Grandson of martyr tells stories of 'eternal wave'
The grandson of Chinese revolutionary martyr Li Bai (1910-1949) shared his latest research at the Hui Forum public lecture over the weekend.
Li Lili, who has spent decades collecting material from the former workplaces of Li Bai, said it is a family inheritance to promote the story and spirit of the martyr.
Li Bai’s son Li Hengsheng died in 2015, handing down the mission to Li Lili.
He gave the lecture at the Longhua Martyr Cemetery in Xuhui District along with Wang Jiajun, the principal dancer of the Shanghai Dance Theater, who played Li Bai in the popular dance drama “The Eternal Wave.”
Li Bai and his wife Qiu Huiying risked their lives for 12 years secretly sending information over the radio. He sent out the last message before bravely sacrificing his life in Shanghai in May 1949, 20 days before the liberation of the city.
Li Lili said his grandma took his father to visit Li Bai on the day of his death. They talked with Li the last time from a second-floor balcony beside the prison. Li Bai asked them to not come back to see him again and wait for the liberation of the country.
“The last words of my grandfather to his family were: ‘the sky is lighting up. I’ve witnessed what I’m looking forward to. You and my son will live a happy and free life along with every Chinese people,’” Li Lili said.
“I hope the spirit of the martyr can inspire new generations,” Li Lili told the forum.
Wang recalled how the performers visited Li Bai’s former residence in Hongkou District to experience the environment and imagine the couple’s lives in those turbulent years.
“There was no air-conditioner in the loft where they sent the information," said Wang. "They had to walk like cats to avoid making a noise."
The drama has been popular among locals, especially young audiences, Wang said. There will be a national tour to promote the story of Li Bai.
“I hope every performance will become a baptism of the revolutionary spirit to audiences,” Wang said.
Hundreds of citizens attended the lecture and paid tribute to the martyrs at the cemetery ahead of the Qingming Festival which falls on April 4 this year.