Battlefield visits stir emotions

The daughter of a Chinese People's Volunteers soldier, Zhang Ailan organized the first trip for former CPV soldiers and their relatives to revisit Korean War battlefields in September.

"Revisiting the battlefields and seeing their former companions are the biggest wishes for those old CPV soldiers. I wanted to help those like my father to achieve their dreams," she said.

Zhang brought nine CPV soldiers to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Besides the battlefields, they also visited the tombs of companions who were buried abroad.

"Mixed feelings filled my heart when we landed on the soil on the peninsula again. I was moved to see my former companions," said Chen Shan, 86, who transported military materials during the war.

"We introduced them to the good life today, and let them rest in peace," he said.

"Although my father seldom talked about the war, I believe it had such a deep influence on him that he could not bear to hear people moan after the war," said Chen Yijun, 50, son of Chen Shan.

China Daily

(China Daily 01/09/2014 page12)