Stories of hardship empower spirit of generations

At 98 years old, Li Jinshui remains clear-minded and spirited as he recounts his wartime service 80 years ago. Born in 1927 into a poor family in a village in Wuxiang county, Shanxi province, Li joined the Eighth Route Army, led by the Communist Party of China, at the age of 17.

"The Eighth Route Army treated the people very well, helping them fetch water and spread the call to resist Japanese aggression and save the nation," Li said.

"If you're Chinese and have a conscience, you should stand up and fight."