Liu Siqi and Mao Anying.

The widow of Mao Anying, late Chinese leader Mao Zedong’s eldest son who died in North Korea during the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea (1950-53), made a rare appearance in a documentary on the 70th anniversary of the war, recalling her farewell from her husband.

Liu Siqi was featured in the documentary Weile Heping (For Peace), which was produced by China Central Television and started airing on Monday. In the program, Liu recalled her last goodbye to her husband, who she had married just one year earlier.

Mao Anying volunteered to fight in the war in 1950, when Mao Zedong decided to set up the Chinese People’s Volunteers Army.

Then 28-year-old Mao Anying went to say goodbye to Liu, who had just undergone an appendectomy. But instead of telling her the truth, Mao Anying said he was doing an errand to a place where it might be difficult to come back home from.

Liu said in the documentary that she sensed something unusual when her husband bowed to her twice before he left.

He never returned.

The documentary touched the hearts of many Chinese netizens, who said it was too sad to even watch. Some said there were countless similar sad stories during the Korean War, and retelling them should remind Chinese people today not only to cherish peace, but also to devote themselves to self-improvement, and not fear any invasion.

The documentary is one of several events marking the 70th anniversary of the Chinese People’s Volunteers Army’s participation in the war to help Korea resist US aggression.