During the Chinese Civil War, Nationalist Kuomintang forces set up special prisons in major cities across the nation. 

They were designed to hold those charged with political crimes -- most of them members of the Communist Party of China.

The imprisoned CPC members were forced to wear shackles weighing 8-10 kilograms.

Some of them lived to see the chains broken; others did not.

Tens of thousands of CPC members died in prison, true to their belief​s to the​ very end.

Chinese artist Hu Yichuan was among the survivors.  

He said he would never ​in his life forget the sound of the breaking of chains. 

In 1950, Hu painted Unlocking Shackles based on his own experiences, as a tribute to those who gave their lives fighting for the liberation of China. 

In his painting, the People’s Liberation Army ​is seen break​ing into the prison and unbolt​ing the shackles. 

Zhazidong Concentrat​ion Camp in Chongqing was​ later transformed into an education center, memorializing the sacrifices made for the founding of the New China.

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