Why did Tan Kah Kee worry about the return of the Nanyang Machine Workers to support the Anti-Japanese War?
The Nanyang Overseas Chinese Mechanized Engineers left their homes and families behind without hesitation for the national resistance against Japan. Meanwhile, the Nanyang General Association and various local fundraising branches consistently kept an eye on the Nanyang Overseas Chinese Mechanized Engineers serving in China, providing necessary and timely assistance. It can be said that the contributions of the Nanyang Overseas Chinese Mechanized Engineers not only embodied personal sacrifice and dedication but were also inseparable from the support of the Nanyang society. Reporter from China News Service, Jin Xu, Men Rui.
This year marks the anniversary of the birth of Chen Jiageng, the renowned patriotic overseas Chinese leader, who is honored as the "Banner of Overseas Chinese and the Radiance of the Nation." In the year, at Chen Jiageng's call, the Nanyang Machine Workers arrived in Yunnan in batches to support the war effort. Why did Chen Jiageng have such a significant influence? Why did the circumstances of the Nanyang Machine Workers become his concern, leading him to visit and comfort them twice within a year? Xia Yuqing, deputy director of the Institute of Overseas Chinese Studies at Yunnan Normal University, accepted an interview with China News Service's "East-West Question" on this topic.
The following is a summary of the interview transcript:
Reporter from China News Service: In the year, what efforts did Tan Kah Kee and the Nanyang Chinese Chamber of Commerce make to call upon the Nanyang machine workers to return to China to support the Anti-Japanese War?
Xia Yuqing: At the beginning of the Anti-Japanese War, China's major transportation routes were all blocked and cut off by the Japanese army, and the Yunnan-Burma Road became the only supply route for military materials connecting China to the outside world at that time.
Due to the shortage of a large number of skilled drivers and repair technicians, the "General Manager's Office for the Transportation of Import and Export Goods in Southwest China of the Military Council" (hereinafter referred to as the "Southwest Transportation Office") sent a letter to the "Overseas Chinese Relief Association for the Refugees of the Motherland in Southeast Asia" (hereinafter referred to as the "South China Overseas Association"), led by Tan Kah Kee, on the date of the month, requesting it to recruit automobile drivers and mechanics in Southeast Asia on its behalf.
As a renowned industrialist in the Nanyang region, Tan Kah Kee's success in economic endeavors laid the foundation for his status and influence in the overseas Chinese community. Under his leadership, the Nanyang Chinese General Association articulated the significance of recruiting machine workers to return to China to participate in the Anti-Japanese War through methods such as letters, notices, and assembly calls. They also established systems such as the "Organizational Methods and Procedures for Returning Drivers" and the "Procedures for Returning Machine Workers to Rangoon," which clearly stipulated qualifications for machine workers, costs of returning to the homeland, procedures for returning, routes for returning, and the distribution of quotas in various locations.
In addition, the South Overseas Chinese General Association made full arrangements for each batch of machine workers returning to China, such as coordinating departure times, handling passports and documents, organizing return arrangements, and ensuring that the actions of returning to various places were synchronized. Special meetings were held before the machine workers' return, and an organizational leadership structure for their return was established to ensure the safety and order of the team.
Chen Jiageng's calls for action received enthusiastic responses from Chinese communities and overseas Chinese youth across Southeast Asia. On a certain date, the Nanyang General Association organized the first batch of machine workers to depart from Singapore by ship and return to China. From a certain month to another month, batches of outstanding overseas Chinese technical talents successively returned to China, subsequently taking on the crucial task of transporting military supplies to the Chinese battlefield along the Southwest transportation route. It can be said that Chen Jiageng was the organizer and promoter of the overseas Chinese machine workers returning to China to support the Anti-Japanese War.
On a certain date, multiple Chinese communities in Malaysia jointly held a commemoration event in Kuala Lumpur to mark the 75th anniversary of the South Overseas Chinese Mechanized Engineers' participation in the war in China. A "Wall of Heroes" featuring photos of over 3,000 South Overseas Chinese Mechanized Engineers was displayed at the event. Photo by reporter Chen Yue, China News Service.
Reporter from China News Service: Upon their initial arrival in Kunming, the Nanyang Machine Workers faced the issue of extreme cold. How did Tan Kah Kee assist in resolving this? What reasonable benefits did he secure for the Nanyang Machine Workers?
Xia Yuqing: The "Machine Workers' Suffering from Cold" issue refers to the discomfort experienced by the Overseas Chinese Machine Workers upon their arrival in Kunming due to cold weather and adaptation issues. The Southwest Transport Office failed to promptly provide cotton clothing for warmth and necessary medical conditions, leading to illnesses among the machine workers and even the deaths of a few due to freezing. This issue persisted from the arrival of the first batch of machine workers in a certain month to a certain month of the year.
Upon arrival in Kunming, the Nanyang Overseas Chinese Machinery Workers were immediately assigned to the "Transport Personnel Training Institute" for military training. During this period, due to the sudden cold weather in Kunming, the Training Institute had not prepared cotton clothing or other cold-weather necessities. The Nanyang Overseas Chinese Machinery Workers, mostly clad in thin garments, wrote letters to the Nanyang Relief Committee, informing them of the situation and requesting assistance in resolving the issue.
At that time, when the Nationalist Government was recruiting a large number of machine workers in Southeast Asia, Tan Kah Kee, upon learning of this, first sent someone to the Singapore branch to verify the true situation of the overseas Chinese machine workers; at the same time, he wrote to Chen Zhiping, the head of the Yangon branch of the Southwest Transport Office, urging him to quickly help resolve the issues faced by the machine workers in Kunming. However, as he was stationed in Yangon, he was unaware of the situation in Kunming and merely forwarded the letter from the Southwest Transport Office to the Overseas Chinese General Association.
For a long time, Tan Kah Kee found it difficult to verify the truth of the living conditions of the machine workers as described by the Southwest Transport Office. In a certain month, the Nanyang General Association specially dispatched Liu Mudan to conduct an on-the-ground investigation of the life of the Nanyang machine workers along the Burma Road. Even in summer, the Burma Road was bitterly cold, with piercing winds that were unbearable. After understanding the situation, Tan Kah Kee quickly mobilized the entire overseas Chinese community in Southeast Asia to prepare cold-weather clothing and medicines for the machine workers. The Xuan Yuan Hall in Singapore took on the task of making cotton clothes at a low price, and the Xingzhou Tailor Shop gathered various industry peers to distribute the tailoring work. These supplies were subsequently delivered to Kunming through different channels.
In addition, Tan Kah Kee directly criticized the chaotic management of the transportation on the Burma Road, repeatedly reported the situation to the National Government, and drafted the "Proposal of the South Overseas Chinese General Association on Improving the Facilities and Treatment of Mechanics on the Burma Road." Ultimately, with the coordination of the National Government and the efforts of the South Overseas Chinese General Association, the issue of mechanics enduring hardships was basically resolved.
On a certain date, the first Nanyang Machine Operators historical and cultural community in Yunnan Province was unveiled in Kunming's Wuhua District, aiming to showcase the history of the Nanyang Machine Operators who came to China to participate in the Anti-Japanese War. Photo by Liu Ranyang, China News Service.
Reporter from China News Service: Why did Tan Kah Kee lead the Nanyang Relief Mission to visit the Overseas Chinese Mechanized Engineers twice within a year?
Xia Yuqing: Chen Jiageng paid particular attention to the Nanyang Machine Workers. They faced dangers such as enemy aircraft bombings, traffic accidents, and diseases. Even during the period when the Sino-Burmese Road was open, it was difficult to avoid casualties.
From January to February, Chen Jiageng made his first inspection tour to Yunnan. During his visit, he first arrived in Chuxiong and Xiaguan, where he visited the injured overseas Chinese machine workers at Xiaguan Hospital, "distributing 100 yuan each to the 10 machine workers staying in the hospital"; he attended a meeting of overseas Chinese machine workers to understand the distribution of supplies such as clothes, shoes, socks, and mosquito nets donated by the South China Overseas Chinese General Association. At the Southwest Associated University, he delivered a speech titled "Reflections on the Northwest Inspection Tour and the Recent Situation of Overseas Chinese in Southeast Asia," encouraging students to take on national responsibilities. On February 28th, after his speech at the welcome meeting in Yunnan, he responded to questions from journalists, introducing the situation in the Southeast Asian press and education sectors, and shared his experiences from his visit to Yan'an, "reporting faithfully what he had seen and heard."
At the end of the month, Chen Jiageng returned to Kunming for the final stop of his tour of consolation, once again inspecting the traffic conditions of the滇缅公路 and the work and living conditions of the南侨机工. Due to improper management by the Southwest Transportation Office, there were still individual南侨机工 who lacked sufficient living supplies, and the vehicles driven by the Overseas Chinese Vanguard Team were also in poor condition. Witnessing this situation, Chen Jiageng sent a telegram to Chiang Kai-shek, reporting what he had seen and heard, and proposing suggestions for improving the road conditions. On the 日, Chen Jiageng and his party arrived in Zhefang, Mangshi, and passed through the畹町gate to leave the country. After that, he not only informed the overseas Chinese in Southeast Asia about his experiences through speeches and media, boosting the morale of the overseas Chinese in the fight against the Japanese, but also continued to raise funds for road repairs and maintenance of transportation vehicles and supplies, in order to improve the conditions of the滇缅公路 and the state of the transportation vehicles.
In the year, the Burma Road was cut off, and the Overseas Chinese Motor Transport Corps were disbanded by the National Government. Most of them were left homeless and struggled to sustain their livelihoods. At this time, Tan Kah Kee was in hiding in Indonesia due to being pursued by the Japanese invaders. After the victory of the Anti-Japanese War, Tan Kah Kee returned to Singapore to assist the Overseas Chinese Motor Transport Corps in returning home. The plan for the repatriation of the Overseas Chinese Motor Transport Corps was officially implemented in the year, and the National Government began to process the repatriation procedures for the corps. Some of the Overseas Chinese Motor Transport Corps were able to gradually return south through the relevant arrangements, reuniting with their families.
On the date, the exhibition "The Banner of Overseas Chinese, the Glory of the Nation - The Life and Achievements of Tan Kah Kee" opened at the Yunnan Provincial Museum, comprehensively showcasing Mr. Tan Kah Kee's lifelong struggle of patriotism, love for his hometown, industrial dedication, and commitment to education. Photo by Liu Ranyang, China News Service.
Reporter from China News Service: In the year, Tan Kah Kee returned to China to embark on the "Ten Thousand Miles Across the Motherland" journey. What are the key focuses of his visit to Yunnan this time compared to previous ones?
Xia Yuqing: In the month of the year, Chen Jiageng embarked on the "Ten-Thousand-Mile Journey for the Motherland," traveling to 28 provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions across China over a span of more than a month. His journey covered a total distance of 100,000 li. When visiting Yunnan, he focused on understanding the local ethnic work.
Chen Jiageng highly appreciated the local ethnic unity, equality, fraternity, and mutual assistance in Yunnan. Ultimately, he concluded, "Due to the government's implementation of correct ethnic policies, minority groups and the Han nationality live in harmony, sharing the joys of life in the great family of the motherland."
After the dissolution of the Nanyang Machine Drivers and Mechanics, about a thousand members stayed in Yunnan to live. Chen Jiageng always kept them in his thoughts and, during this visit, made a special trip to see them.
Reporter from China News Service: This year marks the anniversary of the birth of Tan Kah Kee and the anniversary of the return of the Nanyang Machine Workers to fight in the Anti-Japanese War. How can the stories of Tan Kah Kee and the Nanyang Machine Workers be better known to more people?
Xia Yuqing: The historical fact of the Nanyang General Association, led by Chen Jiageng, recruiting overseas Chinese drivers to support the Chinese Anti-Japanese War is also a historical memory that connects China with the overseas Chinese society in Southeast Asia. The Nanyang drivers left their families and homes without hesitation for the national resistance. Meanwhile, the Nanyang General Association and various fundraising branches in different regions consistently kept an eye on the Nanyang drivers serving in China and provided necessary and timely assistance. It can be said that the contributions of the Nanyang drivers not only embodied personal sacrifice and dedication but were also inseparable from the support of the Southeast Asian society.
Today, there are no longer any Nanyang Machine Workers in the world, but their stories have not faded away. Numerous scholars continue to uncover historical details, while the descendants of the Nanyang Machine Workers, through commemorative events, the organization of family letters, memoirs, and other efforts, strive to piece together the forgotten past. In the future, I hope to collaborate with Chinese community organizations in Singapore, Malaysia, and other countries to establish a Nanyang Machine Workers database, providing resources for joint research by scholars both at home and abroad. At the same time, I aim to initiate a joint public memorial event in Kunming, inviting global Chinese to participate, so that the stories and spirit of Tan Kah Kee and the Nanyang Machine Workers can be passed down through generations.
Interviewee Profile:*
Photo courtesy of Xia Yuqing.
夏玉清，男，云南师大华文学院副教授，厦门大学历史学博士，中国华侨历史学会理事，硕士研究生导师。主要以近代档案研究边疆华侨与中国互动、东南亚华侨华人问题。主持完成国家社科项目一般项目《南洋华侨机工历史文献整理与研究》1项，在研主持国家社科项目一般项目《南洋华商开发云南边疆历史文献整理与研究》1项。主持省部级涉侨项目5项。出版专著2部，在《抗日战争研究》《宗教学研究》《世界民族》等刊物发表多篇学术论文。
原标题：《夏玉清：南侨机工回国支援抗日，陈嘉庚为何牵挂？| 东西问》文字编辑：王肃宁图片编辑：崔楚翘排版：梁静责编：宋方灿
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