A vivid, life-like relief sculpture wall featuring scenarios of a squadron of courageous American pilots during the World War II has been erected in Kunming, the capital city of southwest China's Yunnan Province.
The feat is meant to mark the 60th anniversary of the victory over the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggressors (1937-1945).
During World War II, American General Claire Lee Chennault, commander of the US 14th Air Fleet I and a true friend of the Chinese people, organized US pilot volunteers into a squadron renowned as the invincible "Flying Tigers" to airlift arms, weaponry and other war-time goods to help China in its struggles against Japanese aggressors.
The US volunteers opened up a historical air corridor from India to the cities of Kunming and Chongqing in southwestern Chinavia Myanmar (formerly known as Burma). During their fierce encounters with Japanese air force, some young air "tigers" lost their lives, whose remains have been searched for the past five decades by locals in China's southwestern mountainous regions.
The 150-by-four meters relief sculpture wall, is erected on Minhang Road of Kunming, where Flying Tigers used to overhaul and maintain their fighters, according to Yu Chuan, the chief designer of the relief sculpture wall.
Scenarios on the wall include the arrival of the Flying Tigers, Chinese soldiers and civilians building the airport during the WWII, the scene of people cheering the victory of their first battle, Chinese civilians rescuing members of the Flying Tigers, as well as a huge image of General Claire Lee Chennault.
A local official said the wall would soon become a new popular tourist attraction in Kunming, also known as a "city of spring".
(Xinhua News Agency March 22, 2005)
