Legacy of Chinese volunteers
World Insight with Tian Wei
04:59

"My work is to find the graves and record history". That is the life work of Gu Deyan, a reporter and a documentary filmmaker, documenting the history of the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea.

"Most Chinese volunteer soldiers were only 17 or 18 years old. Most of these fallen heroes are nameless. Waves upon waves of soldiers marched to the front. Soldiers at the back didn't even know the names of the soldiers in the front." This is how Gu described the huge loss China suffered during the War 70 years ago.

As a native in coastal city Dandong, northeast China's Liaoning Province, growing up on the border between China and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), Gu is immersed in the history of this war. That war is etched into the fabric of society here and in the history of Gu's family, as his mother was a volunteer soldier.

CGTN Host Tian Wei listens to him telling stories of his family and other Chinese families trying to locate the remains of their loved ones, the fallen Chinese heroes in Korea.

In his small studio, Gu displays some sentimental objects. He shows us his mother's badge, which indicates she was serving in the General Logistics Department when she volunteered in the war in the 1950s.

Gu also shows us photos of his mother throughout the past decades, from how a female volunteer soldier survived the war and later worked hard for the family throughout her life.

Gu says that conversations between his parents inspired him to dedicate himself to researching this period. "I started interviewing these volunteer army soldiers five years ago. Many of them are now deceased, so the tapes we made are very precious."

Gu's research took him to Beijing, Dalian, and Shenyang, where he diligently recorded their memories for history.

His mother was also a great resource in his research, even bestowing a book that helped him look for the graves of fallen Chinese soldiers in the DPRK. He recalls that "even when she was seriously ill, she would encourage me to go out and interview the old veterans and preserve that piece of history."

Gu's reputation as a documentary maker of this war led to many families seeking his help to bring them closure. Gu says, "They only knew that their fathers sacrificed their lives to the War, but they had no idea where they were buried." Gu went to these martyrs cemeteries, and with the help of his mom's book, he was able to pinpoint some graves of their relatives.

By recording reunions between family members and deceased loved ones, Gu got emotional sometimes during the filming and could not hold back. "It took us four years to produce this film. It was such a touching moment. When seeing them get reunited, I burst into tears. They had been looking for years, and now they finally got to see their loved one's resting place."

The value of Gu's work can firstly be measured in cherishing the legacy in both the aging and deceased soldiers. He says, "Whenever they speak of this war, they speak with a sense of pride because they were fighting for their motherland and peace in the region. I think the spirit of self-sacrifice has been passed on. And our country is now more prosperous and developed today. The peace we have today is honoring their lives."

For the lonely graves on the Korean Peninsula that finally have family members paying respects after waiting for seven decades, the significance of Gu's work is immeasurable.

World Insight with Tian Wei is an international platform for debate and intelligent discussion. It is the meeting point of both the highly influential and rising voices, facilitated by host Tian Wei. It provides nutrition to form your own thoughts and ideas through a 45-minute live debate and interviews.

Schedule: Monday-Saturday

Time (GMT): 1415, 2015

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