of medicine. The soldiers were in critical condition after being injured. How can they break through the Japanese blockade and deliver medicine to the base area?

01

In 1939, after breaking through the rigorous search of the Japanese army's layers of checkpoints, a list of medicines was handed over from the base to Huang Hao, who was engaged in underground work in Beiping City.

Image: Huang Hao and his wife Wang Peizhi

Time was tight and the task was heavy. Huang Hao ran around and finally managed to raise most of the drugs. However, how to safely deliver these drugs to anti Japanese base areas has become a greater challenge.

Huang Hao thought of a person who was the French doctor Bei Xiye, who was still defending Beiping at that time.

Cheng Champion

Deputy Secretary General of the China Leadership Science Research Association

Due to the special treatment of the French by the Japanese, Beixi Ye had favorable conditions.

In addition, there is another important reason for choosing Beixiye.

Miaofeng Mountain in Beijing was once one of the important strongholds of the anti Japanese guerrillas of the CPC. Coincidentally, as you climb over Miaofeng Mountain, not far away is Bei Xiye's villa - Bei Family Garden.

At that time, Beixi Ye had a rural clinic in the watchtower of Beijia Garden, and he often needed to replenish medication and equipment for this small clinic from the city. It is reasonable for Bei Xiye to bring the medicine without worrying about the enemy's investigation.

However, the secret delivery of medicine itself carries great risks, and Huang Hao is not sure whether Bei Xiye can agree.

02

One day in February 1939, Huang Hao bravely knocked on the gate of No. 16 Datianjing Hutong, the residence of Bei Xiye in the city. After some pleasantries, Huang Hao made a subtle inquiry.

Beixiye immediately understood and agreed without hesitation.

After receiving the task, Bei Xiye carefully inspected the roads and levels he passed through, imagining various unexpected situations he may encounter.

This is the small car that Bei Xiye used to deliver medicine at that time. The car departs from Datianjing Hutong, passing through Xizhimen Ganglou, Haidian Town, and Wenquan Village, with a total length of over 40 kilometers, and passing through multiple Japanese checkpoints along the way.

The first time he brought medicine out of the city, Bei Xiye was very calm. He stopped as usual and cooperated with the Japanese inspection.

Towards evening, the car finally arrived at Beijia Garden. At this moment, there were already people waiting in the yard. These people are underground traffic drivers. After they received the medicine, they repackaged it and hid it, then quickly left with the medicine on the small path behind the Beijia Garden.

These precious medicines traveled to many places and took several days to finally be safely delivered to their base. Beijia Garden is a crucial link between the past and the future.

After the first successful experience, this secret channel was established, and drugs were continuously transported from Beiping City to the anti Japanese base area.

Among the medicines sent by Beixiye, many were very precious, and many were even rare in Shanghai and Hong Kong at that time.

03

By 1941, Bei Xiye had been secretly delivering medicine to the Eighth Route Army for two years. Besides serving as an important transit station for delivering medicine, Beijia Garden also has other secret functions.

During the War of Resistance Against Japan, there were many progressive and underground party members who secretly traveled to the base areas using Beijia Garden as a transit station.

At the same time, Beijia Garden continues to serve as a secret channel for transporting medicines. However, the difficulty and risks faced by Beixiye in delivering medication are increasing day by day.

With the outbreak of the Pacific War, Britain and the United States declared war on Japan, and Beixi Ye's French identity gradually became unable to protect him. Once the Japanese discovered any clues of Beixi Ye's connection with the Eighth Route Army, he could be arrested. In addition, there is currently a difficult problem that Beixiye needs to solve immediately.

The Japanese army is increasingly tight on material supply, and they have intensified their plunder of North China's resources. Gasoline is a strategic material that is difficult to purchase, and Beixiye's car cannot be driven. How can we ensure the smooth transportation of drugs and other materials?

Zhang Xiaohui

Head of Beijia Garden Management Office

Due to the shortage of gasoline, the car couldn't be driven, so Bei Xiye rode a bicycle. At that time, he was already in his 70s.

The entire journey from Datianjing Hutong to Beijia Garden is about 40 kilometers, many of which are dirt roads. For Bei Xiye, who is over seventy years old, both his physical strength and willpower are greatly tested. Moreover, there are several enemy levels to pass along the way, making the already arduous journey even more dangerous.

Image: Precious photo of Bei Xiye riding a bicycle to deliver medicine

In 1942, during the most difficult period of the War of Resistance Against Japan, China and the Allies opened up an air transportation line. This route is extremely steep, crossing the Himalayas and passing through mountains as continuous as the backs of camels, hence the name "Camel Route". This route transported a large amount of military supplies for fighting against Japan, making contributions to defeating Japanese fascism.

Later, people hailed the road where Bei Xiye delivered medicine as the "hump route" for bicycles, in memory of his outstanding contributions to supporting the Chinese people's resistance against Japanese fascism.