Hequ

A few months ago, however, hope came to the boys and girls of the region. The Provincial Government of Suiyan had sent word that all young people who could escape into Free China could go to school at government expense. Between Suiyan City and Hochu, where the refugee students were to gather, lay nearly four hundred miles of unknown country, mostly desert. Those undertaking the journey must first cross the Yellow River which separated occupied territory from Free China, and the river was strongly patrolled by the enemy.

[1945 October, Jeanette Eaton, “Escape”, in Story Parade, →OCLC, page 3, column 2

On leaving Shenchi, the way lay up a wide valley, on a good road. Then we took to the hills in Wuzhai (Wuchai) county, winding amongst mountain ridges, until we came to Hequ (Hochu) county, where there were more mountains, wild serrated loess country, but everywhere trees and then more trees.

1979 January, Rewi Alley, “Yanbei and Xinxian Prefectures in 1978”, in Eastern Horizon, volume XVIII, number 1, Hong Kong: Eastern Horizon Press, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 11, column 1

Before this moment of truth in the middle of the river, I had wondered what had happened to the Christians. Why did I only meet a few? The explanation offered was that the younger Christians had left for Inner Mongolia, where there are now 20,000 residents from Hequ County. There are only 120,000 people left in Hequ County, and 10,000 in Hequ city, the same number as there were during the bombing in 1939. While the population in the rest of China has more than doubled, Hequ has not grown.

2004, Kari Torjesen Malcolm, We Signed Away Our Lives: How One Family Gave Everything for the Gospel, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, →OL, page 173