Zhao Yiman (Chinese: 趙一曼; Wade–Giles: Chao I-man; 1905 – 2 August 1936) was a female Chinese resistance fighter against the Imperial Japanese Army in Northeast China, which was under the occupation of the Japanese puppet state Manchukuo. She was captured in 1935 by Japanese forces and executed in 1936.[1] She is considered a national hero in China, and an eponymous biopic was made for her in 1950. The 2005 film My Mother Zhao Yiman was based on her son's memory of her.[2]
Early life
Zhao Yiman and her son Ning'er
Zhao was born Li Kuntai (李坤泰) to a landlord family in Sichuan who had eight children. In 1913, she attended a private school and demonstrated outstanding academic achievements. During this time, she began her interest in politics through left-wing journals and newspapers and in 1924, with the help of her elder sister and brother-in-law, she joined the local communist youth movement. On the same year, she published an article for the radical left-wing women magazine Women's Weekly where she denounced her elder brother for his refusal to fund her education.[3][4][5]
Revolutionary career
During the May Thirtieth Movement in 1925, she led students to block British kerosene tankers from docking in the pier in Yibin. In 1926, she was admitted to a girls' middle school in Yibin and also into the Chinese Communist Party. By October of that year, Zhao became one of the first women to join the Wuhan branch of the Whampoa Military Academy, the official military academy of the Republic of China.[5][4]
After the Mukden Incident in 1931 which led to the Japanese annexation of Northeast China, she was sent to the northeast to start up struggles against the Japanese occupation. She changed her name as Zhao Yiman to avoid implicating her family and gave up her infant son to her paternal uncle to be taken care.[citation needed]
In November 1935, the Imperial Japanese Army and the Manchukuo troops encircled the 2nd Regiment of the 3rd Army of the Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army. Zhao Yiman, who was political commissar of the regiment, was seriously wounded. Several days later, the Japanese found Zhao in a farmhouse where she stayed. In the ensuing fighting, she was wounded again and captured.[citation needed]
Imprisonment
Zhao was cruelly tortured after an argument with the questioners. In view of her political value, the Japanese sent her to a hospital to receive treatment. In the hospital, Zhao converted and recruited Han Yongyi, a female nurse, and Dong Xianxun, a guard. Han and Dong helped her to escape. Zhao was recaptured not far from the guerrilla base and suffered further torture due to her escape.[citation needed]
On 2 August 1936, she wrote down the last words, asking her children to continue the struggle. On her way to the execution ground, Zhao sang loudly the Ode of the Red Flag, and shouted anti-Japanese slogans.[citation needed]
The guard, Dong, who helped Zhao to escape, soon died in the prison after torture.[citation needed]
Memorial
Poster of 1950 film Zhao Yiman, starring Shi Lianxing
Zhao Yiman is featured as one of the revolutionary heroes in the Northeast China Revolutionary Martyrs Memorial Hall located at 241 Yiman Street in the Nangang district of Harbin.[citation needed]
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