- 【Preface】
In the summer of 1972, at the age of 94, He Xiangning was lying weakly in a hospital bed, and she was on her deathbed.
When Zhou Enlai learned of this news, he immediately rushed to He Xiangning's hospital bed.
Watching his old friend come to visit him again, He Xiangning's eyes lit up. She clutched Zhou Enlai's hand tightly, exhausted all her strength, and struggled to tell Zhou Enlai her last wish: "I don't want to burn it, I still want to be buried in a coffin, and I beg the central government for approval." ”
Looking at He Xiangning, who was weak in strength on the hospital bed, Zhou Enlai already had red eyes and promised with tears: "On behalf of the Party Central Committee and on behalf of Chairman Mao, I agree to your request. “
After listening to Zhou Enlai's affirmative reply, He Xiangning was relieved and smiled happily.
He Xiangning
So, what is he Xiangning? Why did she make a request to refuse cremation? Why did Premier Zhou still agree so crisply?
- 【Forged a good relationship with Liao Zhongkai】
In 1878, Ho Washining was born into a merchant family in Hong Kong, and his father Ho Ping Heng was engaged in the tea business and came from a well-to-do family.
In that era, women were beautiful with small feet, and even declared that "a woman's talentlessness is morality." He Xiangning's father also hopes that his daughter can become a "big girl" in the future. Therefore, He Xiangning was ordered to wrap his feet and not to read.
In this regard, He Xiangning said "no".
She fought uncompromisingly with her family, being forced to wrap her feet during the day, secretly cutting the straps at night, and carrying her father to buy textbooks and ask her brother for advice.
After a long time, He Bingheng let his "rebellious" daughter come with his son.
In this way, He Xiangning won a pair of big feet for himself and obtained the qualification to learn knowledge.
He Xiangning
In the blink of an eye, the little girl who was lively and mischievous in the past had grown into a big girl with a little heroism. It is reasonable to say that a woman like He Xiangning, who is quite outstanding in all aspects, naturally does not need her parents to worry about her marriage. But He Bingheng was worried, because He Xiangning's big feet were simply difficult to find a good husband at that time.
Coincidentally, just when He Bingheng was worried about He Xiangning's marriage, Liao Zhongkai, who was a young talent, just followed his father's will and returned from San Francisco, USA.
Liao Zhongkai's father, as an overseas Chinese in the United States, suffered a lot of discrimination, coupled with the identity of the Hakka family, also made him believe that in the future, his son must please the daughter-in-law of Bigfoot, and it is a shame to find a small-footed woman.
But at the end of the 19th century, it was easy to find a big-footed woman in the upper class, and it was simply difficult to find it with a lantern. Coincidentally, He Xiangning is Bigfoot. When He Bingheng heard that Liao Zhongkai was looking for a big-footed daughter-in-law, he was overjoyed and immediately began to arrange the marriage of his daughter He Xiangning and Liao Zhongkai.
Therefore, under the arrangement of both parents, in 1897, 19-year-old He Xiangning and 20-year-old Liao Zhongkai held a wedding in Guangzhou and married a lifelong partner. At that time, He Xiangning, the daughter of a wealthy Hong Kong businessman with Bigfoot, and Liao Zhongkai, the son of overseas Chinese in the United States, were simply a match made in heaven in the eyes of outsiders.
He Xiangning and Liao Zhongkai
After marriage, accompanied by the sun and the night, He Xiangning found that this man who was not tall at the beginning of the new marriage made himself quite unhappy had a lot of shining points on his body. His loyalty and simplicity, strong self-motivation, patience to help him improve like a teacher, and the same interests and hobbies between them, all of which deeply attracted He Xiangning's heart.
He Xiangning felt that this man who was about to be dependent on himself for life was the best arrangement of fate for himself, and he should also cherish this marriage. This pair of sympathetic partners live a small life of self-enjoyment.
On the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, when He Xiangning and Liao Zhongkai enjoyed the moon together, they also wrote the poem "May the new year and this night, the people and the moon be clear".
Under the guidance of Liao Zhongkai, He Xiangning deepened his understanding of "the rise and fall of the country, and the responsibility of the puppeteer", and they were eager to seek the truth of saving the country and saving the people. At that time, the trend of studying abroad was popular, and the couple decided to study in Japan in an attempt to find a direction to save the country.
But where did Liao Zhongkai, who fell in the middle of the family road, get the money to study abroad? Therefore, He Xiangning sold the dowry, sponsored her husband to study in Japan, and followed Liao Zhongkai two months later and arrived in Japan.
During their study abroad in Japan, He Xiangning and Liao Zhongkai became acquainted with Zhu Zhixin, Hu Hanmin, Qiu Jin and a large number of like-minded revolutionary friends. Most importantly, they also became acquainted with Sun Yat-sen, the forerunner of China's democratic revolution.
Sun Yat-sen
In the years that followed, He Xiangning and Liao Zhongkai established the ambition to follow Sun Yat-sen and carry out the struggle for the democratic revolution, established a deep friendship with many revolutionaries, and closely linked their personal destiny with the fate of the entire nation.
- 【Follow the Communist Party for the rest of your life】
In 1905, the Chinese League was established.
He Xiangning and Liao Zhongkai, under the recommendation of Sun Yat-sen, became the first members to join the League.
The residence of He Xiangning and his wife in Tokyo became a place for the revolutionaries to communicate and meet. Here, everyone discussed the important matters of the revolution and realized the aspirations of the people to save the country and the people.
In 1908, He Xiangning gave birth to his son Liao Chengzhi.
The following year, at the suggestion of Sun Yat-sen, He Xiangning went to the Japanese Painting Department of the Girls' Art School to study painting, which not only allowed her to absorb more advanced ideas about school education and society, but also played a key role in the development of her art. She was able to use the brush in her hand as a sword to cut through thorns and shine in the revolutionary cause.
After the victory of the Xinhai Revolution, Mr. and Mrs. He Xiangning assisted Dr. and Mrs. Sun Yat-sen in their commitment to the unification and construction of the Republic of China, and became Mr. Sun Yat-sen's right and left arm. In that chaotic and assassination-filled environment, the two defended revolutionary justice with their lives.
One afternoon in March 1925, Sun Yat-sen passed away after leaving a will in the last moments of his life.
He Xiangning, a close comrade-in-arms and witness of the will, signed Dr. Sun Yat-sen's will. At this time, her eyes were filled with tears, and she secretly vowed that she would follow Dr. Sun Yat-sen's ideas, inherit his legacy, and do her best to protect Soong Ching-ling.
Song Qingling, He Xiangning
But what He Xiangning did not expect was that shortly after the death of Dr. Sun Yat-sen, the Kuomintang was plunged into a riot. The right-wing extremists of the Kuomintang, headed by Chiang Kai-shek, were bent on undermining the unity of the leading forces of the National Revolution. This is obviously incompatible with He Xiangning and his wife, the leftist Kuomintang faction who inherited Sun Yat-sen's legacy and wanted to cooperate closely with the Communist Party.
As a result, Chiang Kai-shek has always regarded Liao Zhongkai as a thorn in his eye and wants to find an opportunity to get rid of him.
In 1925, Liao Zhongkai and He Xiangning suddenly received news that they should go to the Kuomintang Central Committee. The two thought there was an emergency meeting, and without much thought, they hurried out the door. They don't know that this is actually a "life-threatening meeting."
After Liao Zhongkai got out of the car, while climbing the third step of the guild hall, he was knocked to the ground by a sudden flying bullet. Liao Zhongkai, who had been hit three times in a row, suddenly fell in a pool of blood, his life was in danger, and he soon lost his breath in He Xiangning's arms.
Chiang Kai-shek, who learned of Liao Zhongkai's death, immediately rushed to comfort He Xiangning with a sad look, and indicated that after catching the murderer, he would be severely punished. But Chiang Kai-shek only made superficial efforts, which was fundamentally different from the sincere concerns of the Communists.
Chiang Kai-shek
As soon as Zhou Enlai learned the news, he rushed to the hospital to visit He Xiangning and came forward to arrest the murderer with Chiang Kai-shek. It can be said that Zhou Enlai risked his life to do this. Moreover, Zhou Enlai's appearance also put a lot of pressure on the Kuomintang, so that they had to catch the murderer who shot Liao Zhongkai and expel him from Guangzhou.
The occurrence of this incident made He Xiang condense zhou Enlai, and also made her feel the deep friendship of the Communist Party.
Having lost the revolutionary leader Sun Yat-sen and losing his lover Liao Zhongkai, even if He Xiangning was strong, he could not help but cry bitterly. Later, He Xiangning, who recovered his sanity in grief, decided: In addition to Dr. Sun Yat-sen, he must continue his husband's unfinished business, as long as it is beneficial to the country, even if the family is buried.
However, Chiang Kai-shek's next move made He Xiangning greatly disappointed in the current Kuomintang. Chiang Kai-shek, who had betrayed the revolution, not only wantonly killed the Communists, but also implemented a policy of non-resistance after the outbreak of the September 18 Incident, leaving China's territory to people in vain.
He Xiangning, who was deeply hurt by the current situation of the Kuomintang, finally issued a statement: resigned from all posts in the Kuomintang.
Zhou Enlai and He Xiangning
In fact, in the early years, a pair of sons and daughters of He Xiangning and Liao Zhongkai had already joined the Communist Party of China, becoming excellent Communist Party members and contributing their own strength to the cause of China's liberation.
For these two children, Zhou Enlai did not care less, and cared for them to go farther and farther on this correct revolutionary road. Whether it is Liao Chengzhi or Liao Mengxing, Zhou Enlai has paid a lot of feelings. And for these kindnesses, they also remember them.
Over the years, the deep friendship between Zhou Enlai and He Xiangning's family is a warm portrayal of He Xiangning. The storm between the Communist Party and the democratic parties also made He Xiangning issue a statement with various democratic parties and non-party personages in 1948: Accept the leadership of the Communist Party.
- 【Dying Wish: Born with Husband, Died in the Same Cave】
After the founding of the People's Republic of China, He Xiangning moved to Beijing, held several positions in the government, and devoted his boundless enthusiasm to the cause of socialist revolution and construction, and even his own brush was never put down. With her flesh and blood, she turned the unfinished business of Sun Yat-sen and her husband Liao Zhongkai into reality.
Similarly, her friendship with Central Leaders such as Zhou Enlai and Mao Zedong has grown deeper.
In particular, he Xiangning's interaction with Zhou Enlai's family can be called a beautiful talk.
He Xiangning and Deng Yingchao
Zhou Enlai and Deng Yingchao were childless for the revolutionary cause, but they loved the martyrs and orphans as if they were their own children. As a good friend, He Xiangning naturally knew that in addition to walking around with Zhou Enlai and his wife on weekdays, he did not care less about those children.
Even at his 80th birthday banquet, the pastries that He Xiangning personally made had to be eaten well by Zhou Enlai and the children.
He Xiangning's carefulness made Zhou Enlai and his wife feel warm; for He Xiangning's body, Zhou Enlai and his wife were also often concerned.
With the passage of time, He Xiangning changed from the green girl many years ago to the white-haired old man, and both his body and energy were not as good as before.
One day in 1970, He Xiangning accidentally fell, her body was not tough enough and she was still suffering from pneumonia, where could she withstand such a fall? At that time, he fell to the ground and was seriously injured and hospitalized.
However, He Xiangning, who is already so old, even if he has received the best treatment, can only barely survive, and he wants to return to his previous radiant appearance, and he is already powerless to return to heaven.
In the summer of 1972, the 94-year-old He Xiangning lay weakly in a hospital bed, apparently on the verge of death. After Zhou Enlai, who was still ill at this time, learned of this news, he immediately rushed to the hospital and came to the bed of his long-time friend, asking about He Xiangning's condition with concern.
Watching Zhou Enlai come to visit him again, He Xiangning's eyes lit up as he gradually became conscious. With all her strength, she grasped Zhou Enlai's hand tightly and confided in Zhou Enlai in a weak voice her last wish in this life:
"I don't want to burn it, I still want to bury it, and I implore the central government for approval."
Zhou Enlai also clasped He Xiangning's hand tightly and solemnly tearfully said: "On behalf of the PARTY Central Committee and on behalf of Chairman Mao, I agree to your request, if you do not burn, do not burn, you can rest assured." “
After listening to Zhou Enlai's affirmative reply, He Xiangning was relieved and smiled happily.
So, why did He Xiangning insist on burial? It turned out that He Xiangning and her husband Liao Zhongkai, who had died for many years, had agreed: to be born with the same cave, and to die in the same cave. In order to be buried with her husband after death, He Xiangning had to make a request to refuse cremation.
He Xiangning was a great woman who dared to fight against the bad habits of feudal society. After establishing a conjugal friendship with her husband Liao Zhongkai, they both threw themselves into the revolutionary cause in order to save the nation from danger. Liao Zhongkai gave his life for the revolution, while He Xiangning dedicated his life to the revolution.
Even a pair of sons and daughters of the two of them were willing to join the Communist Party and fight for the cause of communism.
How can such a great revolutionary family not be admired? What reason can He Xiangning's last wish not be satisfied? Even Chairman Mao, when he heard that Zhou Enlai had made this decision, praised Zhou Enlai one after another, and this matter was handled well.
On September 1, 1972, He Xiangning, a great man who had struggled all his life for the revolutionary cause, died at the age of 94.
On September 5, at He Xiangning's memorial service, Song Qingling read the eulogy with tears in his eyes and choking. Zhou Enlai, Ye Jianying and others were all grief-stricken and could not even speak. Escorted by his children and many friends, He Xiangning's coffin arrived in Nanjing.
According to He Xiangning's last wishes, her body was not cremated, but specially looked for Someone to create a coffin for He Xiangning. On September 6, the coffin containing He Xiangning's body was carried to a joint tomb with Liao Zhongkai. After the tomb was sealed, the inscription in front of the tomb was also re-engraved, from "Tomb of Liao Zhongkai" to "Tomb of Liao Zhongkai He Xiangning".
Tombs of He Xiangning and Liao Zhongkai
The couple is deeply in love with each other forever.
It can be said that He Xiangning left without regrets, she fulfilled her last wish to die with her husband, and she also saw the hope of new China before she died, and one of her children has grown up and continued to struggle for the revolutionary cause under the care of Zhou Enlai.
At the end of this article, let us pay the highest respect to these great revolutionary ancestors. Because it is their unswerving struggle to the death that has brought us to our beautiful and peaceful life today. Let us take over the baton of our ancestors and continue to struggle!