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In black-and-white photographs, Lin Boqu, an important leader of the Communist Party of China and the first representative of the CPC Central Committee in Shaanxi, always has a pair of round-rimmed glasses on his thin face. This pair of glasses accompanied Lin Boqu until the end of his life.
Glasses and glasses cases used by Lin Boqu
On December 11, 2015, Lin Boqu's granddaughter Lin Youqun donated her treasured grandfather's pair of glasses to the Memorial Hall of the Xi'an Office of the Eighth Route Army. Look closely at this pair of round-frame glasses, the frame has turned yellow, the temple has rusted, and the connection in the middle of the frame has broken into two sections. Although this pair of glasses has been covered with the traces of time, it shows the owner's hard and simple life, and the fine style of serving the people.
From August 1937 to October 1940, Lin Boqu, as the first representative of the CPC Central Committee in Shaanxi, was responsible for guiding the work of the Eighth Route Army's office in Shaanxi. During his time at the office, Lin Boqu found many young soldiers in the office, who had joined the revolution since childhood and had not gone to school to read books. Therefore, Lin Boqu organized everyone to carry out collective study in two classes to master cultural knowledge and enhance their skills. Sometimes he also made his own pictures to read and read, and taught the warriors to learn by hand.
At that time, the accounting office gave him a monthly allowance of 5 yuan according to the regulations, but Lin Boqu never spent a penny for himself, just signed a letter, and let the financial staff transfer the money to the rescue room to buy books and cultural supplies for everyone. His glasses were broken, but he was reluctant to use the money to buy a new pair.
The American journalist Edgar Snow wrote of Limber Qu in "Journey to the West", the People's Commissar of Finance, who once held the financial power of the Red Zone, always "full of spring breeze, wearing a faded uniform, the brim of the red star hat is soft, the kind eyes are wearing a pair of glasses, one leg frame has been broken, and a rope is tied to the ear."
This pair of glasses also followed Lin Boqu all over the country, witnessing Lin Boqu's deep feelings for the people. During his tenure as chairman of the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Border Region Government, Lin Boqu often trekked mountains and rivers to various counties to investigate and study. Every time he returned from a business trip and a meeting, Lin Boqu had to carry a stick and walk around the nearby caves one by one, talking with the people about their daily routines and understanding their work and living conditions. After the founding of New China, he ignored his physical weakness and remained in public service at night, observing the people's feelings and working tirelessly.
Memorial Hall of the Xi'an Office of the Eighth Route Army
Lin Boqu also paid special attention to proceeding from small things, patiently teaching and inspiring his children, and cultivating their feelings for the masses of the people. In 1938, at the Xi'an office of the Eighth Route Army, Lin Boqu met his daughter Lin Li, who had been away for many years. Logically, the father and daughter have been separated for many years, and there are many confidants to talk about, but after briefly inquiring about the recent situation in their hometown, Lin Boqu asked: "Do you know how much is a pound of rice, how much is a pound of salt, and how much is a foot of cloth?" Linley was speechless for a moment. She had thought that her father would tell her some revolutionary principles, but she did not expect that her father would ask about these household chores of chai rice, oil and salt. Seeing his daughter's doubts, Lin Boqu said in a serious tone: "These are all matters that have a bearing on the lives of the broad masses of the people, and if we care about the masses, we cannot but care about these things."
In 2016, Lin Boqu's glasses were recognized as national first-class revolutionary cultural relics. This pair of glasses has witnessed the revolutionary course of Lin Lao's hard work and simplicity in his life, and will also inspire the majority of party members to continue to inherit the party's good traditions and good style in the new era.
(This article was published in China Discipline Inspection and Supervision Magazine, No. 15, 2021, by Chen Bin, Director of the Memorial Hall of the Xi'an Office of the Eighth Route Army in Shaanxi Province)