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War veteran's unique quest helps troubled 'souls'

By Wang Ru (China Daily)
Updated: 2009-04-04 08:29

Wang not alone in efforts

As Wang's efforts became known more widely, he started getting calls from all over the country. The relatives of missing soldiers all hoped that Wang would help find the whereabouts of long-lost loved ones.

For Wang, besides getting in touch with the soldiers' families, it was his aim that these brave comrades got due recognition for their efforts.

So far, Wang has located the relatives of 34 soldiers, out of the 84 dead that were listed on the document, but he has only gained official certificates for three, which he blames on the nonchalant attitude of some local officials.

Once, when Wang asked for help from a local township civil bureau in Shanxi, an irritated official asked: "Why do you want to help the relatives of people who died 60 years ago?"

"The soldiers' families were only hoping for an official acknowledgment, not any subsidy. I don't know why it is so hard," Wang said.

Wang has had to mortgage his apartment to fund the project. He now lives in a 10-sq -m rented shack.

But now Wang is not alone in his efforts. In 2005, some college students helped him find 11 soldiers on the list. The following year, students from Tsinghua University helped him establish a website to upload the letters.

In 2007, a war blockbuster, Assembly, on an old soldier struggling to find his dead comrades, brought wider attention to Wang's cause.

Every Tomb-Sweeping Day, Wang visits the soldiers' tombs, wiping the dust away and laying flowers.

"Sometimes, I doubt whether I have done anything really meaningful for these soldiers. But I won't give up looking for the rest until I die," Wang said.

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