"My maternal grandfather, Leung Pui-kee, fathered 40 children in his lifetime. Among his descendants, 21 joined the Dongjiang Column, contributing to the cause of national liberation. From childhood, I listened to their thrilling tales of battles and revolutionary deeds, and gradually, a wish took root in my heart—to one day bring these stories to the silver screen, so more people could learn about that chapter of history."
Between 1978 and 1983, Li, a professor at Sun Yat-sen University, interviewed over 70 veterans of the Dongjiang Column, meticulously documenting their firsthand experiences. However, due to various circumstances, the project was shelved.
It wasn't until 2017, with the support of Sun Yat-sen University's Institute of Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao Development, that Zheng Wanqing, an assistant professor at the university's School of Marxism, and a group of students took up the baton. They undertook the task of digitizing, proofreading, and editing the interview materials. After relentless efforts, the original audio recordings have now been systematically compiled into a manuscript exceeding 600,000 words.
"These precious notes, sealed away for over 40 years, will help future generations revisit, through the lens of those who lived it, the tumultuous history of Hong Kong and the mainland standing together through thick and thin during times of national crisis," Zheng remarked. She added that the team is currently in discussions with Hong Kong institutions regarding publication, and the Oral History of the Dongjiang Column is expected to reach readers in Hong Kong soon.
In her home at Sun Yat-sen University's south campus, the 92-year-old Li sits upright on her sofa, surrounded by books within arm's reach. A calligraphy piece bearing the phrase "Human effort can achieve anything" hangs prominently on the wall.
Li is the eldest granddaughter of Leung. Growing up, Li often heard her mother speak of her grandfather's deeds, planting the seeds of progressive ideals in her heart. Her activities even drew the attention of the Kuomintang. "They were about to arrest me, and my family, worried, sent me to Hong Kong's Pui Kiu Middle School," Li recalled.
This marked the beginning of her deep connection with Hong Kong, where she eventually became a renowned expert on Hong Kong film history.
Originally for a screenplay
After the founding of PRC, Li worked at the Guangzhou Cultural Bureau's literary and artistic creation office. She conceived the idea of writing a screenplay based on the Dongjiang Column's anti-Japanese war stories. With organizational approval, she began her research by interviewing her family members.
Technology was rudimentary at the time. For every interview, Li had to carry a heavy tape recorder and stacks of cassettes. She recorded during the day and transcribed at night so the tapes could be reused. Without a camera, she sketched portraits of her interviewees on the spot. This work continued for nearly six years. Unexpectedly, after completing the interviews, she was transferred to teach at Sun Yat-sen University, and the screenplay project was shelved, leaving her with lingering regret.
In 2013, Zheng wrote a biographical sketch of Li, who was researching Hong Kong film history, and the two kept in touch. During a visit in 2016, Li reminisced about her interviews with Dongjiang Column veterans and retrieved over a dozen handwritten notebooks of interview records she had preserved for more than 30 years. She expressed remorse, saying, "I've let down those elders," and hoped to see the materials published in her lifetime.
Cantonese and Hakka: A proofreading challenge
When Zheng first saw the yellowed manuscripts, she was deeply moved. "These invaluable historical records must see the light of day," she resolved.
The Institute of Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao Development promptly organized a team to scan and digitize the manuscripts, converting them into a 660,000-word electronic document. By November 2017, after months of effort, the transcription was completed and returned to Li for proofreading. However, due to her advanced age and concurrent work on other manuscripts, Li found the task overwhelming.
In the summer of 2019, Zheng and seven students took on the first round of proofreading, primarily correcting basic errors in characters and words. The second round proved far more challenging.
"Some interviewees spoke Cantonese, others Hakka, and many names and places were transliterated phonetically, requiring meticulous verification," Zheng explained. "Moreover, the oral recollections lacked a clear thematic structure, appearing fragmented and colloquial, with many slang terms. Adding to the difficulty, Li had recorded in traditional Chinese characters, using her shorthand and notations."
The second round of proofreading took over two years. Fortunately, the Guangzhou Dongjiang Column Research Association provided significant support, inviting veterans and their descendants to review the manuscript, cross-check historical details, and correct numerous errors.
Li's interviewees included both officers and ordinary soldiers of the Dongjiang Column, offering diverse perspectives on their understanding of the war. Beyond combat experiences, the interviews captured everyday life, such as love stories among worker-peasant cadres. When Li expressed interest in collecting Dongjiang Column songs, the veterans even held a special gathering, singing together for an unforgettable evening. These deep interactions yielded extraordinarily rich material.
Strengthening national identity through true stories
Zheng revealed that the forthcoming Oral History of the Dongjiang Column documents numerous exploits of the Hong Kong-Kowloon Independent Brigade during the three years and eight months of Japanese occupation.
The oral histories also vividly portray the Brigade's bravery. In the winter of 1943, Japanese forces besieged Lantau Island for 48 days. Despite being outnumbered, over 100 Dongjiang Column guerrillas and 30,000 residents coordinated seamlessly, leaving the Japanese empty-handed. A Japanese commander even wrote in admiration to the guerrilla instructor: "For 48 days, we surrounded you by land, sea, and air—yet captured not a single one. You have my utmost respect."
Zheng emphasized, "Through this oral history, readers can relive, through the eyes of those who were there, the bond of blood and shared destiny between Hong Kong and the mainland during national crises. This will help strengthen Hong Kong residents' sense of national identity."
(Source: Wen Wei Po; Journalist: Huang Baoyi; English Editor: Darius)
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