On June 18, 1942, when Xiao Yedan, the leader of the Yi nationality, went out to a banquet, he was pursued and ambushed by the reactionary forces who were ambushed outside. In the process of breaking through, Xiao Yedan was shot and killed by the enemy. Before his death, Xiao Yedan handed over the banner awarded to him by the Red Army to his brother and said, "After I die, you tell Commander Liu Bocheng that we Yi people will always believe in the Communist Party and the Red Army." ”
Little Leaf Dan
Xiao Ye Dan's words made his brother immediately think of the friendship between the Red Army and the Yi people. Xiao Ye Dan's brother tearfully agreed to his last wish. So what happened between the Yi and the Red Army?
In May 1935, the Red Army, which was carrying out the Long March, came to Lugu after all kinds of difficulties and dangers. However, Chiang Kai-shek's army was still in hot pursuit, and if he wanted to jump out of the enemy's encirclement, he must cross the Dadu River as soon as possible. Dadu River is also known as the natural danger Dadu River, where it is located, the terrain is high in the north and low in the south, and the undulations are very large, which leads to the turbulent and turbulent waters of the Dadu River.
Although the Dadu River was very dangerous, in order to break through the enemy's encirclement, the Central Red Army had to cross the Dadu River by force. However, if the Central Red Army wanted to go in the direction of the Dadu River, it must first pass through the barrier between Lugu and the Dadu River, Daliangshan.
Daliangshan
After research and discussion, the central government found that from Lugu to Daliangshan to Daduhe, there are two roads that can be taken: one is the main road. From this road, you need to cross the Xiaoxiangling Ridge in the east of Lugu, then come to the West County, pass through the West County, and then pass through the Big Tree Fort, and finally cross the Dadu River from here.
The other is a small road, if the Red Army chooses to go from the small road, it must first pass through Mianning from Lugu, then through Daqiao Town and Tuowu, and then through the Yi settlement area to Anshun Field, and finally the Red Army can cross the Dadu River from Anshun Field.
On the question of which road to take, the Central Committee held a small meeting on an ad hoc basis, and after discussion, everyone unanimously chose to take the path. In fact, this path is not very good to walk, in addition to the dangerous terrain is a reason, the Yi people who have lived here for generations are also a problem.
Due to the long-term oppressive policies of the ruling class of previous generations against the Yi and other ethnic groups, the Yi people were full of hostility and distrust towards the Han people. If the Han army tried to pass through the Yi area, it was either robbed or bloodshed. Over time, the small roads in the Yi area were regarded as "fearful".
These problems are not unexpected by the Red Army, but compared with the main road guarded by the Kuomintang and the small road inhabited by the Yi people, it is not too dangerous. In the final analysis, the Yi people will only launch an attack because they do not believe in the Han People, as long as the Yi people see the sincerity of the Red Army, then things have room for maneuver.
The Kuomintang army, on the other hand, is the real enemy of the Red Army, and no matter what, the Kuomintang will not spare the Red Army, and if it really goes down the road, the Red Army will certainly have to pay a blood price.
Liu Bocheng
After determining the route, on May 19, the Central Red Army decided to send an advance detachment with Liu Bocheng as its commander, first to the Yimin district, borrow the way from the Yi people living there, and cross the Dadu River first.
In order not to let the Kuomintang perceive the intentions of the Red Army, the Red Army made a move before the official departure: Zuo Quan and Liu Yalou led the Red Fifth Regiment and pretended to go to the side of the main road to attract the attention of the Kuomintang, so that the advance troops could reach their destination smoothly.
On May 22, Liu Bocheng led the troops into the Yi area of liangshan. However, the advance troops had only just entered the Yimin area when they were attacked. The Yi area has rugged mountain roads and tall trees everywhere in sight, making such an area suitable for ambushes. Therefore, after being ambushed by the Yi people, the Red Army could not see the shadows at all, but could only see cold arrows and stones flying out of the woods and grass.
Long before entering the Yi area, Liu Bocheng issued a death order not to allow the Red Army to clash with the Yi people, so the Red Army, which strictly enforced the military order, had to take shelter. As they dodged, they shouted at the place where the arrows were fired, indicating that they were not officials oppressing the Yi people.
At the same time, everyone did not forget to publicize the purpose of the Red Army and told the Yi people that the Red Army was an army engaged in revolution and suppressors. However, after all, the Yi people had been oppressed for a long time, and it was difficult to believe the Red Army for a while, so they continued to "put cold guns" to the Red Army. Perhaps it was the Yi people who saw that the Red Army did not resist, so a large group of Yi people armed with spears ran out of the forest and the grass, and surrounded the engineer company that was about a few hundred meters behind the main force.
The sapper company was overjoyed and rushed to communicate with the Yi people, but the Yi people could not understand The Chinese at all, but they were getting closer and closer to the engineering company. Subsequently, before the Red Army of the engineering company could react, a group of people rushed forward and began to snatch the weapons of the Red Army, and even began to take off the clothes of the Red Army of the engineering company.
Under such circumstances, the Red Army still stubbornly defended the military order and did not make any resistance. In the end, the company of engineers was completely covered in the Red Army, and was stripped naked. After the Yi people had finished capturing the Red Army, they quickly retreated, and they could not even touch their personal shadows. As a result, the advance troops had to retreat first.
In the process of retreating, everyone distributed their clothes to the sapper company, and if there was not enough, they used sacks to make up, so that the sapper company would not return naked. Although the Red Army did not have much conflict with the Yi people, It made Liu Bocheng deeply realize that it was necessary to gain the trust of the Yi people as soon as possible. Otherwise, sooner or later the situation will escalate further, and not only that, but it will also give the Kuomintang troops time to react.
Therefore, Liu Bocheng decided to send several people from the advance troops to form a small team, and Xiao Hua led this team to enter the Yi area again to negotiate. This time, the Red Army did not carry any weapons in the Yi area, and the purpose was to make the Yi people understand that the Red Army was talking to them on the premise of peace.
Xiao Hua
When the squad stepped into the Yi area, it was surrounded by the Yi people in an instant, and Xiao Hua quickly stood up and patiently explained the policies of the Red Army to the Yi people through the Tongsi (guide), hoping that the Yi people could borrow a road. However, the Yi people still did not want to believe the Red Army and did not allow the Red Army to pass.
In the midst of the chaos, several people in the distance rode mules and horses and rushed to this side. After the mule and horse stopped, Tongsi instantly recognized that the leader was the fourth uncle of Xiao Yedan, the leader of the Yi clan. Xiao Yedan's fourth uncle came this time at the behest of Xiao Yedan to first make contact with the Red Army.
It turned out that when the Red Army first entered the Yi area, Xiao Ye Dan led his brothers to lurk in the woods, quietly observing the Red Army's every move. When Xiao YeDan first saw the Red Army, he found that the spiritual outlook of the Red Army was different from those he had seen before.
Although the Red Army looked very tired because of the long march, Xiao Ye Dan could still see their firm and indomitable eyes from the tired faces of the Red Army. Xiao Ye Dan had a vague feeling for the Red Army in his heart, but due to the long-term oppression, Xiao Ye Dan did not dare to easily trust any army.
It wasn't until Xiao YeDan saw that the Red Army had been robbed and did not resist at all, that he confirmed that the Red Army was indeed fundamentally different from other armies: the Red Army trusted and respected the Yi people! So after hearing that the Red Army had sent people to negotiate in the Yi area, Xiao Ye Dan sent his fourth uncle to meet the Red Army.
After Xiao Hua and the others saw the fourth uncle, they immediately explained to him the difference between the Red Army and the Kuomintang army, saying that the Red Army did not enter the Yimin area to attack the Yi compatriots, but just wanted to borrow the road north to the Dadu River. After the fourth uncle learned of the Red Army's intentions, he said that he would report this matter to Xiao Yedan and let him make a decision.
Xiao Hua agreed, and after returning to the Red Army, he informed Liu Bocheng of all the matter. Soon after, the Red Army received a reply: Xiao Yedan wanted to meet Liu Bocheng, the head of the Red Army. Liu Bocheng was very happy after receiving the news and decided to go to Xiao Yedan's residence immediately.
Some people in the Red Army were worried that Liu Bocheng would encounter danger if he went alone, so he wanted several people to accompany Liu Bocheng. But Liu Bocheng refused, he said: "Xiao Ye Dan wants to see me, which means that he trusts me, and I will naturally not have a problem." If you take someone over, it's a disrespect! ”
Therefore, Liu Bocheng rode his horse to the meeting alone. After Liu Bocheng arrived, Xiao Yedan and several other Yi leaders immediately stepped forward and wanted to bow their heads in salute. Liu Bocheng quickly stopped the behavior of Xiao Yedan and the others, and then greeted them in the manner of the Red Army.
Xiao Ye Dan had not yet seen the chief who did not perform the kowtow ceremony, and he even looked up to the Red Army in his heart. Liu Bocheng reiterated the intentions of the Red Army with a sincere attitude, saying: "The army led by the Communist Party at the time of the Red Army, which stood on the side of the broad masses of the oppressed people, will certainly help the Yi people eliminate all foreign oppression and build a beautiful life of their own." ”
Oil painting: Yihai Alliance
Liu Bocheng's sincere attitude and sincere language deeply touched Xiao Yedan, who not only agreed to the Red Army's request to borrow the road, but also decided to ally with the Red Army. Liu Bocheng did not expect this unexpected happiness and immediately agreed happily.
In the afternoon of the same day, the alliance ceremony officially began, at the edge of Yuan Juhaizi. According to the etiquette of the Yi people, a large rooster was killed, the blood of the rooster was dripped into the wine, and then the allies were allied to drink the blood wine together and swear. But after looking for a long time, people did not find wine, and at the critical moment Liu Bocheng stood up and said: "As long as the brothers have sincerity, what does it matter to replace wine with water?" ”
Liu Bocheng and Xiao Yedan came to the edge of Haizi and solemnly knelt down. At the edge of the crystal clear lake, the two began to take an oath. Liu Bocheng held up the water bowl that had dripped chicken blood and said loudly: "There is heaven above and earth below, and I Liu Bocheng and Xiao Yedan are brothers in Haizi today. Then he drank the water from the bowl.
Xiao Ye Dan also took up the water bowl and swore to drink it all. That night, Liu Bocheng invited Xiao Yedan's uncle and nephew to come to the Red Army camp and attend a dinner party. The Red Army and the Yi compatriots drank happily and were not busy. After the banquet, Liu Bocheng gave Xiao Yedan a red flag with the inscription "Chinese Yimin Red Army Guji (Guoji) Detachment".
Liu Bocheng explained the truth of the revolution to Xiao Yedan and others, and wrote down the appointment letter on the spot, Xiao Yedan was appointed as the captain of the detachment, and his brother became the deputy detachment leader. Xiao Ye Dan was excited and took the revolutionary truth to heart. When the Red Army left, Xiao Yedan gave his best mule horse to Liu Bocheng.
The Red Army forcibly crossed the Dadu River
With the help of Xiao Yedan and others, the Red Army successfully came to the Dadu River, broke through the encirclement of the Kuomintang, and sought a glimmer of life. Xiao Yedan and others, on the other hand, actively mobilized the Yi people to participate in the common revolution of the Red Army after the Red Army left.
Since Xiao YeDan let go of the Red Army, the Kuomintang sent troops to harass the Xiao Ye Dan family on more than one occasion. In 1942, when Xiao Yedan was out, he was killed by the ambushed Kuomintang men. His family buried XiaoyeDan with a deep heart, and always remembered Xiaoyedan's words "protect the red flag".
Since then, Xiao Yedan's family has endured tremendous pressure, fought wits and courage with the enemy, and lived a very difficult life, but they have not forgotten Xiao Yedan's words once. In 1950, the People's Liberation Army liberated Mianning, and the life of the Yi people got a new beginning. In 1952, the Liangshan Yi Autonomous Region was established, and in 1955 it was changed to an autonomous prefecture, and the life of the Yi people became better and better.
Pictured: The friendship between the Yi and the Red Army
In the year of liberation, Xiao Yedan's family found the People's Liberation Army stationed in Mianning and presented the Yi Red Army flag, which had been carefully preserved, to the People's Liberation Army. Later, this red flag representing the great friendship between the Yi people and our army was put into the permanent collection of the museum.