For a period of time after the founding of New China, the "Pegasus" brand cigarettes were on a par with the Zhonghua brand and were famous best-selling cigarettes in China. "Pegasus" brand cigarettes are well-known to everyone, women and children, but the origin of "Pegasus" brand cigarettes is little known. What is the connection between Chen Yi, a founding marshal, and the "Pegasus" brand cigarette?
Self-help campaign
The New Fourth Army has just been established, the Communist Party of China and the Kuomintang are still cooperating, and our army has received meager salaries from the Kuomintang Three Theaters of Operations and is barely able to maintain military supplies.
In 1941, the Anhui Incident broke out, and the Nationalist government called the New Fourth Army a rebel. The New Fourth Army was cancelled, the salaries were also suspended, and there was no financial support, how should the New Fourth Army survive?
When Chen Yi had just become the commander of the New Fourth Army, the army was facing the most difficult moment. Due to the lack of funds, the New Fourth Army was seriously short of weapons and equipment, and there was a shortage of grain and grass, and the responsibility on Chen Yi's shoulders was also getting heavier and heavier.
The director of the Supply Department of the New Fourth Army made a proposal: Implement a tax system in the Huainan region, reduce the harsh taxes and miscellaneous taxes on local agriculture, increase grain production, and feed the New Fourth Army.
At first, the tax system provided some help to solve the shortage of food and grass in the New Fourth Army, but soon after, people discovered the drawbacks. The natural conditions in Huainan are extremely poor, grain production is low, and some areas are still under the control of the enemy. Obviously, relying only on the supply of parts of Huainan, the New Fourth Army could not survive for a long time.
The troops tried to raise funds, but they were in short supply. Chen Yi felt bitter and invited Liu Xiucai to play chess. Liu Xiucai was a teacher near the New Fourth Army station, and in his free time, he often came to Chen Yi to play chess, and the two people had a deep relationship.
Before playing chess, Chen Yi was fierce, but in this game, Liu Xiucai obviously felt that Chen Yi's heart was absent.
On the way, the guards came to report: the army is short of financial resources, ammunition shortages, if not solved in time, once the war with the enemy, the New Fourth Army will inevitably be passive. After listening to the report of his subordinates, Chen Yi couldn't help but frown.
After playing chess, Chen Yi sent Liu Xiucai out. Back inside the house, he glanced casually and saw an unopened box of cigarettes on the table.
This box of cigarettes is not Chen Yi's, and in Chen Yi's memory, Liu Xiucai has never smoked. What is Liu Xiucai's intention in deliberately leaving this box of cigarettes?
Chen Yi fell into thought, and then suddenly realized, which was a hint from Liu Xiucai. The New Fourth Army's garrisons in Jiangsu and Huainan are rich in tobacco leaves, and the New Fourth Army's military expenditure is tight and it can only rely on self-help. If the New Fourth Army opens a tobacco factory and makes full use of local tobacco resources, it will certainly be able to get rid of the financial dilemma.
China is the world's largest tobacco consumer, and most men have the habit of smoking. As long as the tobacco produced by the New Fourth Army is of excellent quality and reasonably priced, sales will open. With the funds, the new Fourth Army's weapons, grain and grass difficulties have also been solved.
Chen Yi reported his ideas to his superiors, and the central authorities agreed. Soon after, Chen Yi began to mobilize people and horses to raise funds to purchase cigarette production equipment. In just a few days, the cigarette factory began to take shape.
Hearing that the New Fourth Army was going to set up a tobacco factory, the soldiers were full of energy. Chen Yi once instructed: "Quality is the life of the commodity", we must ensure the quality of the product. Only in this way can the products fly to Tianchang, Liuhe, Huaiyin, and fly to Nanjing and Shanghai.
The soldiers carried out Chen Yi's instructions and improved the quality of cigarettes in many ways. They procured the best quality tobacco leaves from the local area, formed a transport team, and managed to cross the enemy's blockade line to transport the tobacco back to the New Fourth Army garrison.
After the tobacco was processed, the staff began to carefully fry. Before that, they had cut off all the smoke stems and asked them not to burn or crush them when frying the shreds. After the frying is completed, the staff add spices according to the scientific proportions.
At that time, the enemy limited the scope of activities of the New Fourth Army, and our army could only ask the patriotic businessmen operating in the enemy-occupied areas to find the formula of the Shanghai Tobacco Factory, carefully analyze and improve it, and develop the most suitable spice formula.
After the cigarette configuration was completed, the staff began to finely pack. The warriors must ensure that each one has no empty head, no looseness, no tightness.
After everything is ready, the tobacco factory set up a quality inspection team, the team members of each process, each finished cigarette sampling inspection, found that there is a problem, ordered the staff to redo, and asked the responsible person to find out the reason, write a review and reflection.
In the first half of 1943, the tobacco factory produced the first cigarettes, what is the name of the cigarette?
The warriors asked Chen Yi's opinion, and Chen Yi pondered for a moment and said, "Let's call it 'Pegasus'." "The name of the cigarettes produced by the New Fourth Army itself must have revolutionary significance. The so-called "Flying Horse" symbolizes that ten thousand horses are galloping, have momentum and momentum.
Climb as hard as you can, step by step
In order to open the sales channel of "Pegasus" brand cigarettes, Chen Yi specially held a cigarette promotion meeting. Chen Yi invited prestigious celebrities, cigarette sellers, and some farmers and workers in the Huainan area to attend the promotion meeting.
After everyone lit a cigarette, the venue was filled with cigarettes in an instant. The merchants took a sip, then looked at the brand, and a unique fragrance spread in the nasal cavity and mouth. The crowd nodded their heads and praised the Pegasus brand cigarettes.
Chen Yi explained: This is the first time that the New Fourth Army has produced cigarettes, and the cigarette sellers are shocked. Such a high-quality cigarette, the production technology has obviously matured, the New Fourth Army reached such a height in the first production, which is really surprising.
Chen Yi smiled and said, "Judging from the effect of cigarettes, everyone has already tasted them." "Pegasus" is a good cigarette, now let's compare the quality of "Pegasus" cigarettes.
With that, Chen Yi took out a British brand cigarette and cut the paper outside. It was found that the smoking rib content of British brand cigarettes was about 20%, and other cigarettes accounted for a larger proportion.
Chen Yi picked up the "Pegasus" brand cigarette from the table, and drew out the tobacco inside, most of which were pure leaves with golden brilliance, and there were very few smoke tendons.
The sellers said: "I am not afraid of not knowing the goods, I am afraid of the goods" "Pegasus" brand cigarettes are ringing, how much we want and how much..."
Since then, the inexpensive "Pegasus" brand cigarettes have completely opened up sales. Soon after, the "Pegasus" brand cigarettes spread all over the country and were loved by many smokers. People affectionately call "Pegasus" brand cigarettes patriotic cigarettes.
In front of the tobacco factory, there are countless smokers who come to order goods every day, and even there are often smokers waiting in line for delivery, and they are still squatting at night.
After the sales channel was completely opened, the funds gradually returned, and under the suggestion of Chen Yi, the tobacco factory updated the equipment and expanded the scale of production. Later, the tobacco factory has set up 4 branches in Zhuzhen, Ancient City, Xuyi and other places.
In 1944, the tobacco factory added a cigarette machine and a wire cutting machine. More than 20 factories have been established and more than 100 workers are ready.
The tobacco factory implements two shifts of day shift and black shift, and produces 1200 cigarettes per day, which is double the increase compared with when the tobacco factory was just established.
The tobacco factory is set up in a remote rural area, but it does not affect the sales of "Pegasus" brand cigarettes. Over the past few years, the profits of tobacco factories have doubled, and the average profit handed over to the military department every month is as high as 300,000 yuan.
In the autumn of 1943, Chen Yi was ordered to return to Yan'an to attend the meeting, and by the way brought a few "Pegasus" brand cigarettes to the central leaders.
While smoking a cigarette, Mao Zedong said: "'Pegasus' served the War of Resistance Against Japan and the construction of base areas. Even became the 'tobacco king'! ”
In the autumn of 1944, North China suffered a severe drought, and the people's lives were miserable. The army took 1600 yuan from the profits handed over by the tobacco factory to support the disaster area, and for a while, it was a good story.
In 1945, Tianyuan Company was established, which is responsible for the production and sales of "Pegasus" brand cigarettes. The New Fourth Army was not only able to achieve self-sufficiency, but also relied on the "Pegasus" brand cigarettes to develop trade and exchange cloth, ammunition and food.
In addition, the production technology of "Pegasus" brand cigarettes has also been gradually improved. Colorimetry, incense, taste, tobacco, soot, "Pegasus" brand cigarettes are all overwhelmed by the brand-name British cigarettes.
Political weapon, serendipity
Sales of Pegasus brand cigarettes are rising, gradually reaching a point where supply outstrips demand. Many people want to buy "Pegasus" brand cigarettes, but they can't find a channel.
Under these circumstances, the commander of the Second Division actually used the "Pegasus" brand cigarette as a breakthrough point to achieve the purpose of reconnaissance of the enemy's situation. Ju Changyu got in touch with Lu Jianhua, the commander of the Jiashan Japanese puppet army.
Ju Changyu said: "The drama team is rehearsing the play, and needs a set of military uniforms as props. If you're willing to help, I'll get paid for five packs of Pegasus cigarettes. ”
Lu Jianhua was overjoyed after hearing this, it was very simple to find a military uniform, but it was even more difficult to get five packs of "Pegasus" brand cigarettes.
Lu Jianhua said: "Rice can not be eaten, cigarettes can not be smoked, as long as there is a cigarette, you can want a few sets of military uniforms." ”
Lu Jianhua handed over two sets of military uniforms to Ju Changyu, who also gave him "Pegasus" brand cigarettes according to the agreement.
Lu Jianhua asked others about Ju Changyu's residence. It turned out that Lu Jianhua had smoked the "Pegasus" brand cigarette and wanted to continue to exchange military uniforms for cigarettes. At this time, Ju Changyu proposed: exchange a pistol for a "Pegasus" brand cigarette.
Lu Jianhua did not hesitate to agree, and that night, he sneaked into the warehouse and took two pistols, and the next day changyu, who lived with him, exchanged two packs of "Pegasus" brand cigarettes.
After that, Lu Jianhua and Ju Changyu established a close relationship, Ju Changyu often sent cigarettes to Lu Jianhua, the two people ate together, often talked for a long time.
In a conversation, Lu Jianhua revealed that more than 30 people of the Japanese puppet army will rob the people of grain and grass tomorrow.
Ju Changyu pretended to be shocked after hearing this, and he hurriedly replied, "If this news is true, I will go back to Longshan to take my parents to avoid it." ”
Lu Jianhua nodded, "The news was said by the translator in the stronghold, absolutely reliable." After returning to the army, Ju Changyu reported the news to the division headquarters, and his superiors issued an order to lay forces in ambush on the enemy's inevitable path.
The next morning, a group of Japanese puppet troops appeared in the field of vision of our army. Seeing the enemy enter the encirclement, the New Fourth Army opened fire, annihilated the enemy within 20 minutes, and won a complete victory.
Since then, the Japanese have hated the "Pegasus" brand cigarettes to the bone, and they have launched a blockade. They set up checkpoints at the docks and traffic arteries to prevent the "Pegasus" brand cigarettes from being transported outward. At the same time, the Japanese army also sent aircraft over the tobacco factory in an attempt to blow up the factory of the New Fourth Army.
In order to transport the "Pegasus" brand cigarettes, the merchants took pains. They packed pegasus cigarettes into boxes of British cigarettes, and after crossing the enemy's blockade line, the merchants restored the Pegasus brand cigarettes.
Japan's emphasis on "Pegasus" brand cigarettes has aroused the interest of overseas consumers, overseas cigarette dealers disguised themselves, evaded the Japanese tracking, secretly found Chen Yi, and ordered "Pegasus" brand cigarettes.
The Japanese blockade was strict, but the sales of Pegasus brand cigarettes were not affected in the slightest.
After the victory of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the "Pegasus" brand cigarette factory moved to Shandong along with the military organs and continued to put into production in Xuzhou, Jinan and other places.
At the same time, some of the tobacco factory workers followed the Third Field Army into Shanghai and spread the production process of "Pegasus" brand cigarettes there. Later, the Shanghai Cigarette Factory also began to manufacture "Pegasus" brand cigarettes.
In 1992, the "Pegasus" brand cigarettes stopped production in Shanghai Cigarette Factory and completely withdrew from the historical stage.
From the beginning of the tobacco company raising dozens of yuan of funds, to the early 1990s, for more than 40 years, the "Pegasus" brand cigarettes were popular all over China, from the initial high-end cigarette brand to the people's cigarettes after the reform and opening up, this cigarette brand full of honors is also accompanied by China's strength.
"Pegasus" brand cigarettes are a memory of the times that people will always remember.