Sanxi – 겹겹 프로젝트 JUJU project

REN Lan-e 任兰娥

Born in Sanxi, China), Drafted year: 1944, 13y/o, for 15 days + 2 months(2times)

I don’t think Japan is the only problem

when it comes to this issue.

The Chinese government is the problem as well.

What I've been through is never a good thing.

I don’t want to talk about it,

because I am ashamed.

My father and a cousin were soldiers of the Eighth Route Army. A traitor had snitched on us, and the Japanese soldiers came to my house. They set a fire on my cousin's head, and my mother and I went on our knees and begged the soldiers not to abuse him.

But they dragged me into a room and raped me, and hauled me to Nangouchun南沟村.

There were two other women there.

One woman fought back and got stabbed to death, and the other women was so shocked that she became mentally ill. I, being the only one left, was raped by more than ten soldiers every single day.

I was released only after my family gave the traitor money and food. When I was dragged away the second time, there were 10 women there. This time, I ran away in a chaotic pitfall when the Eighth Route Army attacked the Japanese military base. After I got out, I hid in the attic every time the Japanese army came to town.

I don’t think Japan is the only problem when it comes to this issue. The Chinese government is the problem as well. What I've been through is never a good thing. I don’t want to talk about it, because I am ashamed.

In the past, there were times when some people brought me clothes and gifts. When my neighbors asked me why they gave me gifts, I didn’t tell them the truth.

* She had died once in 2013, but she woke up in the shroud after one hour. She forgot how to speak and could not say a word for a long while. She thinks she will not die again, because she has already died once.

LI Lan-hai 李兰孩

Born in Sanxi, China, Drafted year: 1945, 15y/o, for 10 days

The girls who had both parents at home

were released after gifting meat, food, and money

to the Japanese soldiers,

but my family couldn’t afford it.

Several days passed and my father gave the local leader.....

My father raised me. Japanese soldiers came and took many women. They only kept those who were 15 and 16 years-old among those women. Only myself and the other three were the ones.In order to avoid being raped by the Japanese soldiers, we searched for a way to escape from the yard.

The Japanese soldiers forced us into rooms and raped us. After they captured us, they did not give us enough water and food.

The girls who had both parents at home were released after gifting meat, food, and money to the Japanese soldiers, but my family couldn’t afford it. Several days passed and my father gave the local leader a few things and money, only then I was released.

After returning home, I stayed in bed because we didn’t have money to go see a doctor. The villagers collected money for me, so I could go to the hospital. It took me half a year to feel better after taking the medicine called #606 (an injection).

My husband, who belonged to the Eighth Route Army, lost one of his arms when a Japanese bomb exploded. My husband died early from a stomach cancer, and I worked for a textile factory.

* Her son lives in the city, but she lives alone because she prefers the countryside. She lives on the dumplings her son brings for her from time to time. She has a large picture of MAO Zedong毛澤東 in her room, whom she thinks of someone that defeated the Japanese military during the war.