Peng Guochen joined the army for nine years and fought against the Japanese before, but because he belonged to the National Revolutionary Army, after his coming back to hometown, he was treated unfairly as four kinds of elements. He wasn’t married in the whole life and lived with grandnephew family. His health condition is worse and worse in later life, also lost ability of earning money gradually. Old aged pension RMB55 per month paid by government is too little to pay for ever-increasing living expenses. He never received the old age allowance even if he should.
In 2013 Ministry of Civil Affairs treated KMT Anti-Japanese War veterans as entitled groups, but Peng Guochen didn’t taste the sweetness of this policy. Until 2015 that is 70th anniversary of Chinese people Anti-Japanese War, government cared for them suddenly, they paid visits many times, however his life didn’t get real better.
In 2016 Peng Guochen was bedridden, grandnephew took care of his everything, he relied on his grandnephew more and more. Peng Songbai faced economic pressures because he is sandwich generation, he was hesitated between hope and disappointment, also between leaving or staying.
Village broadcast usually reports the news of taking targeted measures to help people lift themselves out of poverty. This family suddenly received a notebook because of high-level leader inspection, from that notebook they knew their family belonged to those living below the poverty line, even there was also a sign on the door and showing much poverty relief funds, they never received money. Peng Songbai checked with the related government departments many times, but finally got nothing.
This is one of Anti-Japanese War veteran documentary series directed by Jiang Nengjie. It shows the later life (2012-2017) of centenarian Sichuan veteran Peng Guochen. The main line is daily life of Peng Guochen and his grandnephew Peng Songbai, in order to discuss about the increasingly serious problem of supporting elder people.
In 2017 Peng Guochen passed away, there was no more updated news for old age allowance and poverty relief funds. Peng Songbai borrowed money and was in debt to give him an honorable burial.
纪录片《川军老兵彭国臣》内容简介 (200字版)
Brief Introduction of documentary The Sichuan Army Veteran PENG Guochen
This is one of Anti-Japanese War veteran documentary series directed by Jiang Nengjie. It shows the later life (2012-2017) of centenarian Sichuan veteran Peng Guochen. He wasn’t admitted as Anti-Japanese War veteran, and wasn’t married in the whole life. He lived with grandnephew Peng Songbai family in later life, when he couldn’t take care of himself on his own, grandnephew took care of him. But Peng Songbai faced economic pressures since he is sandwich generation. Their local government didn’t pay old age allowance and poverty relief funds to them, even if they appealed to the higher authorities for help but got nothing finally. In 2017 Peng Guochen was 102 years old and passed away, Peng Songbai borrowed money and was in debt to give him an honorable burial. This documentary mainly discusses about the increasingly serious problem of supporting elder people.