What should a good cadre of the people look like? Everyone's answer may be different, but it is undeniable that when the people mention good cadres, they will be embodied as a person, Zhu Rongji. Zhu Rongji, known as the "Iron Mask Premier," is the only premier in China who has not been re-elected, but there is no doubt that he has made tremendous contributions to China's development.
Zhu Rongji
So how can you be a good cadre? Some people will say that they have high emotional intelligence, can talk, and respond flexibly in complex interpersonal relationships, and some people will say that no one can be guilty, and it seems that this has become an inherent impression of people as officials. However, if measured according to this criterion, Zhu Rongji is really not a "good official."; he is anxious, speaks straight, often "scolds people" during meetings, sometimes does not follow the rules, does not do things for himself, and does not know how to "be flexible" in addition to this, as long as he looks for the right path, he will also split it when he sees the south wall.
But it is such an "iron-faced prime minister" who has no exquisite heart and does not say beautiful words all his life, and he has been doing beautiful things all his life, and he has carried out the truth he believed in when he was young.
From a "hairy boy" who first entered the political circles, to the later Mayor of Shanghai, the Member of the Politburo Standing Committee, and then to the Vice Premier of the State Council and the Premier of the State Council, he always believed in his own standard of behavior, no matter how the world changed, he was always the "iron-faced prime minister" who did not say beautiful words, only told big truths, and did beautiful things; he was not a "good official", he was a good servant of the people.
Zhu Rongji met with the Advisory Board of the School of Economics and Management of Tsinghua University
Now 93 years old, Zhu Rongji began his "pension" life after stepping down as premier of the State Council in 2003, and he now appears in public very few times, but each time it will cause extensive discussion. Some people say that he is a microcosm of the era in the 90s, and some people sigh: Premier Zhu is old.
However, judging from the photos released by the Advisory Committee of the School of Economics and Management of Tsinghua University, Premier Zhu is wearing a straight black suit, a blue and white tie, holding a speech, although his hair has been gray, and his face has also grown several gullies of age, it is not difficult to see that the premier's eyes are still bright, and people can't help but recall the spirited "iron-faced prime minister" of the 90s when they look at those eyes.
Zhu Rongji is at Tsinghua University
In his later years, Zhu Rongji, who could not speak beautiful words and spectacles, published a series of books such as "Zhu Rongji's Answers to Reporters' Questions" and "Transcript of Zhu Rongji's Speeches." Through these books, we can more systematically and deeply understand Shanghai's reform and opening up at that time and the overall situation in the country and the world. According to statistics, as of 2019, these books have sold to 1.5 million copies, becoming the best-selling series of party and government books.
For these books, someone commented below: "Through these books, we can deeply appreciate Zhu Rongji's highest art of speech," but when we read the books, we write only two words on the full paper and all night: truth. There are no flowery words, no twists and turns, only Zhu Rongji's inner words, some of which are so blunt that people laugh, but after laughing, they can always arouse people's deep thoughts.
He is obviously talking about the 90s, but he can also make a dazzling explanation of the current national situation, which has attracted everyone to read it again and again. There is a passage in which he says:
If the current government is all "mr. good sir", we will be sorry for the people, we must be "evil people", do not say that our current society has become a society of mediocre people, do not want to offend people, I do not want to go along with the dirty, so it is not okay to think so.
This sentence was mentioned at the first meeting of the State Council in 1998 after Zhu Rongji took office as premier. At first glance, it sounds like empty words, but judging from his experience in politics for more than ten years, he has already put this sentence throughout his life. What is heroism, heroism is to see through the reality, but still love life, some people say that he will not be flexible, love to offend people, but that is his heroism, now let's go to see the legendary life of the "Iron Mask Prime Minister".
Young
When you first hear the three words "Zhu Rongji," will you have a feeling of ancient imperial relatives and nobles? In fact, Zhu Rongji was really an "aristocrat." He was the 17th grandson of Zhu Yuanzhang, the 18th son of Ming Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang, the Prince of Minzhuang, and his father died of illness before he was born, and his mother died a few years after his birth.
In that poor era, 9-year-old Zhu Rongji became an orphan in a chaotic world and suffered the pain of ordinary people's omnipotence. After the death of his parents, only his uncle did not abandon him, and was willing to take him in despite the barrenness of the family, which was very rare at that time. In the days of living with his uncle and cousin, they took great care of him, which was a rare warmth for the young Zhu Rongji.
Because of the bereavement of a teenager, Zhu Rongji gradually developed a taciturn and taciturn nature, and it was the identity of an "orphan" that made Zhu Rongji have been bullied a lot in the Zhu family, and the ignorant children supported their parents, often bullying him in groups, laughing at his fatherless and motherless as a "wild child", and sometimes beating him with their hands.
Zhu Rongji is silent and taciturn, but he is not a "soft persimmon" who is bullied by others; no matter how many people there are on the other side, he will hit him back a few times, and he will never hit him more, but he must not let others bully him in vain. Later, Zhu Rongji's cousin Zhu Tianchi said: There were many children who were bullied at that time, but only he insisted and must fight back. From that time, we can see Zhu Rongji's "more truthfulness" and stubbornness.
Study
In the blink of an eye to the age of study, although Zhu Rongji can access limited books, but everything that can be read, he will read it several times, so it is not called a strong knowledge of Bowen, but also a certain knowledge base, the experience and life of an early age that is different from ordinary people make him have extremely strict requirements for himself: we must study well, we must get ahead.
Guangyi Middle School Mathematics Classroom
With this tenacity, he was admitted to Changsha Private Guangyi Middle School (now Hunan Normal University Affiliated High School) in 1941 with excellent results, and in the years since, the war in Changsha has become more and more intense, and it is impossible to accommodate a desk for small school students to study quietly.
When recalling their study life many years later, Guo Daohui, a famous modern jurist, recalled their study life: We are all middle schools that were completed in the war, which made our generation pay great attention to national affairs in addition to studying, and often worry about the fate of the country and the nation, always thinking of doing something for the country. Zhu Rongji is also an orphan in a chaotic world, and he is already silent and taciturn, and he looks at the country that has been at war for many years and has no intention of playing, which makes him have a maturity that his peers do not have.
Zhu Rongji and Guo Daohui
Not surprisingly, Zhu Rongji was admitted to a private high school with excellent results, but the tuition fee of the private high school is relatively expensive, he fell into a dilemma, his uncle in the time of crisis, can also help, in this chaotic world, everyone is not enough to eat when they are willing to pay for him to study, this grace is really difficult to repay, and now that the uncle is older, he can no longer let the uncle worry about it, so after thinking about it, he gave up the private high school with high-quality learning resources and chose because of the war. He was forced to move to a free public high school in a mountain village.
In addition to his studies, he also read some "idle books" such as Rousseau's "Theory of the Civil Covenant" and Montesquieu's "Law and Intention" and other famous readings, which made his knowledge have a greater expansion, the problem is longer-term, and the thinking is more mature.
In addition, he often went to help his fathers and villagers in the village to do chores, he liked to deal with the people, and the fathers and villagers also liked this good boy who was determined, not afraid of hardship, and diligent in learning, so from time to time he would be invited to eat at home. During this period of time, the young Zhu Rongji felt friendly, close, and relaxed in his dealings with the people, and he felt a sense of home. This experience touched him deeply and directly affected his subsequent political philosophy.
Later, Changsha fell, and later, Japan surrendered. Zhu Rongji returned to Changsha and completed his high school career at Hunan No. 1 Middle School, where he also met his young friend Guo Daohui.
In 1947, the two were admitted to the Department of Electrical Engineering of Tsinghua University with excellent results, in order to alleviate the economic pressure of his uncle, Zhu Rongji worked hard to score more than 80 points in each subject. Every day he went to study without moving, except for eating, other times in the library, always the earliest, the latest to come back, it is precisely because of this strength that he has achieved the current Zhu Rongji.
Zhu Rongji took a group photo with his Roommates at Tsinghua University
He is a veritable bully, but he is not a nerd who is dead to reading. Zhu Rongji has many faces as a person, and in addition to being calm and smiling, there is also a literary and artistic side.
Searching for his resume on the Internet, you will see a bright and beautiful "meritorious book" with many political achievements, but at the bottom, you will see four small characters: Love Peking Opera, which can't help but make people smile, the original "Iron Mask Premier" does not love money, does not love power, loves to listen to Peking Opera, is not afraid of power, is not afraid of the future, and is afraid of not listening to Peking Opera.
This kind of "contrasting cuteness" made people's understanding of Premier Zhu more three-dimensional, and I remember that during his college years, Zhu Rongji actively participated in literary and artistic performances in addition to studying, because he could sing Peking Opera, pull erhu, and was still a scholar, so for a time, he became a prominent figure in the school, but Zhu Rongji did not care about this and opened his three-point life as usual.
Two interesting things happened during his college years, one was that Zhu Rongji published an article entitled "Love and Hate" in the "Red World Daily," in which his analysis of himself and the ideal of inspiring to contribute to the people caused quite a stir at that time.
The second thing was that in 1948, Guo Daohui invited Zhu Rongji to join the New Democratic Youth League on behalf of the organization, which was the first time he and the party met in real life. A year later, with his strong organizational skills, he formally joined the Communist Party of China, and later Zhu Rongji recalled: The party is my mother, and I am willing to give my life for this, although it is still not destroyed after nine deaths.
At this time, Zhu Rongji had become a qualified member of the Communist Party of China with the CPC as his mother and his father and fellow villagers as his home.
Politics
After graduating from Qinghua, Zhu Rongji was assigned to the Ministry of Industry of the Northeast People's Government, where he was mainly responsible for conducting investigations on production capacity and supply and demand in various localities. Adhering to the concept that this kind of relaxed work is self-slacking, he painstakingly studied economic knowledge during this time, read a large number of economic books, asked questions if he did not understand, and took a lot of study notes.
In addition, he was also willing to endure hardships and study in his work, and the quality of work completion was high and the efficiency was fast; the leaders at that time had high expectations for him; of course, Zhu Rongji did not disappoint him, and was promoted to deputy director in just a few months.
In 1952, in time to catch up with the state's "First Five-Year Plan", he was appointed as the head of the Fuel and Power Bureau of the State Planning Commission by virtue of his excellent ability, strong party spirit, and close relations with the masses. In his new position, he still insisted on learning and actively leading the work, although he was only a team leader at the time, he was still seriously responsible for his work. This time, however, his rigor drew the displeasure of his leaders.
Once, when his leader spoke in front, Zhu Rongji heard something unreasonable and stood up to refute it, which made the leader very unable to come to the stage. There are many similar things, and he has been worn a lot of "small shoes" because of this, but he does not change, he said: "I would rather not be an official than trade principles." ”
He was such a man, with a formal style of veteran Communist Party members who embraced the truth and was not afraid of power, a belief that was not reduced by half a point even when he retired in 2003. He is not afraid of being put on small shoes, he is not afraid of being excluded, in the words of his self-evaluation many years later: My credo is to think independently, how to think in my heart, how to talk. I am an orphan who found the party 47 years ago, and the party is my mother, so I will talk about anything that is good for the party.
Zhu Rongji was in the dormitory building of the State Planning Commission
Such a "stunned young man" is well-known in the political circles, famous for his love of confronting leaders, for daring to gnaw on the "hard bones" in his work, and for being loved by the well-known common people and for his well-known understanding of the economy. Years later, former German Chancellor Schmidt commented on Zhu Rongji: Although he studied engineering, his insight into the economy was extraordinary, more than most politicians I had ever met.
It can be said that after Zhu Rongji was in charge of Shanghai's reform and opening up, he was promoted by Deng Xiaoping and a series of other things were inseparable from his excellent knowledge of economics, and all this also stemmed from Zhu Rongji's perseverance and determination to pay attention to his work and to study hard. This is Premier Zhu Rongji, who dares to break through, fight, and speak.
Zhu Rongji ran for mayor of Shanghai
Zhu Rongji's love of telling the truth has become his label, and this feature was vividly displayed in his speech when he ran for mayor of Shanghai in 1988. He said:
"I have an impatient personality, lack of leadership qualities, strict requirements for subordinates, and love to do things in a hurry. The leader told me that he wanted me not to speak too harshly, that he wanted me to learn from Premier Zhou, that he should criticize comrades and that he should make people feel that this was a concern for you, and that I should really study it well, but to be honest, the country and the mountains are easy to change, and the nature is difficult to move, it is not very easy, but I will try my best to correct it. ”
His big truth is open and honest, and he speaks with a sense of truth, and people have nothing to say, only support.
His big truth is also reflected in the sophistication of people, and he often makes jokes because of it. Once, one of his classmates invited him to write an inscription for the Accounting School, and he refused, but sent them four words:
Don't fake it.
In the small things in life are so strict with themselves, in the work is even more sleepless and forgetful. When he first took over Shanghai's administrative affairs, he was disturbed by the bureaucratic style of eating and drinking in Shanghai, receiving gifts, and other bureaucratic styles, so that his hair was white. As everyone knows, it is very difficult for the economic metropolis of Shanghai to thoroughly rectify it, and moreover, it is also facing a large number of power, commercial and government relations here, and Zhu Rongji is an official from a foreign country who has no remarkable political achievements, and it is very difficult to carry out work in a real and pragmatic manner.
Either be a good gentleman and "join the crowd" together, or make enemies of everyone. How did Zhu Rongji choose it? "I'd rather not be an official than trade with principles!" It is this kind of strength that does not accept defeat, he vows to forge a happy road for the welfare of the people here, why should he embarrass himself? Because he knows that Shanghai is China's economic powerhouse, it will play a great leading role in the country's economic transformation and must be conquered.
Once, his stubbornness came up again, and he once criticized the rich and powerful leading cadres under the stage at a meeting: "Last night, there was a message in the Xinmin Evening News that the sprinkler truck did not sprinkle water this year, why?" dispute over trifles. I don't care what you do, anyway, within three days you drive the sprinkler out, it can't be driven, and the director should not be the director." He criticized it by name more than once, but many times during his tenure.
Some people have distorted and smeared him, saying that he always slapped the table, stared at the eyes, and frightened the people. He smiled at this: "The table has been slapped, the eyes have been stared, as for frightening the common people no one believes, I have never frightened the people, I only scare those corrupt officials." Since the beginning of the government, Zhu Rongji has watched the focus interview every night, and he believes that the focus interview can help him understand the needs of the people, and all work is inseparable from the people, divorced from the masses, and the work is not done well.
Zhu Rongjicha Shanghai Yimin Food Factory
Some people said: After Zhu Rongji came to Shanghai, the bureaucratic wind frightened his guts, and the people of Shanghai were happy. The series of reforms he has made have been deeply rooted in the hearts of the people, effective, and the efficiency of work has been greatly enhanced; what could not be solved in the original 3 months can be solved in 70 days, and the entire leadership atmosphere has changed from luxury to frugality, and Shanghai has undergone earth-shaking changes. Deng Xiaoping, chief engineer of reform and opening up who has been in Shanghai for a long time during the New Year's Eve, was deeply touched by this, and he greatly praised Zhu Rongji as a person who had a strong party spirit, a strong ability to sum up and summarize, and a strong ability to organize and lead, and was a good hand at doing practical things. He even said in public:
"Zhu Rongji can only be the first in command, not the second in command."
So in 1993, Zhu Rongji was promoted to vice premier of the State Council, and in 1998, he was appointed premier of the State Council.
Deng Xiaoping
The official is older, and the "fault" of the cute truth has not been changed, and he once scolded at the conference:
"Eating and drinking, making random notes, making relations everywhere, you sit on the rostrum to make a report, can you not scold you below?"
Lo and behold, he was the man we knew. For others, the power is greater, the courage is smaller, and they are afraid that which step is wrong and will fall back, but at the same time, they are very bold, and their desire rises with the power, and finally they become black-hearted officials.
However, this kind of thing does not exist in Zhu Rongji' body, he is also an "official fan", because he was suppressed by his superiors before, he could not show his fists and feet, but now that he has great power, he can do more things. Deng Xiaoping also saw this, so he promoted him out of the ordinary, which is to see this point.
History proves that Deng Lao did not see people, when he was the premier of the State Council, he paid attention to macroeconomic regulation and control, to prevent inflation from overheating, and finally realized China's 12 years of no inflation, and the annual GDP has always remained at 9%. The three of them agreed to promote China into the WTO, which played a crucial role in China's economic development.
Many see the November 15, 1999 negotiations as the most dangerous. As we all know, the biggest obstacle to China's entry into the WTO is the United States, when the two sides only had 7 issues left to discuss, and the negotiations reached an impasse. At this moment, I saw Zhu Rongji striding forward, and on the first three points, he said three agreements to the US deputies.
The Americans were overjoyed, but the Chinese side had a heavy face and the deputies were afraid in their hearts, and these 7 issues were not authorized by the State Council! How did you say yes? When the Americans talked about the fourth question, Zhu Rongji changed his previous attitude: "We have given in on the first three questions, and it is time for you to follow." As soon as the words came out, everyone was stunned, and the US side had to agree, so China officially joined the WTO and established closer ties with the world.
Zhu Rongji was like this, acting simply and decisively, first showing his sincerity, and then forcefully forcing the Americans to retreat. Zhu's language is deafening and deafening, and Zhu's determination is loud and clear, this is our great premier who dares to speak, dares to break through, has determination, and has perseverance and loves to tell the truth. He is the people's favorite prime minister and a rich stroke in China's history, and China cannot do without him today.
The current situation
But do good deeds, don't ask about the future. Zhu Rongji has never been afraid of difficulties, and when there are difficulties, he will meet difficulties, and he is not afraid of losing, and what he is afraid of is that he is sorry for himself. In recent years, due to the rapid development of the economy, many college students have not been able to find the ideal job, so a large number of local examination and research armies and examination public examinations have flocked to the university. According to official statistics, as of 2020, the number of civil servants who applied for the examination has exceeded one million for six consecutive years. But how many people apply for the civil service really go to do practical things? And how many people are looking for a job that is easy and stable?
Statistical chart of the number of applicants for civil servants
Some time ago, a rural poverty alleviation drama "Mountains and Seas" blew up the circle of friends, which told the story of Ma Defu, played by Huang Xuan, who led the people of Minning Village in Ningxia to get rid of poverty and get rich. It is worth noting that among them, professors who gave up their jobs in the United States, secretaries who shrank their clothes and food, and good officials who sacrificed themselves on the front line of poverty alleviation all have realistic original forms.
Look at them, and then look at Premier Zhu Rongji, they are the real servants of the people, and those who think that civil servants mean high welfare, stable work, and living as little as pensions are really very wrong. No matter where we are, if we can send a little light, we can make a contribution, we should not be stingy, and the bright future of China and the people is the light that needs everyone.
Finally, may Premier Zhu Rongji be in good health, may China produce more good officials and young people who serve the public, and that China's future needs us. May we encourage each other.
May the motherland prosper and be strong!