CHEN Da Ya 陈达娅
Japanese Occupation of Singapore,
Accession Number 003418
- Oral History Centre
Source
- 6
Total Reels
- Lye Soo Choon 赖素春
Interviewer
- 04:36:19
Total Running Time
- Mandarin
Language
Copyright Notice
All rights to the recordings and transcripts on this website, including the rights to copy, publish, broadcast and perform, are reserved. Written permission is required for any use. If you have any queries, please contact nas@nlb.gov.sg
Reel/Disc 1 of 6
Metadata
- 19 Oct 2009
Recording Date
- 00:56:35
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
*Born 1961 in Kunming, China. How her mother met her father. No nothing about her father background when she was young. Knew that her family was different from others in China, but did not know what overseas Chinese is. Impression of her father. Felt inferior as her father was much older than others. Recalled father standing outside the hospital room and never went into the room to visit her and her mother when they were sick. She was left alone in Kunming since primary one as her father was brought away and mother and brother were sent to countryside during China Cultural Revolution (中国文化大革命). Life staying alone. Why she felt inferior during youth days. Recall how she felt when she was alone during Moon-cake festival. Later her father was allowed to visit her twice per month and would cook for her. Recall visited her father at his work place, saw banners (大字报) accusing her father. Described the poor living condition of her father’s room. Why neighbours were willing to take care of her when she was alone in Kunming. Her father’s overseas Chinese status had more negative effects in China, cited example. Recalled father saving better rice for her and her brother and her mother would request them to give the meat to father. Father worked till age 79 in order to support family. Mother was proud of father as he received many certificates of praises from his work place. Dared not kept things that her father brought from Nanyang during the Revolution
We will get back to your request within 5 working days
Reel/Disc 2 of 6
Metadata
- 19 Oct 2009
Recording Date
- 00:57:52
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Recalled what her father told her mother when he was brought away from home during China Cultural Revolution (中国文化大革命). Life during the Revolution. Education she received had caused her to look down on her father during the Revolution, no communication with her father and felt that her father deserved the hard life, even after her father had his political rehabilitation (平反). It was until his father passed away, the Condolence Massage (吊唁辞) from company gave her father positive comments. How her father’s overseas Chinese status affected her elder sister. Their ties with overseas relatives were broken due to the Revolution. Father missed Singapore and hometown Hainan when he was sick. Elder sister was not closed to father. Talked about how younger brother was affected by her father’s overseas Chinese status. Recalled how her brother talked about father’s life during the Revolution. Interviewee’s life during the Revolution and thing that she regretted. Recall activities organized by Overseas Chinese Affairs Office (侨务办公室) for volunteer drivers and mechanics (南侨机工) in 1980s. Knew very little about volunteer drivers and mechanics then. Got interested to know more when she joined a trip sponsored by Tan Keong Choon to Yunnan-Burma Road in year 2000.
We will get back to your request within 5 working days
Reel/Disc 3 of 6
Metadata
- 19 Oct 2009
Recording Date
- 00:58:46
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Got interested to know more about volunteer drivers and mechanics (南侨机工) when she joined a trip sponsored by Tan Keong Choon to Yunnan-Burma Road in year 2000. People who joined the trip. Cited examples of things she heard from the old volunteer drivers and mechanics during the trip. Her feelings when she heard from and met those old volunteer drivers and mechanics. Recall how she was so affected emotionally when they stopped at Hui Tong Bridge (惠通桥), impression she used to have for her father changed greatly. Started to find out more about her father and volunteer drivers and mechanics after that trip. Did research in Yunnan Provincial Archives, regretted the way she had treated her father. Why she wanted to read the archival records and went to interview old volunteer drivers and mechanics. Responsibilities that she had. Surprises she had when she referred to the archival records. Her values of life changed. Hope more people could understand the volunteer drivers and mechanics. Her beliefs changed after her research. Talk about some content of the archival records she had seen. History recorded that one-third of the volunteer drivers and mechanics die during the war. According to statistics she had, she felt that should be more, around 1800.
We will get back to your request within 5 working days
Reel/Disc 4 of 6
Metadata
- 19 Oct 2009
Recording Date
- 00:49:34
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Why she felt more volunteer drivers and mechanics had die during the war than the number recorded. Problems she met during her research, including unable to access to some archival records and time & fund issues. Family and friends could understand her. The push force for her to go on. She would like to reveal the history of volunteer drivers and mechanics. Education in China did not provide a chance for people to understand this history. Recall letters that the mechanic wrote to his children, it had shown the determination that human beings should have. How she felt about the descendants of other volunteer drivers and mechanics. Recalled her first trip to Hainan to track her father hometown. How she felt about the preview exhibition held in Yunnan. Hoped to set up a Monument for the volunteer drivers and mechanics in Hainan Island. How her daughter felt about her research in volunteer drivers and mechanics.
We will get back to your request within 5 working days
Reel/Disc 5 of 6
Metadata
- 19 Oct 2009
Recording Date
- 00:49:09
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
*Compare the differences in content of the "NanQiao Jigong: The Extraordinary Story of Nanyang Drivers and Mechanics Who Returned to China During the Sino-Jpanaese war" exhibition that were put up in Yunan, Beijing and Singapore. Happy that the histor一 of Nanqiao Jigong was brought to in Singapore, a bit disappointed as the response was not as great as she expected. Felt happy that Nanqiao Jigong were considered as hero in Singapore. How she discovered from her father passport that there were plan for the Nanqiao Jigong to return to Nanyang after two years in China. Describe her experiences in looking for places that her father had stayed in Singapore. Talk about here experiences in visiting Ee Hoe Hean Club 怡 和 轩and Singapore Bukit Timah Heng Jai Friendly Association 新 加 坡 武 吉 知 马 琼 崖 联 谊 会。 Talk about her two trips to Mlaysia related to Nanqiao Jigong and her experiences of sharing Nanqiao Jigong with Malaysian Chinese. Her experience in Penang let her realized how much overseas Chinese contributed to China. Recall her first trip to Malaysia. Met one Nanqiao Jigong Wang Tei Hun 王 铁 魂in Ipoh.
We will get back to your request within 5 working days
Reel/Disc 6 of 6
Metadata
- 13 Jun 2011
Recording Date
- 00:04:23
Running Time
- MP4
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Supplementary Interview 2 (Video)
*How she felt about the descendents of volunteer drivers and mechanics (Nanqiao Jigong南侨机工) having a chance to be interviewed. Talk about Jigong Wang Ya Liu 王亚六 being the first drive to drive through Gong Guo Bridge 功果桥after the bridge was repaired in 1940. The finding of advance magnetic particle flaw detector (无损磁粉探测仪) was brought to China by Nanqiao Jigong in 1939. New technical improvement on brakes (煞车技术) invented by Jigong.
We will get back to your request within 5 working days
