Volunteers race against time to record war history

A veteran tells his experiences to an audience at a bookstore in Fuzhou, Fujian province, June 5, 2016. [Photo/provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

After publishing the book, the volunteers invited veterans to tell their stories in person at schools, bookstores and libraries in Fuzhou, the capital of Fujian province, in the past year.

A three-minute documentary based on materials from the interviews was also produced to honor the former military men.

On top of recording their war experiences, the volunteers also helped the veterans apply for medals in the 70th anniversary of China's victory in the war.

"On one hand, most of the veterans who live in the countryside did not know the news (of government honoring the veterans of the WWII). On the other hand, the government, which was eager to give these medals to the veterans, did not know their situations," Chen said.

"We served as a bridge linking the two sides and successfully helped most of the veterans get the medals," Chen said.

Zheng Zifeng was a college student two years ago. He joined the volunteer group to interview some of the veterans.

"In the past, all the knowledge I had about the war came from textbooks and TV series. Visiting the veterans gives me a direct insight into this period of history. I came to realize how precious the peace is," Zheng said.

Chen's 16-year-old daughter asked to accompany her father on his visits to veterans. Once, the girl left 300 yuan ($43) when leaving the home of a veteran called Ye Gaowei.

Later, the veteran contacted Chen, telling him that "among all the money and stuff he has received, he values the 300 yuan from his daughter the most as the money comes from the new generation of the country."

A veteran gives a thumbs-up to volunteers after receiving a framed photo of him on June 1, 2016. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]