In the history of the Republic of China, Chiang Kai-shek had two important staff members. One is Yang Yongtai, who was assassinated in Wuhan at an early age, and the other is Chen Bray, the protagonist of this article.
At that time, Chen Bray was known as Chiang Kai-shek's "leader Wen Qian" and "president's think tank". he
He has served as the government of Zhejiang Province
Secretary
, the Kuomintang Central Committee
Party
He is the secretary general and deputy director of the Propaganda Department of the Kuomintang Central Committee. but
It was such a high-ranking literati who was trusted by Chiang Kai-shek, but committed suicide on November 13, 1948.
What kind of person is Chen Bray? Why did he choose suicide?
01 Join the press
Chen Brei was born on November 15, 1890 in Cixi, Zhejiang. His real name is Chen Xun'en (陈訓恩), and his real name is Yan Ji (彦及), and he is afraid of lei. The more well-known name "Bray" is actually his pen name.
There are similarities between Chen Bray and Yang Yongtai's path to fame, both of them started with the media and then stepped into politics.
In 1911, Chen Brei graduated from Zhejiang Higher School with the fourth place. After graduation, he went to the "Tianduo Bao" in Shanghai.
During this period he began to use the pseudonym "Bray".
Chen Bray in the film and television drama
Although Tianduo Was Initially Focused on Business, it later turned to reporting on the Revolution and became an important mouthpiece for revolutionaries in Shanghai during the Xinhai Revolution. Chen Bray soon showed his outstanding talent here, he wrote a large number of articles in support of the revolution, sharp writing, vigorous opposition to the feudal monarchy, and had a great influence at the time.
After working for Tianduo for a few years, he moved to Shangbao as the editorial director, continuing to expose the dark rule of the Beiyang warlords.
Sun Yat-sen also praised the Shang Bao as better than the newspaper run by the revolutionaries.
Mr. Zou Taofen, a well-known newspaperman in China, once wrote an article praising Chen Bray
Mr. Chen Brei not only has a sense of justice, but also a revolutionary character. At that time, the people hated the warlords and devoted themselves to the Northern Expedition, and his articles often performed the duties of the people's mouthpiece with sharp pen and fair attitude.
Chen Brei's style is sharp, full of blood and passion, and extremely imposing. For example, he wrote when he criticized Yuan Shikai's restoration of the imperial system
"In this life and in this life, Hugh will make this delusion again, and if he does not die and submits, he is willing to raise his sword and restrain his horse and fight with his ears!"
Chen Brei's name spread along with his articles on the land of China, and some people praised him as a poet
"Mizu can't wake up, please make a whistle."
With his talent and diligence, Chen Bray soon made a name for himself in the press. Chen Brei, like many literati at that time, had greater hopes for himself.
Expect to be able to exert more energy of yourself, rather than just staying in the role of a media person.
02 Became a core aide to Chiang Kai-shek
Chen Bray is a traditional Chinese literati in his bones, and he always expects to meet his own Ming Lord. Like Yang Yongtai, their "bright lords" are Chiang Kai-shek.
After 1924, Chiang Kai-shek rose rapidly. In the process of rapid rise, Chiang Kai-shek was also looking around for suitable talents. In November 1926, Chen Guofu invited Chen Bray and Pan Gongzhan to Nanchang to meet Chiang Kai-shek.
The meeting was actually an interview, and Chiang Kai-shek had to choose his own staff among Chen Pan.
During the interview, Chiang Kai-shek asked how to deal with the activities of the workers in Shanghai at that time, and Pan Gongzhan replied that "the commander-in-chief has his own brilliant strategy (Chiang was the commander-in-chief of the Northern Expeditionary Army at that time)." Such an answer is equivalent to no answer, and Chen Bray's answer is"
Foolishly see whether to surround Shanghai with reliable troops, create a fierce tiger out of the mountain, and then use the gang forces to take the lead."
The two were compared, and Chen Bray was left behind by Chiang Kai-shek.
After that, Chen Brei wrote a "Letter to Huangpu Classmates" for Chiang Kai-shek. This article is actually Chiang Kai-shek's second inspection of Chen Bray. Chen Bray once again passed Chiang's inspection without a doubt. subsequently
Chen Bray began to serve as the secretary of Chiang Kai-shek's Central Party Department and officially became one of Chiang Kai-shek's staff.
After becoming Chiang Kai-shek's staff, Chen Bray was mainly responsible for handling
Party and government secretaries and writers. The documents and intelligence he had collated quickly became clear. Of course, Chen Bray's most important role is still Chiang Kai-shek's ghostwriter, and most of Chiang Kai-shek's speeches and speeches to the outside world are written by Chen Bray.
Therefore, Chen Bray has been called "the first pen of the Kuomintang".
After the "918" incident, Chiang Kai-shek established the "Attendant Room", and Chen Brei served as the director of the Second Department of the Attendant Room, in charge of party affairs and political affairs.
At that time, the Japanese Kou were eyeing our country, and the anti-Japanese cries of the whole country were higher than the waves.
Chiang Kai-shek's idea was still to "take care of the outside before the inside" (this idea was put forward by another aide, Yang Yongtai).
If from Chen Brei's heart, he advocates active resistance to Japan, the whole country is united at the regiment level, and the foreign enemies are jointly resisted. But Chen Bray is also Chiang Kai-shek's "pen" --
He had to obey Chiang's will and rationalize it through his own pen. During this period, Chen Bray's heart was full of contradictions and pain.
One of the most obvious examples is the
Xi'an Half Moon Chronicle
》。 This book was written by Jiang Buli after the "Xi'an Incident." In accordance with Chiang Kai-shek's will, Chen Bray beautified the acceptance of Zhang Xueliang and Yang Hucheng's request as "a word to Zhang and Yang."
To put it simply, Chiang Kai-shek asked Chen Bray to write a book that distorts the facts and beautifies himself "behind closed doors."
As a traditional literati with a pursuit, this is difficult for Chen Bray to accept. But in the context of the times at that time,
What about Chen Bray? He could only obey.
But his heart was tormented, and he broke the pen shaft angrily. He wrote in his diary
"Yu today's speech and thoughts, can not make their own claims, shell soul, has gradually become one of the others. Life has instincts, who can be willing to do this?!
"The pain, depression and dissatisfaction are on full display.
This pain continued until the "July 7 Incident," when Chiang Kai-shek delivered his famous "Lushan Speech." This speech is also written by Chen Bray, and the most famous sentence in this speech is it
"If the war is over, then there will be no distinction between the north and the south, no distinction between the old and the young, and no matter who it is, everyone will have the responsibility to defend the territory and resist the war."
This sentence can be described as loud and clear, expressing Chen Bray's agitation and sweeping away the bitterness of several years ago. In the years of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, Chen Bray also drafted more articles to encourage the Chinese people to resist to the end:
For example, "Telegram to Burmese Soldiers", "Refuting the New Order of East Asia of the Guards", "Letter to Air Force Officers" and so on
Although Chen Brei was a scholar, he could not go to the battlefield himself. But he encouraged his sons and nephews to join the army and kill the enemy. Chen Brei had a total of two sons and a nephew join the army and embark on the anti-Japanese battlefield.
Chen Bray's
The third son, Chen Shi, joined the artillery, the fourth son, Chen Mai, signed up for the sappers, and the nephew Chen Shi joined the expeditionary force. Chen Brei heard that his sons and nephews had the heart to serve the country and wrote this verse:
Erzhu Amai, Zi'er Yue Pre-Season;
The son who joined the army now can be the first for the brothers.
At that time, the name meant, what a coincidence!
Pure tame nature, endowed with the heavens;
Once you are ambitious, fiercely whip your ancestors!
What do you want? Breaking the smoke.
Q. What do you remember? The countryside is trapped in karma.
What's the fun to ask? Drive the enemy to the East Coast.
The country has emergencies, I would rather be safe and secure?
100,000 people, arm in arms, dancing on their own.
Oath as a pioneer, worthy of the sages.
Say goodbye to your parents, and you will see your son triumph.
Ru father Jia Erzhi, Ru wu has a happy face;
Life is a great blessing, loyalty and filial piety are twofold.
The mussels are wrapped in short skirts and wrapped in fresh clothes.
May the child be strong and strong, and wish the child a golden stone;
Shuo'er has no other language, serving the country and the golden year.
My heart rejoices, I have a pen like rafters.
Shield nose stained with ink, for the writing of send-off articles.
In the early days of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, Chen Bray was in pain because he could not write what he really thought in his heart; in the later stages of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, Chen Bray was finally able to feel relieved and could write his own thoughts and thoughts.
But with the victory of the War of Resistance, he faced new pain.
03 Why Commit Suicide?
Chen Bray and people take a group photo
On November 13, 1948, Chen Bray was in Nanjing
Suicide by taking sleeping pills. Chen Brei's death gave a great shock to the Nanjing officialdom,
Chiang Kai-shek immediately rushed to the scene, did not say a word, and cancelled all the meetings to be attended that day.
He once said afterwards
"[Chen Bray's death] is equivalent to cutting off my hands and feet"
On November 15, 1948, this day was originally Chen Bray's 58th birthday.
On this day, his body was buried in Nanjing, and Chiang Kai-shek personally wrote him a plaque of "Contemporary Perfection".
He survived the hardships of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, held a high position, and won the trust of Chiang Kai-shek. Chen Bray is supposed to live very comfortably,
So why did he choose suicide?
Chen Brei has the temperament of a traditional Confucian reader; he believes that "a soldier dies for a confidant", and he believes that the literati must have a proud bone.
He had the courage to die for his ideals, but he did not have the courage to face reality.
What was the reality of 1948?
It is the Chiang Kai-shek clique that has been defeated and retreated on the battlefield one after another, and it is the corruption of the Chiang Kai-shek clique from top to bottom; it is the chaos of the country's financial system, the people at the bottom are miserable, but the high-ranking officials and capitalists are making a lot of money; it is the irrepressible collapse of the entire Chiang Kai-shek clique.
Chen Brei was in a high position, and he naturally saw these things clearly. He can uphold his own honest conduct, not to form gangs, not to abuse power for personal gain,
But he could not change the entire ruling clique; he tried to advise Chiang Kai-shek, but none of this had any practical effect. In his heart, he began to be discouraged and even disappointed in Chiang Kai-shek and the entire ruling class.
And all of the above made Chen Bray's heart more and more painful;
At the same time his second daughter
Chen Lian joined the underground party and broke with his family, which also made him constantly doubt whether the "Ming Lord" he followed, the cause he served, and the path he took were correct.
Despairing of ideals and losing confidence in Chiang Kai-shek, Chen Bray's heart was like ashes, but the literati temperament in his bones could not make him make a move to turn his back on Chiang Kai-shek.
He was unable to save the crisis, and under the entanglement of Chen Bray, he believed that "death" was the best relief.
He said this in his suicide note to Chiang Kai-shek
"And since self-examination has recently lost the ability of body and mind to serve, instead of stealing corpses, so that the public mistakenly thinks that there is still a subordinate available to drive him, and thus delays official duties, how can he frankly admit that he is no longer able to serve, and end a worthless life?"
Looking back on Chen Bray's life, when he was young, he waved Fang Shuo and aroused the people's awakening with the pen in his hand; when he stepped into the political arena in middle age, he was honest and honest, and in the political arena with many factions, he was detached and independent, and he was loyal only to Chiang Kai-shek; but he was also miserable between reality and ideals, and when he finally despaired of reality, he could not accept it, and could only use suicide to seek liberation.
This may be the reason why Chen Bray finally chose to commit suicide.
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