By Bi Huaming and Lin Lin
JINAN, Oct. 15 –A monumentinaugurationwas held at the Heroes Mountain Revolutionary Martyrs Cemetery a few days ago in Jinan, east China’s Shandong Province, to commemorate the first batch of 49 martyrs confirmed identity from remains recently, who had lost their lives in the Jinan Campaign, 1948, during China's Liberation War. Relatives of the martyrs came from across China to pay homage.
"When I was three or four years old, my father joined the army, and there was not even a photo of him left at home. In the past, I could only place a memorial tablet for my father at home on special occasions, and have never thought of seeing him again,"said 78-year-old Zhai Jianhua, in front of the tombstone ofher father,martyr Zhai Haiqing.
"This is the first time I have met my father face to face," 74-year-old Li Qingying said. Born in the year when his father died,now he stands in front of his father's tomb, silently gazing at his father's portrait, with his sentiment turning into tears.
Seventy-four years ago, more than 5,000 service members died during the decisive battle of the Jinan Campaign. They won the great victory of the campaign with blood and life. In those years, wars and battles frequently broke out, and many martyrs became unknown with no way to verify their names.
Since 2021, a martyrs' identification center was established in Jinan, which has identified 49 unknown martyrs by DNA technology.
Han Yancai, chiefof the Jinan Municipal Bureau of Veterans Affairs, said that the inauguration of the monument serves as a new starting point, following which they will continue toidentify more unknown martyrs by coordinating the efforts of all departments and institutions possible.