Translator’s Note: Although this is speculation on my part – Li Zhonghua – could have been a ‘Hakka’ Chinese person. Certainly, many members of the Li (Lee) Surname Clan consider themselves ‘Hakka’ who live in the Sichuan area. His willingness to fight and to adventure into dangerous and unknown environments is typical of known Hakka behaviour! Whatever the case, in the Chinese language articles it states that Li Zhonghua was married in 1949 (the Year of the Revolution) and immediately joined the ‘Chinese People’s Volunteer Army’ in 1950 to fight US Aggression in Korea! Although suffering a leg-wound in 1951 – Li Zhonghua helped North Korea repel a US (Western) invasion! He actually went missing from his family home in Sichuan during 1958 – but the evidence found on his body suggests he was still alive until late 1960 (and probably into early 1961) – whilst being a long way from his native home.
Based on information available – the Police speculate that in 1958 Li Zhonghua (as a ‘Military Veteran’) was reactivated to participate in a ‘Secret Mission’ of National importance in Lop Nor. At that time, the PLA possessed a Nuclear Test Site near Lop Nor – and Li Zhonghua may have been involved in some way (although there is no evidence of radioactive contamination). The Police state that the area where Li Zhonghua’s remains were found was a former ‘Restricted Area’ used for nuclear testing during the 1950s and 1960s. The Government-issued ‘goggles’ found in his possession seems to support this idea – as this model was only provided to PLA troops engaged in assisting the development of China’s Nuclear Deterrent Project.
The Police deduce that Li Zhonghua (and his fellow soldiers) set-off from Luoyang – with Li Zhonghua struggling to keep-up due to the after-effects of his leg wound (which slowed him down). As the country was in need, however, Li Zhonghua ‘Volunteered’ yet again and was given ‘Special Tasks’. Before setting-off from Luoyang that day – Li Zhonghua bought a copy of a local Newspaper – a datable object found on his body in 2016. Due to the harsh environment (and Li Zhonghua’s injured leg) – he soon fall behind as the troops advanced. In such an environment, a person alone, without food, clothing and water would not be able to retrace their steps or go onwards with any certainty. Li Zhonghua marched on until his strength gave-out – and a grateful country rediscovered his remains! ACW (24.9.2023)
2016-12-14 10:31:25 China Daily Feng Shuang (English)
A DNA has test confirmed that the remains of a man found recently in a desert in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region belonged to Li Zhonghua, a native of Sichuan province, who went missing more than 50 years ago.
Test results were published by police in Qinghai province on Monday evening.
The remains, about 1.75 metres in height, were found by a group of rock collectors near the Lop Nor basin at the juncture of Xinjiang and Qinghai early last month.
Officers from Mangyan police station in the Haixi Mongolian autonomous prefecture in Qinghai arrived to find the remains lying face up, clad in blue overalls and cotton-padded trousers.
A light-yellow canvas bag containing a newspaper, two letters, a flashlight and a pair of goggles was found by the side of the remains. A poncho was found about 10 metres from the remains, while an aluminum thermos flask was found about 100 meters away.
High temperatures and a lack of rainfall explains why the belongings in the bag were intact, said Tang Tuohua, a police officer.
The newspaper was published in 1960 and police said the content of the letters suggest the remains were that of Li, who went missing in the 1960s.
Sichuan police contacted Li’s ex-wife – 88-year-old Deng Guangming, who remarried after Li went missing – in a village in Dingshan town in Bazhong, Sichuan.
Deng said she married Li, who was several months older than her, in 1949, a year before he went to fight in the Korean War. He returned, wounded, in 1951 and stayed in their home village for about five years. One day, he told his parents he would find work outside Sichuan. He left and never returned.
Police said they do not know why Li perished in the desert, adding that he might have died in about April 1961.
Li’s youngest daughter, 63-year-old Li Xiulan, said her family would go to Qinghai to escort her father’s remains home.
Chinese Language Articles:
https://www.163.com/dy/article/IC4C8LV0055619ZG.html
http://cnews.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-01/05/content_27872980.htm
SANGHA KOMMUNE (SSR) 