On August 21, 1980, the Great Hall of the People in Beijing was full of people, and today was a "press conference" of Comrade Deng Xiaoping, and journalists from all over the world gathered together in anticipation.
At this time, it was the early stage of reform and opening up, and it was an important step for China to move toward the world and enter modernization.
Leaders around the world want to see China's determination and perseverance to carry out reform and opening up, as well as China's future development plans.
Comrade Deng Xiaoping warmly received all the reporters and answered their questions one by one conscientiously.
However, after the meeting, a female journalist from Italy unexpectedly asked: "Mr. Deng, should the statue of Chairman Mao on Tiananmen Be kept forever?" ”
As soon as these words came out, it was like a stone falling into the calm lake, causing an uproar.
Everyone knows that there are words in this female reporter's words, which on the surface are asking about Chairman Mao's portrait, but in essence they are pointing directly to the sharp contradictions in the country.
Everyone at the venue sweated for the female reporter's bold and straightforward questions, but they also wanted to see the attitude expressed by the Chinese side.
It stands to reason that national leaders either avoid talking about such sensitive issues or answer questions that are not asked.
But unexpectedly, Deng Gong said something very calmly and calmly, which made everyone in the venue secretly praise.
"Legendary Female Journalist Farage"
Speaking of this female journalist, she is also a legend.
Her full name is Olliana Farage and she was the world news interviewer of the 20th century.
Throughout her life, Farage has successfully interviewed important political figures around the world.
For example, US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, former Cambodian King Sihanouk, Iraqi politician Saddam Hussein, etc., enjoy a high international reputation and are known as the "mother of world political interviews".
But Farage's legend lies in her sharp and sharp interview style, her questioning language is blunt, aggressive, and even often bombarded with questions of interviewees.
Before Deng Xiaoping, Farage had just interviewed Kissinger, Khomeini and a large number of popular politicians, and as a result, they were either angry or embarrassed in the interview.
It can be said that being interviewed by Farage is no small challenge.
So how could such an "Iron Lady" come to China for an interview?
It was 1980, and China's reform and opening up had just been implemented.
After the central authorities vigorously issued a series of documents on reform and innovation, not only did the domestic response to this reform and opening up be tremendous, but there were also different opinions in the international community.
China's earth-shaking changes have surprised some countries at the same time, but also a little confused and confused.
World public opinion began to take "China" as the theme and spread to the whole world.
The leaders of all countries stretched their necks and waited to see where the great power that had re-emerged in the east of the world would go.
As the "mother of world political interviews", Farage naturally wants to lead this public opinion trend, so she set the target of this interview as China.
Farage is confident in this interview with his past experience of interviewing leaders of various countries.
She believes in getting the "big news" from China's leaders that will sensationalize the world.
But this time, Farage interviewed China "the way he dealt with Western politicians" in the past, which obviously had no effect.
First of all, Farage did not succeed.
For various historical reasons, Farage's two applications to interview Chinese leaders were not approved.
And just when she was discouraged, an olive branch was thrown at her.
It was italian president Pertini who was about to visit China, and it just so happened that Farage's father and Pertini were very good friends.
So she begged Pertini to help her catch up with the Chinese Ministry of Information.
The reason is to help Pertini go to China to do some public opinion preparations.
When China's Ministry of Information learned of the incident, it seriously discussed Farage's arrival.
Although we all know Farage's "all-out" tricky and sharp interview style, we do need to use Farage's interview to let the world know the real situation after China's reform and opening up.
Because at this time, the country was nervously drafting an important document, the "Resolution on Several Historical Questions Concerning the Party Since the Founding of the People's Republic of China."
This document is related to some of the problems that have arisen after the founding of the People's Republic of China, and we have not yet had a clear answer to this.
Moreover, in China's modern history, there are not a few people who have expressed the aspirations and prospects of our party through reporters.
For example, Chairman Mao once gave an interview to the American journalist Snow in Yan'an, expressing the Communist Party's determination to win the War of Resistance, which was published in the newspaper and read out by many benevolent people of the War of Resistance, inspiring generation after generation of Chinese.
Therefore, before facing such a big event as reform and opening up, it is a very important and wise choice to accept an interview with Farage.
After the Chinese Ministry of Information replied to Farage's approval of her interview, this public opinion action, which was destined to affect the entire world, was intensively prepared.
"Interview with Farage deng xiaoping"
On the morning of August 21, 1980, when the wind and sun were shining brightly, the golden sunshine coated the solemn and majestic Great Hall of the People with a layer of divine brilliance.
At this time, the "press conference" that has attracted everyone's attention and long been expected has been officially launched.
On the stage, Comrade Deng Xiaoping cordially greeted all the guests attending the meeting and gave profound answers to the questions raised by reporters from various countries.
In the interview, Comrade Deng Xiaoping gave a detailed answer to the path of peaceful development after the reform and opening up of New China, and the great power and pattern he embodied were greatly admired by all the reporters present.
But Farage did not participate in the grand interview, but after the interview, he asked the Chinese Foreign Ministry for an exclusive interview with Comrade Deng Xiaoping.
In this regard, the mainland had long been prepared, so it gladly accepted Farage's request.
When Comrade Xiaoping first saw this famous foreign female reporter, he took the lead in extending his right hand.
After shaking hands with the two, Deng Xiaoping said very modestly: "I very much welcome the world's number one journalist to come to China for an interview." ”
The two then had a brief exchange of greetings, and when Deng invited Farage to join him, Farage made a request that surprised those present.
She said: "Mr. Deng, you know my interview style, I don't want to have too many people following me when I am interviewing, this will interfere with my interview, can you ask you to remove some of the personnel?" ”
It should be known that according to the usual practice, when the central leaders are interviewed, in addition to some translators and photographers, there must also be a certain number of armed police personnel around them to ensure the safety of the interviewers, so as to avoid any accidents.
Farage's request, which seems perfectly normal, is actually a test of China's leaders.
She wanted to test whether Deng Really wanted to accept the interview or if he was just going through the motions.
As for Farage's request, Deng Xiaoping did not hesitate to agree.
Within ten minutes, a large number of personnel were all withdrawn from the hall, and only four people remained at the scene, Deng Xiaoping, the interpreter, the accompanying reporter, and the director of the Information Department.
When all this is ready, the interview officially begins.
The originally relaxed atmosphere suddenly became tense, and Farage, who was still smiling in front of him, suddenly became serious in an instant.
Because Farage's next questions revolve around Chairman Mao.
Farage's first question was almost a few curves, very one-sided.
She said:
"Mr. Deng, after China's implementation of reform and opening up, it is indeed very different from before. Not only are grain and oil food stamps no longer used, but blue uniforms are rarely worn. Not only that, but even Chairman Mao's portraits and slogans have been invisibly reduced a lot. I remember coming to Beijing when I was just founding the People's Republic of China, I could see Portraits of Chairman Mao almost everywhere, and when I visited Beijing these days, I only saw a pair hanging at the entrance of Tiananmen Square. So, in the future, will you still keep this portrait of Chairman Mao on Tiananmen Square? ”
As soon as Farage's voice fell, the atmosphere in the hall instantly froze to the extreme.
She said this to dig a pit for us!
A fine cold sweat came out of the translator's head, and when he didn't know how to open his mouth, he heard a calm and calm voice.
Only to see Deng Xiaoping answer firmly and forcefully: "We must always keep it!" ”
Deng Xiaoping pointed out that Chairman Mao led the Chinese people to win great victories in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the War of Liberation.
He guided China on the road to socialism and established the basic socialist system. In the history of China, he is undoubtedly a great man, whether it is now or in the future, Chinese people will always respect him.
In fact, the reason why Farage asked such a question was mainly related to a major event that happened all over the country at that time.
On the morning of July 30, 1980, since that day, most local governments throughout the country have issued instructions to remove as many "portraits of Chairman Mao that appear on many unnecessary occasions."
Therefore, many portraits of Chairman Mao in classrooms, office buildings, including corridors, as well as quotations and the supreme instructions of the Central Committee, have been removed or painted.
A stone shocked a thousand waves, not only the domestic response is huge, but also there are various voices in the world.
In order to avoid public opinion being used by some people with ulterior motives, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China issued an important document on August 11 to explain:
Because the previous portraits and quotations about Chairman Mao appeared too often in public, it seemed too casual, and the portraits of Chairman Mao should be solemn, so we should try to minimize them later.
Faced with a question that seemed very difficult to outsiders, Deng Xiaoping's answer, although short, was just right.
Hearing such an answer, and accustomed to the false remarks of world leaders, Farage involuntarily gave Deng Xiaoping a thumbs up.
Subsequently, Deng Xiaoping also popularized the history of this portrait of Chairman Mao to Farage.
Many people think that the portrait hanging on the upper floor of Tiananmen Square was hung as early as the founding ceremony of the People's Republic of China in 1949.
In fact, it is not, because of the weather, the portrait has been hanging will inevitably be damaged, so Chairman Mao's portrait is constantly replaced.
In 1949, the first version of Chairman Mao's portrait, written by Zhou Lingzhao, hung high on the tower of Tiananmen Square.
In 1950, the second edition of Xin Mang's painting by the Beijing Municipal People's Work Studio.
In 1952, the third edition was replaced on Labor Day.
In 1964, the fourth edition of the portrait was published by Wang Guodong.
And the portrait of Chairman Mao that Farage mentioned is this fourth edition.
In art, painting portraits is a relatively difficult thing to grasp, let alone to paint portraits of state leaders, which can be described as more difficult.
In the meantime, it is not only necessary to deduce the background of the portrait according to history, but also to grasp the appearance and angle of the portrait and enlarge it equally.
The assessment and requirements for portrait painters are also very strict, so drawing a portrait of Chairman Mao has always been a solemn and solemn matter.
But it is precisely because of this that we can show the admiration of the Chinese people for Chairman Mao.
"After the interview"
As the first question raised by Farage proceeded smoothly, Comrade Deng Xiaoping also answered the subsequent questions sincerely one by one.
The four-hour interview gave Farage a general understanding of the new China in the reform and opening up.
After the interview, Farage was very happy to stand up and shake Hands with Deng Xiaoping again.
She said: "This interview is very exciting, you are a great Chinese leader, this trip is really worth the trip. ”
A few days later, the full text of Farage's interview was published in the Washington Post, The New York Times and other major newspapers in the world, and world public opinion was sensational.
This is the unique "Whirlwind of Tang" that has once again swept the world after Deng Xiaoping's visit to the United States in 1979, and the frank and courageous Chinese leader has also impressed the United States.
In the years that followed, Time magazine in the United States repeatedly selected Deng Xiaoping as the cover character.
He also became one of the few politicians to have twice been elected Time's "Person of the Year" ( ) .