Anti-Japanese hero Zhou Rongjiu was chased as a martyr …

"The declaration of martyrs for Zhou Rongjiu, a famous anti-Japanese hero from Qinglong Mountain in Naiman Banner, has finally succeeded …" Recently, the People’s Government of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region ratified Zhou Rongjiu as a martyr. The news came that the most exciting person may be Zhao Dianwu, an expert on the war of resistance in Inner Mongolia. Then, what is the story behind the anti-Japanese hero Zhou Rongjiu being chased as a martyr?

Portrait of Zhou Rongjiu

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"When I was a child, my father often talked about how the Japanese burned and looted in their hometown of Beipiao Daheishan, and how my grandparents survived the bombing by enemy planes and fled their homes to Aohan Banner. This became an unforgettable memory of my childhood. There is also a famous anti-Japanese hero in my hometown-He Sheng, who is a subordinate of the famous anti-Japanese hero Zhou Rongjiu. He Sheng personally shot and killed the Japanese devils in Naiman Banner to defend Rongzhi on the’ Tai Shang Huang’ Mountain. Later, I learned that the barbaric atrocities of the Japanese in my hometown were aimed at shocking the anti-Japanese soldiers and civilians and clearing the anti-Japanese national salvation army led by Zhou Rongjiu, which made me always full of deep respect for Zhou Rongjiu. " Zhao Dianwu told reporters that in 1935, Zhou Rongjiu led his troops to capture the Eight Immortals Tube where the pseudo Naiman Banner was located, which was a sensation. Over the years, authoritative books on the history of anti-Japanese war and revolutionary history have fully affirmed Zhou Rongjiu’s anti-Japanese exploits.

In 2014, Zhao Dianwu had a strong desire after attending the review meeting of the manuscript of the History of the Anti-Japanese War in Inner Mongolia: he had the opportunity to promote the declaration of martyrs for the anti-Japanese hero Zhou Rongjiu. At that time, he contacted some people, but there was no breakthrough, and the matter was put on hold. In 2019, Zhao Dianwu saw an investigation record about Zhou Rongjiu’s sacrifice. Witnesses told him that before he was killed, he lambasted the traitors who rounded him up, and that working for the Japanese was "Chinese without conscience" and "where is the humanity of Chinese". Zhao Dianwu was deeply moved.

"I seem to see the situation before his heroic sacrifice. From an early age, we were taught in the text to say,’ We are Chinese, and we should love our motherland’. We should be like Zhou Rongjiu, an anti-Japanese hero, to be a conscientious Chinese, and we should have the human feelings of Chinese. I can’t wait any longer, taking advantage of the summer vacation to make an investigation in the hometown of anti-Japanese hero Zhou Rongjiu. " Promoting the declaration of martyrs for the anti-Japanese hero Zhou Rongjiu has become Zhao Dianwu’s biggest concern.

When Zhao Dianwu first set foot on the hero’s hometown, he was deeply shocked. Zhou Rongjiu is a hero in the local area, helping the poor and helping the poor, eliminating violence and calming down, and his folk reputation is particularly good. "His family has a earthen fence and two forts, which shows that his family’s economic conditions are very good. If he chooses to ignore the national righteousness, he can live a comfortable life. However, he is a bloody and patriotic Chinese. He is unwilling to be conquered people. He can’t stand the arrogance and cruel rule of the Japanese devils. He angrily rises up and launches armed resistance against Japan, which is deeply admired. " Zhao Dianwu told reporters about his experience of approaching Zhou Rongjiu. Since then, "Zhou Rongjiu" has changed from a name to a real, flesh-and-blood hero in his heart.

The Report of Zhou Rongjiu’s Sacrifice in Frontier News in 1936

Heroes are famous everywhere.

"The process of declaring martyrs is also a process of in-depth study and approaching heroes, and there are many important discoveries and gains. For example, his name used to be called Zhou Rongjiu or Zhou Rongjiu. This time, through the collection of historical materials of the enemy and puppet troops, it was found that the Japanese army called it Zhou Yongjiu at that time, even the Japanese war criminals who participated in the pursuit of him wrote in the later confession materials, showing his prestige and the deep blow to the Japanese aggressors. " Zhao Dianwu said.

Originally known as Zhou Rong, Zhou Rongjiu was born on March 11th, 1896 in a poor peasant family in Zhangzitun, Henan Province, Yamenyingzi (now Qinglong Mountain Town), the first district of Naiman Banner. He is a burly man with extraordinary physical strength. He is willing to endure hardships and act bravely, which not only improves his family, but also makes many friends. In addition, he later developed a courage in his greenwood career in the paddock, which made him famous for his double guns. Therefore, Zhou Rongjiu became a company commander in the Northeast Army. Soon, his unit was reorganized into Fuxin local security team, and he served as the battalion chief.

After the "September 18th Incident", in just a few months, the Northeast fell. Zhou Rongjiu witnessed the Japanese aggressors and traitors bullying and cruel oppression and plunder of Chinese, and was very resentful. He hated the Kuomintang government’s policy of non-resistance, refused to be transferred to Shanhaiguan Pass with the troops, left the troops in anger and returned to his hometown.

In the spring of 1935, Zhou Rongjiu and his second brother, Zhou Gui, secretly killed two Japanese who bullied the people and acted recklessly, knowing that they would be pursued and retaliated, so he decided to rise up.

On the morning of July 23rd, 1935, Zhou Rongjiu led the anti-Manchu Anti-Japanese National Salvation Army to attack the Eight Immortals Tube, where the puppet Naiman Banner Office was located. After more than four hours of bloody fighting, he finally conquered the Eight Immortals Tube and killed the counselor Guan Shan Shou Rongzhi, the instructor Fujikawa Fukuro, and the inspector Nakagen. During the battle, they also captured Sasaki Tadashi Taro, a heinous Japanese agency official, and hung him in the Cross Street Courtyard, where he was executed after holding a mass meeting. Seven Japanese aggressors were killed in this battle, and all the guards of the puppet government and the police surrendered except the escapees, seized a small steel gun and more than 70 long and short guns, and burned the Naiman Banner government office …

Zhou Rongjiu’s Anti-Japanese National Salvation Army captured the Eight Immortals Tube, the political center of Naiman Banner, under the Japanese aggressors’ noses, and executed all the Japanese aggressors in charge. This was the Eight Immortals Tube incident that shocked the headquarters of the Japanese Kwantung Army and the top of the puppet Manchukuo. The Japanese aggressors became angry from embarrassment, regarded Zhou Rongjiu as a menace, mobilized heavy troops to pursue the Anti-Japanese National Salvation Army, pursued Zhou Rongjiu’s family, and burned down his house in Zhangzi, Henan.

In view of the crazy revenge of the Japanese puppet troops, Zhou Rongjiu led his troops to Beipiao area to join forces with the anti-Japanese armed forces led by Luan Tianlin. Two anti-Japanese teams joined forces in one place, which was a great shock. Later, they joined forces with the volunteers led by the Communist party member senior cadres and fought side by side in the area of Daheishan, dealing a heavy blow to the enemy.

In October 1935, the Japanese aggressors began to launch an "autumn crusade" against the Daheishan region. In dealing with the situation, Zhou Rongjiu adopted guerrilla tactics and constantly dealt a heavy blow to the enemy.

In order to completely destroy Zhou Rongjiu’s anti-Japanese national salvation army, the Japanese invaders set up a crusade team to pursue it, and at the same time strictly ordered all localities to chase and intercept it. The officers and men of the National Salvation Army kept fighting with their pursuers in Naiman, Kulun, Fuxin, Aohan, Arukerqin and Onniut.

On the morning of July 10, 1936, Zhou Rongjiu, who fought in Wulanmutu Mountain in northern Fuxin, was unfortunately surrounded by the enemy. Zhou Rongjiu refused to surrender, swore at the enemy and was shot on the bluestone in the western depression of Wulanmutu. In order to win credit, reward and shock the anti-Japanese forces, the enemy brutally cut off his head and hung it on the willow tree in Ertuban Street for public display. This famous anti-Japanese hero, regarded by the Japanese invaders as "the famous anti-Manchu bandit leader in Jehol Province", shed his last drop of blood to resist foreign aggression.

Zhao Dianwu (middle) investigates Wulanmutu Mountain in Fuxin.

Archives prove anti-Japanese historical facts

"This matter lasted for two years, but it did not include the previous brewing time." Talking about the process of declaring martyrs for anti-Japanese hero Zhou Rongjiu, Zhao Dianwu told reporters. To declare a martyr, you need first-hand archives that can prove the circumstances of the victim’s sacrifice, and the materials must be excellent. General literature and history materials and historical records cannot be used as evidence.

With the assistance of Shi Zhiban, a cadre in Naiman Banner, Zhao Dianwu made a systematic investigation in Zhou Rongjiu’s hometown, and went to Wulanmutushan, Fuxin, where the hero died, to conduct on-the-spot investigation and learn from the villagers. During the investigation in Naiman Banner, many people didn’t know the whereabouts of Zhou Rongjiu’s descendants, so he had to submit an application for ratification of martyrs to the competent authorities as a citizen of the place where the incident occurred. In addition, he also entrusted friends from all walks of life from Beijing to Shanghai and then to Changchun to look for first-hand information from books and archives institutions like a needle in a haystack. He also struggled to find the hero’s descendants who had long been considered unaccounted for, but unfortunately, when the hero’s only granddaughter, 87-year-old Zhou Yanjun, was found, she was already on her deathbed. Seven days later, Zhou Yanjun died and failed to see the day when she successfully declared a martyr for her grandfather.

"After rigorous textual research and painstaking collection, the materials provided are excellent, passed the examination of Naiman Banner, Tongliao City and Autonomous Region governments and corresponding competent departments, and were put on record by the Department of Veterans Affairs." Zhao Dianwu said.(Text/Northern New Newspaper Zhengbei Net reporter Ma Lixia)(The pictures are all provided by Zhao Dianwu)