Li Xi Tsin is a fictional pilot who destroyed Japanese aircraft in China, as well as American bombers during the Vietnam and Korea wars. In particular, we are talking about the Korean, Japanese-Chinese and Vietnamese wars. Repeatedly, he became the hero of jokes, songs, classic military folklore. In this article we will talk about the history of its appearance, existing legends, possible prototypes.
Description
Pilot Li Si Tsyn first appears in army folklore around the 50s of the 20th century. His name is a kind of literature of the Russian surname Lisitsyn, remade in the East Asian manner.
Li Xi Tsyn is used as a Chinese name, which is not characteristic of either Vietnam or Korea. From folklore it follows that this hero knocks down an American pilot in the sky over Vietnam. The Vietnamese say that they shot down an enemy who fell victim to their compatriot, but most sources indicate that the pilot Li Si Tsin speaks Russian.
Appearance story
Most likely, the history of the appearance of this legend has its roots in 1938, when the Soviet leadership decided to provide military assistance to China in the confrontation with Japan. It was the Sino-Japanese War, which lasted from 1937 to 1945, until the empire was completely surrendered.
It is noteworthy that, for diplomatic reasons, this assistance was not covered in the media and was not advertised. At the same time, two books were published in 1939 and 1940, which described the actions of the Soviet military in Chinese territory. One was called Wings of China. Notes of a Military Pilot, it was attributed to Captain Wang Xi, and the second was Notes of Chinese Pilots, authored by Fyn Yu-ko.
In fact, the first was written by Soviet journalist-internationalist Yuri Alexandrovich Zhukov, and the second was another journalist - Yuri Mikhailovich Korolkov. All Soviet pilots mentioned in these books were bred under Chinese names. For example, Wang Yu-shin, Li Xi Tsun, Hu Be-nho. So Vanyushin, Lisitsyn, Gubenko were designated.
Army Folklore Development
Jokes about this fictional character in army folklore appeared in the 50s. The reason for this was another veiled participation of the Soviet Union in armed conflicts on the territory of other states. Then they remembered Li Si Tse.
The presence of Soviet military experts was hiding. Their participation in military clashes, as well as in real air battles, has never been confirmed at the official level. At the same time, the pilots themselves, who were part of the Soviet air corps in Korea, were under non-disclosure subscription. In the same position were military advisers who advised the national armies of those parties that supported the Soviet leadership.
For example, three times the hero of the Soviet Union Ivan Kozhedub, who was among the participants in the battles on the territory of Korea, said that during this period he had the pseudonym Krylov. At the same time, he recalled that all this disguise was applicable only in a calm environment. When it came to a real battle, everyone immediately forgot about pseudonyms and conspiracy, referring to each other by real names.
Memories of Pepelyaev
According to the recollections of the hero of the Soviet Union, Yevgeny Pepelyaev, who also took part in the Korean War, Soviet pilots flew with Korean identification marks in Chinese uniforms. Kozhedub himself selected those who had front-line experience, as well as those who had well mastered the MiG-15 fighter. Pilots were dressed up in the form of Chinese volunteers, documents were issued with inscribed Chinese names and surnames, including Li Xi Qing.
These measures were taken so that the Soviet intervention would not cause protests and condemnations from the UN and the world community.
Later, from military memoirs, it became known that over time, the name of the pilot Li Si Qing became a fashionable and widespread nickname for the vast majority of military personnel from Central Asia. In particular, this is stated in the book of Andrei Petukhov “Memory of the Service”, memoirs of Boris Kudaev “Translators”.
"Phantom"
Over time, a Soviet song about Lee Si Tse appeared. Its author remained unknown. She was dedicated to the Vietnam War.
This work is based on rumors about the participation of our pilots in the hostilities on the side of North Vietnam. The Soviet Union indirectly confirmed the provision of military-technical assistance to the Allies since 1965, but categorically denied the direct participation of full-time military personnel in hostilities. According to the statement of the Soviet leadership, only systems of anti-aircraft missile systems were involved.
A detailed study of the song about the pilot Li Si Tsyn called "Phantom" was carried out by philologist and journalist Rustam Fakhretdinov, who made a name for himself on works on contemporary folk song folklore.
Fakhretdinov writes that this song’s belonging to modern folklore is obvious, since not one of its performers has ever officially declared its authorship of poetry. In this case, there are at least five options for its implementation.
Roots of the song
The philologist believes that one of its variants was created no later than the 70s, since (according to Fakhretdinov) the motive of the thieves street ballad of the 20s “Gop with a bite” was originally used for the composition.
The song about the Vietnamese pilot Li Xi Tsyn was most widely performed by the Russian rock band Chizh & Co. It is believed that it became very popular thanks to the author’s reworking of the original folk motif made by Sergei Chigrakov and his team.
The first wave of fame came to the song "Phantom" much earlier, immediately after the end of the Vietnam War.
Soviet and Russian rock performers gave her a second life. Even before Chigrakov it was performed by other groups acting in the same direction. In 1989, the song "Phantom" was released on the album under the name "Summer It Bee" as part of Yegor Letov's project "Communism", then the track of the same name was recorded by the Cherry Orchard group. This happened in 1993.
The most famous version of the Phantom song performed by Chizh appeared on the 1996 Erogenous Zone album.
Composition content
Since the song is folk, there are several options for its content. Most people know Chigrakov’s version, which tells about the American pilot who is piloting the Phantom fighter-bomber.
From the text of the work it follows that the American is on a combat mission during the Vietnam War. He flies from the territory of Thailand, heading to North Vietnam. In particular, this can be judged by this quote:
My path is difficult and far, my Phantom rushes east.
At the same time, an American fighter encounters an adversary who rocket hits one of its engines. The pilot successfully ejects, and immediately after landing he is captured. He is brought in for questioning, in which he is interested in who was the man who knocked him out. The Vietnamese claim that it was one of their pilots:
Our pilot Li Si Qing shot down you.
The American fights off this statement, claiming that he heard on the radio talks in Russian between two pilots:
- Kolya, press, and I'll cover! - Vanya, hit, and I’ll cover!
From this he draws the corresponding conclusion, which begs itself:
Russian ace Ivan knocked me out.
It is worth noting that the name Li Xi Qing itself, consonant with the Russian surname Lisitsyn, is Chinese, not Vietnamese. Basically, it is used in jokes when you want to create a collective image of the Soviet pilot in the Korean War. It is worth noting that during the Sino-Japanese War, domestic volunteer pilots mainly called themselves Wang Yu Shin.
As a result, we can conclude that the fact of the real participation of Soviet pilots in the Korean War is mixed with widespread rumors about the participation of our pilots in air battles in Vietnam. However, it has no official factual evidence.
Song options
This musical work has several options that differ from each other (some more and others less). For example, the "Middle East" option, in which the action takes place during a fictional conflict between Iraq and Israel. Here is one of the quotes:
Baghdad lies far below.
Most likely, he appeared no earlier than the end of the 70s. This can be concluded based on the fact that the song refers to the Kfir fighter-bomber. This is an Israeli aircraft that was built on American engines.
"German" option
There is a so-called “German” version, in which, on behalf of a German pilot, the battle on the Western Front during the First World War is described. In this case, we are talking about Russian troops who were sent to help France fight against Germany.
This option was created according to the rules of pre-revolutionary style and spelling. Most likely, it arose in 2015.
