“Who knows how many heroes were sacrificed in this disaster?” This question echoes through the history of Wang Leng Pui. Today we will delve into the past. We will uncover the story of Wang Lengzhai and his connection to the Lugou Bridge incident. This event changed the course of East Asian history.
Wang Lengzhai was the mayor of Wanping. Wanping was a walled town southwest of Beijing. In 1947, Wang Lengzhai returned to his hometown. It was the tenth anniversary of the Marco Polo Bridge incident. He took photographs of himself. Each photo had a note written on the back. One note read: “Courtyard of the Wanping county government after the disaster.”
Japan had long planned to capture Lugou Bridge. Wanping city protected the bridge. The bridge led directly into Beijing. In 1936, Japan occupied Fengtai. They then began to covet Wanping. Their goal was to isolate Beijing. Negotiations between China and Japan were frequent. They occurred around Lugou Bridge and Wanping city.
In 1937, Wang Lengzhai was appointed mayor of Wanping. He was also an advisor to the Beiping government. Before attacking Wanping, the Japanese tried other methods. They wanted to blockade Beijing. Wang Lengzhai saw through their plots. He declared ceding land impossible. He asserted he was not a Japanese official and would not sign.
On July 7, 1937, gunshots rang out. They came from outside Wanping city. Wang Lengzhai received a call from his old classmate. His classmate was General Qin Dechun, the mayor of Beiping. They did not expect the impending war.
That night, Japanese troops conducted military exercises. These exercises were around Lugou Bridge and Wanping. A Japanese soldier went missing. The Japanese demanded to search Wanping city. Wang Lengzhai denied the request. He stated the gunshots did not come from Chinese forces. He also said there were no lost soldiers in Wanping.
Wang Lengzhai negotiated with the Japanese Special Services Agency. He argued the gunshots came from outside the east gate. He pointed out the city gates were closed at night. He questioned how a soldier could go missing inside the city.
Negotiations failed. China and Japan agreed to jointly investigate. Before reaching the city gate, Japanese troops occupied the Shagang area. They were ready to attack. Wang Lengzhai confronted the Japanese soldiers. He insisted they were there to negotiate. He warned they would be responsible if the situation escalated.
Japanese commander Kiyonao Ichiki ordered the shelling of Wanping city. The Wanping government office was destroyed. Wang Lengzhai moved his desk to the rubble. He continued working. For 24 days, Wang and the 29th Army resisted the enemy. The flames of resistance ignited the country.
Wang Lengzhai wrote a poem about the incident. It criticized the Japanese imperialists. He claimed they dared not advance.
After Beiping and Tianjin fell, Wang Lengzhai retreated. He fought in other places. In 1939, he sought medical treatment in Hong Kong. After Hong Kong fell, he went to Guilin. He continued to participate in the resistance.
In 1946, Wang testified at the International Military Tribunal. He spoke about the Japanese military’s crimes. In 1947, Wang returned to his hometown. He visited Lugou Bridge and Wanping city. Bullet holes and rubble remained.
The war was over. Wang’s eyes were filled with sorrow. He may have been remembering fallen comrades. He may have been worrying about the impending civil war.
Wang Leng Pui stands as a testament to resilience. It serves as a reminder of the sacrifices made during a tumultuous period in history.