A walk among heroes
Streets, memorials and museums honor wartime martyrs, preserving spirit of sacrifice and inspiring peace across generations, report Xu Lin and Liu Kun in Wuhan.
One of the most remarkable episodes took place on April 29, 1938. Chinese pilot Chen Huaimin, 22, shot down a Japanese plane, drawing enemy pilot's fire. Struck, he crashed his burning plane into the aircraft of Japanese pilot Kenichi Takahashi. Both aircraft fell into the Yangtze River, and both young pilots perished.
Continuing her walk along Shengli Street, Wang eventually reaches the riverbank, reflecting on the sacrifice of Chen and other martyrs while taking in the vast, rolling waters of the Yangtze. At the nearby Memorial Hall of the Former Site of the Wuhan Office of the Eighth Route Army, she meets Chen De, the nephew of Chen Huaimin.
"He has dedicated himself to promoting the heroic deeds of Chen Huaimin. He even wrote a song about his uncle and wants to produce a film someday," she says.
For Wang, the visit deepens her sense of gratitude. "These martyrs made immense sacrifices for the victory in the war. They were loyal, righteous and selfless, willing to give up everything for their country. Thanks to them, we live in peace and prosperity today."
