In the spring of 1940, he was a patriotic overseas Chinese leader and a giant of industry and commerce
Chen Jiageng
Sir led
"Nanyang Overseas Chinese Repatriation Condolence Delegation"
He also wanted to take this opportunity to understand the truth of the domestic political situation and find answers to China's future.
Chen Jiageng was born in 1874 in Jimei Village, Tong'an County, Fujian Province. In 1890, he came to Singapore at the age of 17 and began a difficult entrepreneurial journey. After hard work, he became a famous nanyang entrepreneur with more than 12 million assets in 1925.
Although Chen Jiageng is in Nanyang, he has always been concerned about national affairs. After the establishment of the National Government in Nanjing in 1927, he considered it the successor of Sun Yat-sen's cause and the orthodox central government, so he firmly supported it. From 1927 to 1940, before his return to China, he could be said to be determined
"Pro-Chiang Kai-shek"
。
After the outbreak of the All-out War of Resistance, Chen Jiageng acted
Chairman of the "Nanyang Overseas Chinese Association"
He is responsible for the work of overseas Chinese in the entire Southeast Asian region to support the motherland's War of Resistance. Under the leadership of his organization, the vast number of overseas Chinese compatriots donated money and materials to China month by month through the Federation.
In the three years since the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, a total of more than hundreds of millions of dollars have been raised for the motherland, and countless materials have been raised.
Chen Jiageng submitted his name to the National Suffragette In 1938
"The Foreword to the Enemy Before The Land Is Out and Is a Traitor"
The proposal was warmly praised by patriotic people from all walks of life and greatly inspired the determination of the people of the whole country to resist the war to the end. Famous patriot
Zou Taofen
say:
"This is one of the greatest proposals in ancient and modern China and abroad."
Chen Jiageng delivered an anti-Japanese speech
However, due to being in Nanyang and being constrained by various conditions, especially the influence of the Kuomintang in all kinds of slanders and slanders against the CPC, the vast number of overseas Chinese, including him, did not understand the real situation of the CPC. He himself said:
"Yu Jiu lived in Nanyang, and although he had many rumors about domestic politics, he did not know what the facts were, and at that time, the CCP's power was still weak, and he was subject to one-sided propaganda, making it even more difficult to distinguish between black and white."
In March 1940, in order to express spiritual condolences to the anti-Japanese soldiers on the front line, and also to examine the real political environment in China, Chen Jiageng announced the establishment
"Nanyang Overseas Chinese Repatriation Condolence Inspection Mission"
, return to China for a visit. On March 19, he led a group of southern overseas Chinese to Yangon, Myanmar, where he stayed for a week and then arrived at Chongqing Coral Dam Airport by plane. The last time he returned to China was in 1919, and this time he set foot on the land of his homeland for the second time in 20 years.
Chen Jiageng led a delegation to visit Chongqing
Chiang Kai-shek
Knowing that Chen Jiageng has great appeal and cohesion in the overseas Chinese community, he attaches great importance to his arrival and is ready to use it in Chongqing
80,000 yuan
Funds are made for receptions, including a series of large and small banquets. Chen Jiageng was very disgusted after hearing this, and specially issued a statement in various newspapers and periodicals in Chongqing.
It is required that everything be received in a simple manner, and that no financial resources be wasted during the most difficult period of the War of Resistance Against Japan
Despite this, during his time in Chongqing, Chen Jiageng was invited to attend banquets and receptions under various names every day, which made him miserable.
Once, when he was walking outside, he found two mansions under construction, and when he inquired about it, he found out that one was the official residence of Wu Tiecheng, who was the commander of the Songhu garrison, the chairman of Guangdong Province, and the current minister of overseas affairs of the National Government; the other was the official residence of Zhu Jiahua, a former minister of communications. Later, he also learned that the most luxurious Jialing Hotel in Chongqing was the private property of Kong Xiangxi, the chief executive, and that the driver sent by the government to serve him falsely invoiced for gasoline fees...
What he saw made Chen Jiageng very disappointed and painful:
"The front is tight, the rear is tight", can such a government lead the whole people to go to the country together? Is there any hope for national rejuvenation?
The people of Chongqing are living in miserable conditions
The CCP leaders in Chongqing also welcomed Chen Jiageng's arrival.
Dong Biwu, Lin Boqu, Ye Jianying
Chen Jiageng, in his contacts with them, deeply felt that the communists were patriotic and worried about the people, sincere and frank, diligent and frugal, and dedicated to public service. So he wrote in a letter to Dong Biwu:
"Chongqing Jiang Fang is irretrievable, but he does not know how Yan'an will treat it, so he is determined to visit Yan'an as soon as possible."
He revealed his thoughts about going to Yan'an.
So the Eighth Route Army's chongqing office reported Chen Jiageng's ideas to Yan'an, and a few days later,
Mao Zedong
Called from Yan'an, officially invited him to visit Yan'an.
Upon learning that Chen Jiageng was going to visit Yan'an, the Kuomintang authorities were greatly shaken, and Chiang Kai-shek strongly dissuaded him from going to Yan'an. But he insisted:
"My duty is to represent the overseas Chinese to return to China for a consolation and inspection, and I have to personally visit all important places where there is no obstacle to transportation, so as to fulfill my responsibilities and return overseas to report to the overseas Chinese according to the facts."
Seeing his resolute attitude, Chiang Kai-shek had no choice but to say:
"You can go, but you must not be deceived by the Communist Party."
Chen Jiageng and his party arrived in the ancient city of Xi'an on the afternoon of May 25. When the convoy passed through Luochuan, the Kuomintang authorities sent people disguised as "people" to hand him many "indictments" slandering the Communist Party, but the words were empty and untrue, and this kind of trick could not deceive Chen Jiageng, and he directly tore the "complaints" to pieces and remained on the side of the road.
On the evening of May 31, Chen Jiageng and his party arrived in Yan'an, and more than 5,000 people from all walks of life in Yan'an gathered outside the south gate of Yan'an to greet him warmly.
The people of Yan'an welcomed Chen Jiageng
On the morning of June 1,
Jude
And Madame
Kang Keqing
Led Chen Jiageng to visit Yan'an Women's University, on the way to visit, Chen Jiageng found that everyone saw Zhu De and did not perform the ceremony, when passing a basketball court, a student directly greeted:
"Commander-in-Chief is coming for a game!"
Jude then took off his coat and fought with them for a while. Zhu De's approachability left a deep impression on Chen Jiageng.
In the afternoon of the same day, Mao Zedong received Chen Jiageng at Yangjialing and left him for dinner in the evening.
The dishes for dinner are very simple, only the cabbage and beans grown in the garden of their own vegetables, and a bowl of chicken soup is added, and the cost of rectifying the rice is not enough
1.5
Yuan.
Mao Zedong and Chen Jiageng
Mao Zedong specifically explained this:
"This bowl of chicken soup is made by the only chicken in the neighbor's mother's house, and her son is sick and is not willing to eat it, which is what she heard that a distinguished guest came and sent it to me."
Chen Jiageng was very touched by Mao Zedong's simplicity and sincerity.
Another time, Mao Zedong was discussing the situation in Nanyang with Chen Jiageng, and everyone in the General Headquarters could participate, and the seats were quickly filled.
One of the attendants was late and found that only the seat next to Mao Zedong was slightly empty, so he squeezed down and sat down, and Mao Zedong moved his body a little away to make him sit more comfortably.
This surprised Chen Jiageng even more, and he felt that the leader was so close to the people, and such a phenomenon was unimaginable within the Kuomintang.
Scenes of people's lives in Yan'an
Chen Jiageng lived in Yan'an for a total of seven days and eight nights, and he was deeply impressed by the following aspects:
First, there are no harsh taxes and miscellaneous taxes, unlike the Kuomintang-ruled areas that pay as much tax as cattle feathers.
Second, the leaders are honest, and their salaries are very small different from those of ordinary cadres and soldiers, and they are all called allowances, such as Mao Zedong's one-month allowance
5 yuan
。 This is in sharp contrast to the generous salaries of the Kuomintang's high-ranking officials and nobles, as well as corruption and fraud, and the enrichment of their own pockets.
Third, there are no beggars, no prostitutes, no unemployed people, and the people's food and clothing are not good, but everyone has work and a good life, unlike the people in the Kuomintang-ruled areas who do not have a good life.
The fourth is that the leaders get along with the masses on an equal footing, unlike the kuomintang-ruled areas.
Fifth, public order is good, and there are no soldiers on the street, so they are very orderly.
Sixth, the relationship between men and women is serious, and there is no "communist wife" slandered by the Kuomintang authorities.
The seventh is simplicity, and everyone's life is very simple.
During this period, Chen Jiageng also deliberately held a discussion with many overseas Chinese and male students studying in Yan'an to learn more about their study and living conditions in Yan'an, and these overseas Chinese students were also able to open their minds and reflect the real situation in Yan'an without restraint, and what they said was completely consistent with what Chen Jiageng saw, so that Chen Jiageng's heart was solid.
Chen Jiageng interacted with the students
After careful investigation and understanding, Chen Jiageng finally came to his own conclusion, that is
"Chiang Kai-shek will be defeated!" "China's hope is in Yan'an!"
On the evening of June 7, before Chen Jiageng left Yan'an, representatives from all walks of life in Yan'an held a farewell party for him in the Central Auditorium, attended by Mao Zedong, Zhu De, and other leaders, who hoped that he would be able to share the true situation in Yan'an with tens of millions of overseas Chinese. Chen Jiageng expressed his duty and said that after this visit, he had absolute confidence in the victory of the War of Resistance.
Chen Jiageng and the delegation in Yan'an
After Chen Jiageng returned to Chongqing, he accepted the invitation of the National Foreign Relations Association, chaired by Chen Mingshu, on June 24
"Perception of the Northwest"
On the day of the speech, hundreds of people from all walks of life and the news media in Chongqing attended the lecture, filling the hall to the fullest.
Chen Jiageng said that during his seven days and eight nights in Yan'an, what he had seen and heard was completely different from the Propaganda of the Kuomintang, and he used one fact after another to prove that Yan'an had shown a brand-new atmosphere in every aspect, that the Communist Party's words and deeds were consistent, and that its stand of uniting in the War of Resistance was consistent with the aspirations of overseas Chinese.
After the speech, the organ newspaper of the Ccp
Xinhua Daily
It also reproduced the content of Chen Jiageng's speech in its entirety, which caused a sensation in the country.
The Kuomintang authorities were very dissatisfied with this, and many high-ranking officials accused him
"Grease and powder the Communist Party and add fuel to the fire"
Chen Jiageng resolutely counterattacked in response:
"Which of my words is not true? The Communist Party has good politics, but the reputation of the outside world is nothing, and your party should practice good politics to compete with it! If this is the case, the War of Resistance will be won and the nation's founding will be successful. "I speak with conscience and personality, and I must not refer to the deer as a horse with a clear conscience!"
At the end of July, Chen Jiageng arrived in Kunming by plane, and he felt that after returning from Yan'an, his estrangement from Chiang Kai-shek was deepening, so he wrote him a handwritten letter, which read:
"If the Communist Party is eliminated, this is the rupture of the civil war between the two parties, and tens of millions of overseas Chinese in Nanyang will not be sympathetic." Since the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, Xinqing has united unanimously to the outside world. If an unfortunate civil war breaks out, the overseas Chinese will be greatly disappointed, patriotic enthusiasm will be greatly reduced, and foreign exchange and money will also be reduced. ”
He once again showed Chiang Kai-shek his support for the Communist Party.
Later, Chen Jiageng inspected his hometown of Fujian for more than 50 days, and he personally saw that the Fujian Kuomintang bureaucrats monopolized grain, transportation, and other industries under the pretext of controlling the economy during wartime, brutally exploited the people, and the price of rice was expensive, and the people were caught in the depths of the water. He was completely disappointed in Chiang Kai-shek and no longer had any illusions.
Ordinary people were captured by the Kuomintang army
In early December 1940, Chen Jiageng returned to Nanyang with a delegation. When he returned, he said publicly:
"I once said that if China wants to turn weak into strong, it must wait another half century to have hope. After this field trip back to China, I realized that my words were wrong! It turns out that the people who saved China have not only been born long ago, but have already done many great things there! ”
Since then, Chen Jiageng has truly become a friend of our party.
In May 1949, at the invitation of Mao Zedong, he returned to China to attend the preparatory meeting for the Chinese Political Consultative Conference. After the founding of New China, he was elected as a member of the Central People's Government and a member of the Overseas Chinese Affairs Committee, and began to struggle for the construction of a new China.
Chen Jiageng (second from right) attends the First CPPCC Session
Chen Jiageng died in Beijing on August 12, 1961, at the age of 87.