Jacquinot: The Forgotten Hero, a new book that brings to life the story of Robert Jacquinot de Besange (1878–1946) — a French Jesuit missionary who saved hundreds of thousands of refugees in Shanghai during World War II, has been published by Xuelin Press.

The book explores the overlooked history of Rao Jiaju, as he was known in China, who arrived in the country in 1913. In November 1937, amid the Japanese invasion of Shanghai, he established the "Jacquinot Zone", a wartime safety zone centered around the Shanghai City God Temple (Cheng Huang Miao), providing shelter to more than 300,000 refugees until 1940.

It was the first safe zone set up during the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-1945), inspiring German businessman John Rabe to establish the Nanjing Safety Zone during the Nanjing Massacre.

The Jacquinot Zone also influenced the post-war revisions of the Geneva Conventions on the protection of civilians in wartime, yet its story remains largely unknown.

To reconstruct this history, the co-author Su Zhiliang and his team conducted extensive research, including on-site investigations of historical buildings within the safe zone, and explored both domestic and international archives and documents.

The book presents Jacquinot's remarkable life, especially his years in Shanghai, through a rich narrative that combines text and images. It also sheds light on the stories of the Chinese people fighting alongside international friends, exemplifying a profound humanitarian spirit.

"The safety zone was not solely the work of Jacquinot; it was a collaborative effort of many people. Sharing the story of the safety zone is also sharing the hard work and commitment of these people — it deserves to be known by more," said Su.