Responses to General Sun's Website

From a Young Student in University of Waterloo

As a result, more pictures were put on the website. On Feb. 24, 1999, he wrote:
I know the Chinese name of General Sun, Li Jen now. Thanks for your nice page dedicated to him. He's a great man, and my family and I respect him very much. My dad has talked with me about General Sun since I was small, and we all pay sympathy to him for his dilemma during his late life. Many people (in Hong Kong where I come from) only know how to appreciate Chiang Ching Kuo for his contribution to Taiwan's economy, but they don't know the fact that he was a dictator and he has arrested many "political prisoners" (in fact "prisoners of conscience") in the 50-70's.

E-mail from Ren Wang

I heard about General Sun when I was a teenager in China, the time when no one supposed to talk about him. But, my grandfather and grandmother somehow can't forget him. Unfortunately, they are gone now. Yet, the stories they told are always with me.

Hope I can meet you some time this year -- I will go back to Canada in the summer. Also, thanks very much your great work -- the website!

Talk you later, looking forward to hearing from you again.

Chieh's reply

Thank you so much for sharing your stories with me, and talking to you has given me a great pleasure.

When you told me that you are a descendant of someone from the 38th Division, the heroic actions from images of their photographs come to my mind. I have the fortune of meeting some of them, and realize how great that Division was. They made us Chinese ever so proud.

I am also impressed that you have found this Internet site, because I have not contacted any of the companies that have the search engines.

As a matter of fact, I will be travelling in Maryland and Virginia area after July 9. I do want to meet you.

Thank you again for your effort and enthusiasm.

Inconsistency of Infomation

Li-Jen Sun, Anhwei, China
A.B. Liberal Arts
Born 1904. Matriculated 1925.
Infantry

Second Class - Pvt. Company "D." Company Basketball, American Political Science Association. Marshal Final Ball. First Class - Pvt. Company "D." Company Basketball, American Political Science Association, Marshel Final German. ...

Based on your record, General was born in 1900, why the 4 years difference?

In the VMI 1990s publication on the class 1927, it says:

------------------
*Sun, Li Jen, Hsii-Chen China, 1yr 4mos 14days; BA; BS-Purdue University;
XX-XX GEN Chinese Army; REPUBLIC OF CHINA, Died 19 Nov 1990.
------------------

Please confirm or correct me.

Reply from Chieh

I am glad that you pointed out the inconsistency of information.

The year I have on the Internet site and in "Father of Little Soldiers" is based on the information General Sun gave me when I was by his side. I spotted an article describing him and his army in Taiwan in the Life Magazine. He confirmed that the magazine was correct to state his birth year to be 1900. However, some document at home indicated he was born in 1899.

Here is an interesting story about the inconsistency between the VMI record and other record. He wanted to get in VMI to learn the military art to defend China. He could not get into VMI directly from China at the time, and when he graduated from Purdue University, he was too old to be admitted to VMI. So, in the application form to VMI, which I have a copy from VMI, he wrote he was born in 1904 to avoid the age limitation.

The place Hsii Chen is a county in the Anhwei Province, China.

From the image you have sent, I have learned that General Sun showed his athletic ability as well as leadership as the marshal of some important events.

Please Make a Movie

Best regards,      
William Tsai in Taiwan

Reply by Chieh

Tsai's view of Gen. Sun

I think Gen. Sun is not only a warrior in battle but also a man with great loving-kindness. He never leaves his fellows when his fellows are in bad time, even though involves himself in a big danger (or sacrifice) as many cases told in books).

Remember to contact with your friends in movie business (like great director) as possible, and inform me the time of the first movie performance of "the story of international general Sun Li-jen".

Comment on Chieh's Work

I immediately went through "major sections" like the preface and the concluding chapters -- a bad habit for time-racing journalist.

To be frank, I was deeply touched by your letters -- particularly the one addressed to your respected Dad for his 90th birthday, and your in-depth analysis of the role "Chinese culture" had played in the whole tragic incident -- history, I should say.

You touched upon a deep and troubling facet of what I would call "barbarous and backward" Chinese culture in which every citizen regards himself as a slave in society ruled by a "god king," but acts like a lord in a small realm such as home or workplace.

I've long been fascinated and puzzled by this ugly side of the Chinese culture, so much so that I think I'll be able to ramble on the subject for hours on end, if you are patient enough to hear. But you've shown even greater perseverance in divulging this topic by editing such an important book on the life and history of Gen. Sun.

I hope that during your struggle to win real freedom and fair recognition for Gen. Sun, you had won enough friendship and support from a wide sector of society and are now confident, at least partially, that justice will indeed prevail and that Taiwan or other Chinese societies may not be so hopeless.

For now, please accept my sincere congratulations on your achievement in winning justice for Sun the man and hopefully, for our Chinese nation.

Yours truly,

Sheng-chao Chang, CNA, Taiwan
Jan. 16, 2001

Glad to be understood

General Sun and Lotus (LF)

General Sun Li-jen was my father's hero, although he never had the privilege to meet his hero in person. I would have been told a hundred times if he did. Back in 1943 or 44, my father, whose regular job then was a staff at Chongqing Municipal Library, was commissioned as a recruiting officer for the "100,000 youth, 100,000 soldiers" campaign at Xinanlianda station, Kunming. He believed many of the college students he recruited joined N38D/N1A later. This was the one and only single event my father ever intersected with Sun's military career, or as he would prefer to put it, contributed his efforts to General Sun's brilliant achievements in the Burmese Theatre. For this part, he did mention to me a hundred times, with his eyes shining brightly.

Other than that, I used to believe my only connection to Sun was Lin Wang, the elephant at Yuanshan Zoo, Taipei. I never realized that we, all former and current residents in Taiwan, owe our security and well beings to General Sun and the troops he trained late 40's. Without him/them, I dare not imagine what might have taken place, what nightmare WE were almost certain to have gone through. Ironically, it was him/them that couldn't imagine what nightmare THEY had to go through the next 30 plus years!

Thanks to the book "Sun Li-jen Jiangjun Yongsilu" which tells fascinating stories on Sun and his men. I learned enough to be grateful by reading it. What they did for the country was deleted from the official archives, or intentionally undervalued. Instead, what they did not commit was created, documented and sentenced, by the same government they served so well. Most Chinese people trust the fairness of the "blue sky". When the earthly justice is denied, this alternate/heavenly court takes the responsibility judging - sooner or later, and if not this life, next. Speaking for myself, I did eyewitness the court worked, in its own way.

A government's executive order could never erase people's memory. Yongsilu was a book dedicated to General Sun after his death, written mostly by his former subordinates. I was very very touched, knowing how profoundly Sun was loved and adored, praised and memorized, by so many. It is amazing, just what kind of personality he had that deserved so many hearts so close to him? My father knew and admired him as a great general, that's only part of Sun. I know and admire him as a great man.

General Sun was an elite man ahead of his time. Besides his personality, what Sun impressed me most was his concerns on education. While still at war in Burma and in Changchun, he thought of running schools and started doing that. Let's face it: Just who else of Sun's peer ever considered placing education a priority? About 140 years ago, Hu Lin-yi commented, "Military art is the art of all scholar arts." It is easier said than done. Sun stayed on top of the few that mastered this military art. This distinguished him "a crane among (Huangpu) roosters". He was simply another breed, period.

It is our loss, a loss beyond compare, that we lose General Sun forever. The saddest part is: There is not yet anyone even close to him.

Sincerely,

LF (initials)

Further response from LF

By the same account, Sun was very very fortunate to have you. I can only speak for myself, (a member of the "Sun Fan Club"), "mei-you-zi-ge" (As his loyal subordinates had told you.) on behalf of anyone else, Mr. Chieh, I must say I'm grateful for what you did and what you are still doing for Sun. Again, what kind of a foster father he was to deserve you.

Chieh's response
His vision, deeds and hert for Chinese everywhere led me to admire him, and his love and trust in me drive me to do these naturally. Deep in my mind, I am obligated to do what I felt right, partly also for history and for the Chinese spirit. I intend to write more about the relationship between him and me in the future.

Your book answered some of my questions, here are some more:

• I had been wondering, back in 1942-43, how 66A was formed. N38D, however well-trained and able, was "za-pai-jun" compared with N28D, primarily Kang Ze's (Huangpu class 3)"bie-dong-dui", and N29D, both run by Huangpu di-xi commanders. N38D was definitely a different breed from the other 2 D's within 66A. Any idea how this strange combination occured? It also seems that Zhang Zhen, the army commander, never met Sun before he reported to Zhang in Burma. Wasn't that weird?

  Chieh's response==
  In deed, he never mentioned 66A to me, and he never mentioned the commander of 66A, Zhang Zheng to me. My military experience tells me that the government simply put things together in a chart of organization. At that time, the Division is an independent fighting unit, and the N38D is such an outstanding unit that people noticed. I would love to learn more about other units, but there was little to go by.

• In Sun's later years, was he religious, was he not, or somewhere in between? The few articles I read give just the conflicting answers. Mrs. Sun was a devoted Buddhist as we all know, did she influence her husband's belief? And to what extent? Was it Sun's own will, or against his will, to conduct his funeral the Buddhism way, or he couldn't have cared less?

  Chieh's response==
  He was not religious. He goes along with the family, and he does enjoy going to visit the temple. All monks and nuns respect him, and he respect their believe. However, he was guided more by engineering and science principles than by doctrines.

• How bad was Sun injured during the 8/13 battle? I read articles describing the 13 wounds to be caused by machine guns. Did these wounds generate any health problem later?

  Chieh's response==
  Perhaps what I wrote in the book was not clear. In any case, he was injured by a rifle grenade (grenade launched by using a blank in a rifle). He heard this thing coming and lied down. This thing exploded in the air, and thirteen fragments entered his flesh, some even pierced into the bones. Those pierced into the bones stayed with him for life. He seldom complained about them even during raining days. I cannot tell if he suffered any pain, because he has a very high tolerance for pain.

• In many of Sun's photos, you can see a large ring on his left 4th finger, so obvious to miss. What special meaning, if any, did that ring carry? Was it a family treasure from his father, a class ring from Tsing-hua/Purdue/VMI or an something else?

  Chieh's response==
  How observant you are! I missed the ring, and never paid attention to it. I will exam the ring and try to find out. My gut feeling is that it might have been a VMI class ring, but I will have to confirm that.

A Helpful Tsing Hua Alumnus

Zhong Zheng

Chieh's response==
Thank you Zhong

for letting me know the websites. Your ability to search Chinese Internet is something I do not have, and I highly appreciate your help to locate them.

I have incorporated them in the menu already. These are now listed in the News items and items in Chinese Internet.

It was a great pleasure to talk to you when you visited Waterloo.

New 30th Division