During the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, Ba Jin went to the volunteer army twice to experience life

Stills from the film Heroes and Children, based on Barkin's work

During the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, Ba Jin twice went to the volunteer army to experience life. We may imagine that, by virtue of his status and prestige, and nearly half a hundred years old, he would be treated specially among the volunteers, staying in a hotel, being entertained, listening to a report on the upper side, and then talking to the hero in the company.

This is not the case at all. Ba Jin was well aware of the important mission of his leadership of the All-China Federation of Literary and Art Circles to the DPRK Creative Group, and more consciously realized that going to the DPRK was also the "beginning of a new life" that prompted him to combine with the masses of the people and write a new chapter in his life. Therefore, he has been actively going deep into the company, deep into the forward position, in his own words, "trying to penetrate into life", becoming a member of the volunteer family. We can see this just by looking at the trifles of clothing, food, shelter, and transportation in the Korean battlefield.

Clothing: Late single military uniform and mended socks

A total of 17 members of the All-China Federation of Literary and Art Circles went to the DPRK to create a group, and in early March 1952, they set out from Beijing and received a set of luggage and winter clothes according to the treatment of military cadres: cotton tops, cotton breeches, leather hats, leather boots, etc. For the first time, Barkin was dressed in a military uniform and was very excited.

In March, spring has arrived in North Korea. On March 31, they negotiated to collar a single garment at the Political Department of the Volunteer Army. Uniforms are issued strictly per head, and members of the Political Department can only receive their own share, and there are no surplus reserves. As a result, when Ba Jin and his party moved around Pyongyang from April 1 to April 5, they were quite embarrassed to dress. "We're running around in cotton uniforms and leather hats, and the North Koreans are already wearing spring clothes," he said. From the group photo of Chinese and North Korean writers and artists on April 4, it can be seen that Ba Jin and members of the creative group who are holding the corner of the pennant are wearing cotton clothes and leather hats (only the female writer Bai Lang in the second row on the left has taken off the leather hat), while Lee Tae-joon and other North Korean writers and artists who are pulling the other corner of the pennant are wearing spring clothes and do not wear hats.

On April 11, in the 19th Corps of the Volunteer Army, the members of the creative group received a single military uniform. The writer Xi Hong happily wrote in his diary: "We took a single coat, changed into a single coat, and began a hot day life. ”

Ba Jin's diary has repeatedly recorded that he "mended socks" and "sanitary pants". According to relevant information, the cloth socks and shirts issued by the volunteer army in the previous two years were also stipulated in quantity, and Ba Jin was no exception. He spent most of his time running around in the company, of course, the socks were worn quickly, and he often had to make up for it himself. For example, on May 8, 1952, in the 193rd Division of the 65th Army, "socks were replenished until 9:50 p.m." at night; on August 8, the second day after returning from the 188th Division to the headquarters of the 63rd Army, two pairs of socks were replenished in the afternoon; on September 6, the 3rd Battalion of the 581st Regiment of the 194th Division of the 65th Army returned to the division headquarters, and at 12:00 noon to repair the socks (the volunteer army generally eats breakfast at about 8 a.m. and lunch at about 3 p.m.), and then the hero Zhao Jieren came to talk, did not finish, and continued to make up the socks at 11 o'clock at night.

Ba Jin has visited the market in Pyongyang and Kaesong, so why not buy some socks and "sanitary pants" to replace? Or, he was received by the supreme commander everywhere he went, especially in the corps, the army, the division, the regiment, these units, why didn't he open his mouth to ask for an extra pair of socks or a pair of "sanitary pants", but also to make up for it himself?

The reason for this was that he did not want to be any special compared to other warriors. After the founding of New China, Ba Jin lived entirely on the fee. His food and clothing in North Korea are supplied by the state, and he has not received any allowances. At the beginning of 1952, when he was studying intensively in Beijing and making preparations for the country, Mr. Gu Junzheng of the enlightened bookstore considered Ba Jin's long time abroad this time, and had given him an advance of more than 100 yuan in royalties (more than 1 million yuan in old coins, the same below), but Ba Jin used it to buy books and send them back to Shanghai (a total of 6 packs), leaving only 2 yuan when he went abroad. From march 16, when he entered north Korea to July 17, when he wrote a letter to Xiao Shan, he did not have a single Korean dollar and did not spend a penny. Moreover, Ba Jin sent manuscripts or sent postal letters to the State Federation of Literary and Art Circles and the Ministry of Culture of the General Political Department, which were sent by his troops, while private letters were paid for by themselves. In the past four months, the stamps brought from China have been used up, and there is no North Korean currency to buy North Korean stamps, so Xiao Shan has to send him 10 Chinese plain letter stamps (8 cents a piece). When he returned to China in early October, the painter Nishino insisted on lending Ba Jin 20 yuan (Nishino borrowed Xu Ling.) Xu Ling is a teacher at Lu Xun Academy of Fine Arts, probably a little more flexible than Nishino in the army with money), Ba Jin only needed 10 yuan, returned to Dandong, but returned to Nishino. Judging from Ba Jin's diary, it seems that the second visit to the DPRK in 1953 was only on August 19, exchanging 2.9 yuan for 3,000 yuan of Korean coins, which was used to purchase books such as the Korean dictionary.

From this we can also speculate that the idea of asking the troops for an extra pair of socks or a pair of "sanitary pants" was never conceivable by Barkin.

Food: "I shouldn't be treated differently from a warrior"

In 1952, the supply of main and sideline food of the Volunteer Army was greatly improved, not only the grain ration was sufficient, but also 70% of the fine grain, and meat and other side foods were gradually enriched.

However, the company's food is still partially compressed biscuits, sorghum rice, etc. Considering that Ba Jin was older and the troops often gave him special care, Ba Jin always sincerely refused and insisted on eating the food of the soldiers. From May 8 to 15, 1952, Ba Jin and Huang Guliu penetrated the communications company of the 193rd Division of the 65th Army, according to the recollections of the veterans at that time:

Before Barkin came to our company, the military headquarters issued an order that Ba Jin, as a famous writer, should receive Barkin according to the treatment of the chief. According to the order at that time, our company specially opened a small stove for Ba Jin, but on the first day it was withdrawn by Ba Jin, and he did not eat the meal made by the small stove, but came to the canteen with the rice bowl, and like ordinary soldiers, lined up to eat. In Barkin's own words, I am an ordinary soldier, and don't we wear the same uniforms? Shouldn't I be treated differently from a warrior! And jokingly said to the company commander: Where are you to open a small stove for me, it is clear that it is unfair treatment of me! I will never do this! Amid the laughter of everyone, Barkin's small stove was withdrawn, and he also ate with the soldiers in the large canteen. And since then, Ba Jin's food, clothing, shelter and transportation have been treated as ordinary soldiers, and he has become the only "civilian chief" in the company.

This situation is also recorded in Barkin's diary. For example, on August 22, 1952, in the 7th Company of the 3rd Battalion, 581st Regiment of the 194th Division of the 65th Army, "they cooked for me separately, saying that they were afraid that I would not be able to eat compressed grain, and I asked to eat with them tomorrow." In order to refuse the troops to donate cigarettes, they even "declared that they would quit smoking on the grounds that the cold had not healed from May 7."

Ba Jin also did not receive gifts from North Korean compatriots. On August 28, 1952, the landlady asked him 4 peaches and said, "North Koreans, Chinese, family." Barkin had to accept it, and then gave the peach to the Volunteer Sick.

In the military, whenever festivals, military-civilian reunions, celebrations, greeting and sending condolence groups, comrades-in-arms, and other activities, it is inevitable to drink alcohol and socialize when Ba Jin is invited to participate. Ba Jin is not good at drinking, but he is sincere, will not persuade alcohol, will not refuse alcohol, and can only beg for bitter food. On August 20, 1953, "Attending the dinner and getting drunk" was one of them. The original committee was that when Ba Jin went to Korea for the second time, he had already ceased hostilities, the work of dispatching prisoners of war was complicated and arduous, and the Cultural Department of the Political Department of the Volunteer Army and the cultural and labor corps under it came to Kaesong to participate in the repatriation of prisoners of the armistice negotiations, and invited Ba Jin to participate in interviewing the return of the volunteers, in order to expose the US military's violation of international conventions and cruelly killing the prisoners of war of the volunteer army. On August 20, Ba Jin went to report for duty, and at dinner, Wang Yongnian, director of the Cultural Department of the Political Department of the Volunteer Army, invited Ba Jin to meet and have dinner with the Ministry of Culture and the members of the Cultural and Labor Corps, of course, he saw many acquaintances, friends reunited, and Ba Jin had to get drunk. After watching Peking Opera, it was also because at that time, the National Peking Opera Troupe and the Yue Opera Troupe were performing in Kaesong to offer condolences to the Chinese and North Korean military and civilians, and they were not specially entertained.

Live: tunnels, ground houses, hometown homes

Ba Jin and the artists of the creative group lived in North Korea in general two categories: one was the caves, tunnels, and bullet shelters of the troops; the other was the "guest house" of the command organ, and even the so-called "international hotel".

The so-called "guest houses" of the volunteers were mostly home from fellow Koreans or "ground houses." For example, after Ba Jin entered the dynasty, the first place to live was the "No. 7 Reception Room" of the Volunteer Army Logistics Department located at Xiangfeng Mountain in Chengchuan County. In fact, it is just a "ground house" excavated by the hillside, the outward side is built with stone chips to form a wall, leaving a small window, and the grass on the roof shed, HuangGuliu calls it "cave dwelling". The room is long and long, and it can only accommodate three people. The next day, the rain was dripping all over the house, and Song Zhi, the head of the Literature and Art Department of the General Political Department of the People's Liberation Army and a playwright who lived with him, put a rain cloth on the roof so that everyone could sleep. To the "guest room" where the political department of the 19th Corps lived, similar to it. The "temporary guest house" of the Political Department of the Volunteer Army where he lived, the "guest house" of the 65th Army stationed in Kaesong, and the No. 81 residence at the time of the second visit to The DPRK to interview and return prisoners in Kaesong were all home of Korean compatriots. On the night of March 31, 1952, the "guest room" where the Chinese Embassy in Pyongyang was staying was not much better. During the war, the chinese embassy moved its office to "XJTLU" in the northwestern mountainous area of Pyongyang, and its "guest room" was nothing more than a bungalow built on the mountain, adjacent to an air raid shelter in the mountain, which could be avoided at any time. Because of their age, Ba Jin and Huang Guliu were placed in the "guest room" with a bed per person, while the others slept on wooden planks and were "a bit crowded".

On April 1, 1952, Kim Il Sung instructed Ba Jin to arrange them to the "guest house" of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the DPRK, the so-called "International Hotel". In fact, it is just a bungalow in the forest of The Maranli Mountains, a mountain village about 30 kilometers east of Pyongyang. At that time, heating could only use the traditional Korean method to burn the kang, but it was inconvenient for foreign guests to sleep on the kang, so they laid carpets on the kang and set up wire beds on the carpet. Barkin and they stayed here for 5 days, which was the most luxurious enjoyment at that time.

Ba Jin went to Korea twice, a total of 363 days in the battlefield, most of the time in the forward troops, living in tunnels, caves, shelters, not only in difficult conditions, but also often faced the danger of landslides or enemy air raids and shelling. In April 1952, Ba Jin and Huang Guliu faced off with U.S. positions in an air raid shelter on the western slope of the 1000 Heights in the 583rd Regiment of the 195th Division of the 65th Army, across the Shachuan River to the east. On the morning of April 25, the U.S. army shelled our positions, and shrapnel fell to the mouth of the cave where Barkin lived. On the afternoon of the 27th, the enemy shells landed on the eastern slope of the 1000 Heights, and the cave where Ba Jin lived shook and shrapnel flew to the mouth of the cave. On the 28th, heavy rain, the cave mouth sand and gravel collapsed, thanks to the commanders and fighters in time to clean up the sand and gravel, in the cave entrance to support two wooden pillars, to avoid the risk of collapse blocked. In the afternoon, the enemy's cold artillery was intermittent. At 12 o'clock in the night, Barkin came out of the hole to urinate, and had just spoken two words with the sentry when a shell suddenly flew over his head. Another example is that in August 1952, when the 3rd Battalion of the 581st Regiment of the 194th Division of the 65th Army was in heavy rain on the 24th, several pieces of sand and gravel collapsed at the mouth of the cave where Ba Jin lived. At night, water accumulates in the cave. The company wanted Ba Jin to move, but he insisted on experiencing the hardships of the commanders and fighters, but he did not dare to close his eyes all night, "looking at the cave entrance at any time, lest the soil collapse down and block the cave entrance, no one knows." The next day, the cave was filled with water, unable to get off the ground, and in danger of collapsing, so it was moved to the home of the primary school teacher in the village. Late at night on the 31st, the cannon rumbled and the house where he lived shook.

Okay: "I'm here to exercise!" ”

Several records of taking a jeep appear in Ba Jin's diary, such as crossing the Yalu River into Korea on March 16, 1952, and traveling from the Political Department of the Volunteer Army to Pyongyang on the night of March 31, and so on. Because Ba Jin was older and the troops were far apart, the commanders of the army and division often took care of him, and tried to use jeeps to pick him up and drop him off, of course, sometimes by truck.

However, the jeep at that time was only a light battlefield command car, the Soviet-made Gaz 67, which was used by senior volunteer commanders, including Peng Dehuai. Although this kind of vehicle is convenient for battlefield use, its bumps can be seen, especially north Korean roads are often bombed by the US military, often with bullet craters. After crossing the Yalu River on March 16, when the road to the south of Xuanchuan was destroyed and detoured, Ba Jin and Luo Wen, deputy chief of staff of the Volunteer Logistics Department who was responsible for escorting the creative group, the driver, and the communicator had to get down and push the cart. From Zhizheng to Pyongyang, Ben let Ba Jin and the three female writers ride in a jeep, but because of the anti-aircraft lights, the jeep fell into the ditch, the tires broke, and they had to squeeze into the truck. At that time, the truck used in the battlefield was the Gas 51, which was light and narrow, weighing 2.5 tons, and 22 people (with North Korean friends) and luggage were squeezed so hard that it was difficult to stretch their feet.

In the company, Ba Jin had to rely on his legs to go back and forth between tunnels and trenches, participate in the activities of soldiers, and sometimes climb over mountains, wade into rivers and ditches, and step on mud, so he fell and sprained his feet more than once. When the warriors praised his spirit of not being afraid of suffering, Barkin always said, "I am here to learn!" "I'm here to exercise!"

What is even more commendable is that Barkin often asks to go to the front line, regardless of the danger to his life. In late April 1952, ba jin, in the 1st Battalion of the 583rd Regiment of the 195th Division of the 65th Army, insisted on going to the forward company on the Banks of the Shachuan River, across the river from the enemy position, to experience the environment of the 583rd Regiment's counterattack in Kasumura. Ba Jin followed the commanders and fighters with him, and twice passed through the open field blocked by enemy artillery fire, and the enemy shells continued to explode in the rear, which was very dangerous.

On June 29, 1952, while in the 566th Regiment of the 63rd Army, Ba Jin took the initiative to request the 159th Heights that had just been captured from the enemy. The commander of the 8th Company led them through traffic ditches, waded into small rivers, and climbed mountains to pack bags, and on the way, Ba Jin twisted his feet and persevered in pain.

In September 1953, when he was in the 1st Battalion and 1st Company of the 407th Regiment of the 46th Army, in addition to going up Daedeok Mountain to watch the soldiers build the tunnel, he also insisted on going to the back mountain to see the tunnel. Because of the low entrance to the passageway connecting the front and back mountain tunnels, Ba Jin could not go in and out like a warrior with his head bowed, so he crawled through it with his whole body on the ground.

On April 26, 1952, he wrote that when crossing 300 meters of open land, he used only a dozen words: "Ran a few steps while passing the open land (blockade) next to the railway." On June 30, 1952, in the 3rd Company of the 1st Battalion, 566th Regiment of the 189th Division of the 63rd Army, looking at the company's TunBing Cave, just arrived at the mouth of the cave, the enemy artillery came, Ba Jin laughed and said, "This is the welcome of the firing of artillery."

Barkin's year in the Volunteer Army was the "best years of his life." In the following 20 years, he constantly recalled this life, drew materials from it, and created famous works such as "Reunion" (later adapted into the movie "Heroes and Children").

At that time, in addition to the 16 artists who accompanied Ba Jin, many other writers and artists went to the front line of the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, and some even gave their lives.

Author: Jia Yumin

EDIT: Wei Zhong

This article was first published in the 10th issue of the Magazine of Party History Expo in 2018