Figuring out history of family heirlooms in Shanghai(2)

He turned to the Internet for help, sending e-mails and photographs of figurines to a dozen Chinese history experts.

A few replied, and one of the most interesting replies came from Christian Henriot, a famous French sinologist and expert on Shanghai's history who is better known by his Chinese name An Keqiang. He teaches at the Institut d'Asie Orientale of Lyon University.

From Henriot's e-mail, Macaux learned that the figurines might be gifts from orphans in Tu Se We — a transcription of how Tushanwan is pronounced in Shanghai Dialect.

Tushanwan was an early home of French culture in the city's southwestern area of Xujiahui. Jesuit missionaries ran an orphanage — it was closed in 1960 — and spread Christianity, Western culture and art in the area.

The figurines were made by orphans aged between 9 and 15, who displayed what Macaux calls "unbelievable" craftsmanship for their age, according to Henriot.

Macaux said when he sent some figurines to a wood sculptor in Paris for repairs to minor damage, "he looked dazzled, and told his apprentices to come for a look."

The next minute the sculptor remarked, "Look what little Chinese children can do and what you did!" Macaux recounted.

He and Henriot worked together to find out the story behind the discovery, with the sinologist searching old military archives for clues.

After a year and a half of research in Paris and Lyon, Henriot confirmed that these figurines were indeed gifts given to Macaux's great-grandfather, General Le Bigot, for his role in saving the former French Concession from being shelled during Japan's invasion of Shanghai in 1937.

"My great-grandfather arrived in Shanghai in May or June, 1937 as the commander-in-chief of the French Navy Forces in the Far East," said Macaux.

Le Bigot's mission was to protect what was then the French Concession area.

With tensions running ever higher as Japanese navy fleet would attack from Huangpu River at any minute, Le Bigot faced a growing challenge in putting the French area out of harm's way.

According to Macaux, that challenge finally morphed into a debilitating crisis when Le Bigot was presented a letter from Japanese Admiral Hiroshi Hasegawa, commander of Japan's fleet that attacked Shanghai.

In the letter, Hasegawa asked his French counterpart to move his ship Lamotte-Picquet a bit higher up the Huangpu River, so that the Japanese fleet could have a prime position to fire upon the French Concession, said Macaux.

Le Bigot didn't yield to the Japanese request, and thus the French Concession escaped almost unscathed.

"Because of Le Bigot's refusal to comply, a large number of Shanghai inhabitants were saved," said Ma Jun, a historian and senior researcher with the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences.

According to him, many Chinese fleeing the Japanese troops sought refuge in the French Concession during the war.

While Le Bigot's primary aim was to protect French interests in Shanghai, his refusal to bow to Japanese demands shielded hundreds, if not thousands, of Shanghai residents from Japanese artillery, said Ma.