10. Kunming in 1942

We walked to Baoshan, just after the heavy bombing. If you went fast, you happened to catch up with the big bombing; if you were not sacrificed on the way, or on the Nu River, but you were bombed to death, you would be even more wronged. Upon request, the Baoshan branch sent a car to bring us to Kunming. I saw the Yangon branch staff, Jiang Dechang, Zhou Shijun, Wang Chunyuan, Chen Can, Liu Zhiguo, Ma Diyuan, etc. Soon Ma Diyuan, Zhang Zuping, Wang Chunzhai, Sun Guilin and others were sent to work in India.

After we reported to the China-Myanmar Transport Administration of Heilinpu, the superiors also sent people to help us, and each person would find a place to live and wait for further instructions. I stayed in the hotel with Liu Zhiguo where we had a haircut and a shave, changed our clothes then we looked nicely. Before the lease term had expired, Staff from the Kunming office of Liu Nianzhi’s Match Factory had already withdrawn to Chongqing. Liu Zhiguo, Wang Chunyuan, and I moved there, and soon Wang Chunyuan went to Chongqing. Liu Zhiguo and I still lived there.

All the material account books were brought to Kunming, and they were not discarded at the most critical time on the way, mainly due to the work of the administrator Huang Decong. The account book, the list of incineration materials and all the accounts were turned over to the head office, our responsibility had been fully fulfilled so far. After a short period of waiting, each of us was dismissed, and the salary was paid until July. Since then, all went their separate ways. Zhao Tingzhen and Shen Huilin went to Chongqing before Liu Zhiguo and I.

Both Liu Zhiguo and I had worked in the Ordnance Industry Department, so we didn’t go to India, but planned to go to Chongqing. At that time, Zhou Zixin was the director of the 53 arsenal factory in Kunming. Liu Zhiguo and I went to see him together. After learning about our situation, Zhou Zixin asked us to work in his factory. I went to Haikou with Liu Zhiguo to visit the 53 arsenal factory. We stayed in the guest house for two nights. It seemed this factory was located in the now Jinning District, the home of Yin Fupei, then we returned to Kunming. I took this opportunity to ask Zhou Zixin to hire two Bhamo colleagues. One of Li Huaiyu, who was mentioned beforehand, had not stayed behind when he passed his hometown in order to escort us, so he fled to Kunming with us, and had him do the interpreter during the interrogation on the way. One was Huang Decong, an overseas Chinese from Fujian, who carried the material account books to Kunming on his back, but he had no acquaintances in Kunming. I specially tried for them and got Zhou Zixin’s permission to hire them. I accompanied them to the factory to work, but since then, I haven’t heard from them again. I don’t know what would happen to them.

Kunming, Image by Kim from Pixabay

During this period, brother Kai once flew to Kunming for business. I once went to Yin Fupei’s house with Kai, and I first knew their couple. Cousin Ye Yuanqing came to Kunming from Tongchuan Copper Mine in northern Yunnan. He would transfer to Chongqing to set up an office there. We met while passing through Kunming. He negotiated with Wynn Chemical Industry Co. to take the truck to Chongqing. Yuanqing, Zhiguo, and I shared three trucks on the same day. When we got into the car, we saw the representative of the person in charge at Bhamo. We met with acquaintances and took extra care. On the first day, we stayed in Xuanwei, on the second day in Bijie, on the third day in Luzhou, and on the fourth day, the three of us took a boat to Chongqing on the same day, and the Wynn truck crossed the river north to Chengdu.

The three of us stayed in the hotel first. Then I went to the Ordnance Industry Department and met with brother Kai, Fang Zhaohao, Cheng Jian and others. At the south bank No. 20 Factory, I met sister-in-law Fang, nephew Ning, and Qiwen. After seeing Shijun and Dechang in China National Bank, I also visited Wang Chunyuan and Liu Nianzhi. I First moved to Zhaokai’s firm in Jiaochangkou, sometimes Liu Zhiguo and I also lived in an empty house near the south bank No. 20 Factory Shijia.