In August 1938, Lin Boqu of our army's office in Shaanxi was handling affairs in his office in Xi'an, when a plainly dressed and weather-beaten woman suddenly broke in, followed by her granddaughter Lin Mingwei.
Lin Boqu was wondering what was going on, and the peasant woman came forward to complain, but asked him to hurriedly order a telegram to Yan'an, informing Xu Guangda, who was the education chief of the Kang Da in Yan'an, of the news.
It turned out that this peasant woman had married ten years ago, but she did not expect to be separated from her husband Xu Guangda after only ten days, and she had not given up the hope of finding her husband for so many years. After coming to Xi'an, she met her former classmate Lin Mingwei, who is lin boqu's granddaughter, so she wanted her to help bring herself to Lin boqu to inquire about it and see if there was any news of her husband.
(Xu Guangda)
And the husband in the mouth of the peasant woman turned out to be General Xu Guangda, who has made great achievements in battle now. After Xu Guangda received a call from Lin Boqu, he was overjoyed and immediately called back and requested that she be sent to Yan'an.
So what is the real identity of this peasant woman? What exactly did she and Xu Guangda go through to be separated for ten years?
Cowherds read into a reading instrument
In November 1908, a small life was born in a small ravine of Turnip Chong in Changsha, Hunan, his original name was Xu Dehua, and later changed to Xu Guangda, ranking fifth among the seven brothers and sisters in the family. Xu Guangda's mother died soon after, and his father Xu Zigui was alone to pull his children to live a difficult life.
The young Xu Guangda began to help the landlord's family herd cattle before he was ten years old, but he was often attracted by the sound of reading aloud in the school and became interested in going to school, but reading in the poor family situation could only be a luxury.
The sound coming from the school seemed to attract Xu Guangda as if it were magical, and he took the opportunity to secretly hide under the wall outside the classroom as an "auditor" who was not discovered by the teacher.
In the winter of 1915, when Xu Guangda eavesdropped under the corner of the school, his limbs were frozen and numb, and he finally fell down with a "bang". Mr. Teaching heard the noise and hurried out to check, only to see the thinly dressed child lying on the ground.
Mr. Teaching's name was Zou Xilu, and he had long noticed this poor child who frequented him, and his heart was very touched and compassionate, and he immediately took him back to the house to wake him up.
Zou Xilu accepted Xu Guangda as a student for free, so that he could study safely and steadily in the classroom. Xu Guangda also studied hard. He also often went to Zou's house to help with housework, and became acquainted with Zou Xilu's daughter Zou Jinghua.
(Zou Xilu)
In the autumn of 1921, under the careful teaching of Zou Xilu and the financial support of his uncle, the 13-year-old Xu Guangda successfully entered Changsha Normal College. The school happened to be founded by Xu Teli, a former classmate of Zou Xilu, who was also invited to teach at Changsha Normal School and became Xu Guangda's Chinese teacher.
Xu Guangda was very diligent and studious, ranked among the best in school, and knew how to be grateful, Zou Xilu appreciated him very much, and finally decided to give his daughter Zou Jinghua Xu to this loyal and sincere boy.
In 1922, Zou Xilu personally went to the Xu family to propose to him, Xu Guangda's father, Xu Zigui, a poor peasant, saw a learned reader come to marry, and naturally he was overjoyed, and immediately agreed to come down. This year, Xu Guangda was fourteen years old, and Zou Jinghua was only nine years old, so he was engaged to a family affair and had not yet completed his marriage.
Xu Guangda read a lot of Marxist books during his school days in Changsha, planted the seeds of revolution in his heart, and participated in many student movements led by Mao Zedong.
(Zou Jinghua)
By 1925, Xu Guangda had been deeply influenced by the new ideas and joined the Chinese Communist Youth League, and then joined the Chinese Communist Party. The following year, because of his excellent performance, the eighteen-year-old Xu Guangda was selected by the party organization to enter the Whampoa Military Academy to study, and hurriedly embarked on the road south to Guangzhou, without even having time to say goodbye to his family and fiancée.
Xu Guangda knew that he was in a hurry, and the family must be worried, so he quickly sent a letter back to contact him, and also attached a photo of himself dressed in a military uniform. After Zou Jinghua received the most precious treasure, Zou Xilu happily brushed his beard and sighed:
"The Whampoa Military Academy is the brainchild of Mr. Sun Yat-sen, and Xu Lingzi must have a great future when he goes to school there!"
In 1927, after graduating from the Whampoa Military Academy, Xu Guangda came to the National Revolutionary Army, which was founded under the first Kuomintang-Communist cooperation situation, and served as a probationary squad leader of the artillery section. But by this time Chiang Kai-shek had staged a counter-revolutionary coup d'état and wantonly hunted down communists. In order to reverse the situation and save the revolution, the CCP decided to launch an uprising in Nanchang, Jiangxi.
Xu Guangda, under the instructions of the party, was to rush to Nanchang before September to participate in the uprising led by Zhou Enlai and others against the rule of the Kuomintang reactionaries. However, by the time they arrived, the troops had already moved to Guangdong, and Xu Guangda rushed to catch up, and after half a month, he finally caught up with the rebels in Ningdu, Jiangxi.
(Nanchang Uprising)
Half a month later, the rebel army was met with a strong counterattack from the enemy at Huichang City, and had to abandon its position and immediately shift. Xu Guangda's unit undertook the task of covering the retreat of the large troops.
The battle started at the Three Rivers Dam, and during the fierce battle, a shell smashed into Xu Guangda's hidden place, blowing his skin open and quickly fainting from blood. When he woke up, he could only recuperate at the homes of local farmers and could not keep up with the pace of the troop movement.
When the wounds were healed, Xu Guangda could not wait to return to the embrace of the party organization, not thinking that at this time the uprising had failed, and the organization was scattered and hidden. Xu Guangda was very confused and distressed, and he rushed to Shanghai to look for traces of the party organization.
But at this time, Shanghai was also shrouded in the shadow of "white terror", and many party members were killed. The organizations were hiding, and Xu Guangda could not find any trace of the party. Cornered, he could only plan to return to his hometown to visit his family.
(Hunting down Communists)
In August 1928, Xu Guangda finally returned to his hometown in Hunan, where his father Xu Zigui and his teacher Zou Xilu wanted him to stay at home, and Zou Jinghua quickly consummated his marriage, and then lived in peace and stability, and stopped going out to fight and make them worry about it all day.
So such an arranged marriage was soon held. On the wedding night, Xu Guangda stared at Zou Jinghua and tentatively asked, "Sister Tao, if you marry me as a poor egg, you will have to suffer hardships in the future..."
Zou Jinghua smiled simply and said, "This is nothing, I can farm with you, I have also learned embroidery, I can support myself." ”
Xu Guangda asked again: "What do you think of the Communists, the kind of bad people that the newspapers say?" ”
Zou Jinghua shook his head and replied, "No, I think they are all good people, and if you join the Communist Party in the future, I will certainly not drag you back." ”
(Xu Guangda and Zou Jinghua)
Xu Guangda's worried heart finally let go, and he was deeply touched by his wife's understanding and support. They spent ten days happily and sweetly married.
Hunted and forced to separate
Even at this moment, Xu Guangda did not give up the hope of finding a party organization in his hometown, and finally contacted several members of the Communist Youth League. Unexpectedly, one of them was arrested by the Kuomintang after being exposed, and immediately confessed the existence of Xu Guangda.
After He Jian, chairman of the Hunan Provincial Government, learned of this news, he immediately sent a telegram to Changsha: Xu Guangda must be arrested and brought to justice!
Fortunately, Zou Jinghua's brother-in-law worked at Xie Liren's Changsha Garrison Headquarters, and when he learned of this, he quickly informed Xu Guangda, and he had to pack his bags overnight and prepare to flee.
(He Key)
At this time, Zou Jinghua realized that her husband was the Communist Party, and at this moment, she was newly married to Yan'er, but she had to separate. Zou Jinghua was extremely sad, but he still pretended to be calm and said goodbye to Xu Guangda, no one knew, at this time, goodbye was actually ten years later!
After Xu Guangda escaped from Changsha, he traveled all over the country, from Hebei to Beiping to Kailuan, and finally to Shanghai, where he finally successfully found a party organization and joined the central military training class run by Zhou Enlai in September 1929.
When Xu Guangda was wandering outside, Zou Jinghua was not happy. The Changsha garrison pounced on Xu's house, repeatedly questioned and harassed her, and even forced her to divorce Xu Guangda, but Zou Jinghua refused to comply.
They also brutally assassinated Xie Liren, who had sent a letter to Xu Guangda, and the Xie family hated Xu Guangda very much and did not give Zou Jinghua a good look. Her family had no financial resources, so she had to go out day and night to work in the fields, help people sew and embroider at night, and subsidize the family. Zou Jinghua was under tremendous pressure, and the only thing that supported her to continue walking was to persevere until she could be reunited with her husband.
In 1930, after Zou Jinghua heard that a Red Army was stationed nearby for recuperation, he immediately took the initiative to boil water and cook for the soldiers, hoping to hear about her husband by the way.
Unfortunately, Xu Guangda used the old name of "Xu Dehua" in his hometown, but after joining the army, he started the name of "Xu Guangda". Zou Jinghua inquired about "Xu Dehua" with the soldiers, but naturally did not get any results, and Zou Jinghua could only leave in a daze.
On the other hand, Xu Guangda studied with Zhou Enlai in Shanghai, and after graduating with excellent results, he was sent to Xiangxi to participate in the formation of the Red Sixth Army and served as chief of staff. Soon after, he joined He Long's command as the commander of the Red Second Army, and made great achievements in the southern conquest of the northern war on the battlefield.
In 1931, when Xu Guangda and his troops were fighting fiercely in Yingcheng, they were unfortunately shot and injured, and the shrapnel dangerously rubbed through the heart, and he had to undergo surgery immediately to save his life.
(Xu Guangda)
However, the medical conditions in the base area were not enough to support the completion of such a major operation, and after two failed operations, He Long immediately sent someone to escort Xu Guangda to Shanghai for treatment.
However, the leak of the house coincided with the overnight rain, and just when Xu Guangda was about to undergo surgery, the underground traffic officer rushed to take him away in a hurry, because the stronghold had been exposed by traitors and must be transferred immediately.
Even in such a crisis moment, Xu Guangda still missed his wife in his heart, and the pain caused by shrapnel made him miss his hometown more and more. As soon as he moved to safety, he sent a letter to his family in someone else's name, instructing Zou Jinghua not to worry about himself, to read as much as possible, and to save two hundred yuan from living expenses to send it.
Zou Jinghua, who received the letter, was very excited, and when she heard that her husband was still alive, she felt that she was also full of motivation for life. No matter how much outsiders ridicule her as a "communist mother", no matter how poor and difficult life is, she feels that her life has a head start.
Zou Jinghua studied hard according to Xu Guangda's wishes, and finally was admitted to the Changsha Girls' Normal School, where she was fortunate to become a sister with Lin Boqu's granddaughter Lin Mingwei, laying the groundwork for the successful finding of her husband later.
(Lin Mingwei)
After the entrance examination, the excited Zou Jinghua immediately wrote back to Xu Guangda, wanting to share this joy. At this time, Xu Guangda was no longer in China, but was transferred to the Soviet Union with better medical conditions to treat his wounds, and Zou Jinghua lost the last link with her husband.
Zou Jinghua was tormented by anxiety and worry day by day, and finally one day, she received a letter from her husband again. Zou Jinghua carefully stroked the letter paper and read several pages of familiar handwriting over and over again. Her husband told her that he had come to the Soviet Union, that everything was fine, and that even if they were separated by thousands of mountains and rivers, they could not stop his longing.
Xu Guangda also intimately loaded several copies of the delivery address written in Russian in the envelope, so that when Zou Jinghua, who did not know Russian, replied to the letter, he only needed to directly paste the paper with the address on the envelope. The two turned their thoughts into a vein of words and sent them to the far side in an envelope.
(Zou Jinghua and Xu Guangda's family)
Unfortunately, it did not take long for the Nationalist government to fight with the Soviet Union, the border was blocked, communications were cut off, and the two lost each other's voice again. At this moment, Xu Guangda, who was already seriously injured, decided to stay in the Soviet Union and enter the Lenin Academy to study military and revolutionary ideas more deeply.
In 1937, the Japanese army created the July 7 Incident in China, and soon the War of Resistance Against Japan broke out in an all-round way, setting off an anti-Japanese climax in China to save the people and survive. Xu Guangda always had his heart set on the motherland, and took advantage of the signing of the "Non-Aggression Pact" between China and the Soviet Union and the opportunity of the Soviet Union to provide military assistance to China and returned to Yan'an by train.
(July 7 Incident)
In 1938, Shaanxi was still a snowy land, and the green pines stood tall on the mountain beams to meet the whistling northwest wind. A Soviet-made car drove on a rugged mountain road, and Xu Guangda, who had been away from the motherland for six years, looked at the scenery outside the car window and felt a thousand emotions in his heart.
After returning to Yan'an, Xu Guangda lived in a guest house in a cave, and even if the environment was not as good as the red-tile bungalows of the Soviet Union, he felt extremely at ease and felt that he had finally returned to the embrace of the party.
A few days later, Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai cordially received Xu Guangda and made him the head of training at the general school of the Anti-Japanese University. After Liu Yalou, who was originally the education chief of the Kang Da, visited the Soviet Union, Xu Guangda took over his post as education chief.
(Anti-University Student)
After Xu Guangda took office, he often went deep among the students to understand the situation, he never put up an official frame, was easy-going, and soon mingled with the students. Xu Guangda, who treated people with spring breeze and xu and high education, soon became the favored object of the girls in the school, and many young female students frequently showed him overtures, but they were all politely refused by Xu Guangda.
Many people also feel that Xu Education Is inevitably too high, why can't anyone look at it? Xu Guangda could only patiently explain: "Don't worry too much, I have a family, thank you for your kindness!" My wife's name is Zou Jinghua, and I often write to her when I go to the Soviet Union, and she has made such a great sacrifice to wait for my reunion, and I will wait for her now. ”
Everyone's doubts were dispelled, but Xu Guangda was confused about it. After coming to Yan'an, his busy official duties gave him few opportunities to consider his wife, and he could only ask people everywhere to inquire about female students from Changsha.
Now that it has settled down, it is time to look for her carefully and write a letter to inquire about her first, but after so many years, where should the letter be sent, and will Zou Jinghua stay in Changsha?
Don't get back together at the end of the year
At this time, thousands of miles away from Yan'an, in Changsha, in front of the Silver Palace Cinema, the crowd was rubbing shoulders, and there was a person on the center stage who was speaking passionately.
"Compatriots, the Communist Party of China is holding high the banner of the anti-Japanese national united front, is willing to cooperate with the Kuomintang, and must save our country..."
In an inconspicuous place at the edge of the crowd stood a woman in her twenties. She wore a patched gray-blue student uniform, her hands were covered with wrinkles from long-term labor, and her cheeks showed wind and frost that did not belong to this age.
Zou Jinghua tried to tiptoe into the center of the crowd, and she recognized that the person who spoke was her father's close friend Xu Teli. She listened intoxicatedly to the Communist Party's ideas, and thought of her long-lost husband. Although his heart was sour, Zou Jinghua firmly believed that he and Xu Guangda must have a reunion day.
Xu Teli also saw Zou Jinghua, who was probing his brain, and that night, he brought some gifts and went to visit his old friend Zou Xilu. When Zou Jinghua saw him coming, he cordially called out to Uncle Xu.
(Xu Teli)
Xu Teli asked her if she would like to go to Yan'an University thousands of miles away, and Zou Jinghua was overjoyed and agreed. She had read in the newspaper that Yan'an was a place where the Communist Party was, and that if she went there to follow the Party, she would certainly be able to take a bright road. Moreover, she may be able to hear from her husband there, even if the road is far away, she is not afraid.
Zou Jinghua first came to Wuhan, got in touch with the local Eighth Route Army office, and arrived in Xi'an by train. In the big city, Zou Jinghua was studying how to walk the road, but he didn't expect to meet an old acquaintance.
This person is Lin Mingwei, whom he and Zou Jinghua met when they were studying at the Changsha Women's Normal School. She learned that Zou Jinghua, like her, was preparing to go to Yan'an to report on the Kang Da, so she excitedly invited her to accompany her.
The two first came to the Xi'an Eighth Route Army Office to hand over, but Zou Jinghua suddenly asked questions at this time.
"Mingwei, can we go to your grandfather later, your grandfather is a high official, I want to ask him about someone."
Lin Mingwei listened to Zou Jinghua's description of her husband, and without saying a word, he dragged her into Lin Boqu's office. Zou Jinghua was on a long-distance journey at this time, a servant in the wind and dust, and his head was still wrapped in a turban commonly used in the countryside, and he was able to get rid of a rural woman.
(Limber Canal)
Zou Jinghua repeated Xu Guangda's situation and looked at Lin Boqu expectantly. Of course, Lin Boqu knew that the famous Xu Guangda was now serving as the head of education in Yan'an Kangda, but the two had been separated for ten years, and it was not known whether Xu Guangda had forgotten the wife of the chaff.
After all, they are all the result of the arranged work of the older generation, and in the revolutionary ranks, many comrades came to resist feudal marriages, and after joining, they automatically dissolved arranged marriages.
Xu Guangda has been working outside for many years, has been baptized by new ideas, and will he now accept his wife who has not seen his life or death for ten years? Comrades who join the revolution will still part ways with their partners in turbulent and uncertain environments, let alone they will be separated for decades after only ten days of marriage?
Lin Boqu put on a look of embarrassment on his face, saying that he had not paid attention to it yet, and would ask people to inquire about the list of recent cadres later, so that Zou Jinghua could first return to his residence to wait for the news.
As soon as Zou Jinghua left, Lin Boqu immediately summoned someone to send an urgent telegram to Yan'an and ask Xu Guangda's thoughts on this. After Xu Guangda got the telegram, he was surprised and happy, and immediately called Back to Lin Boqu and asked him to send Zou Jinghua to Yan'an.
Xu Guangda did not expect that after ten years of not seeing each other and missing for six years, this girl who looked quiet and weak not only did not get crushed by life, but also came to Yan'an, and even found herself, which was really unimaginable!
In August 1938, Zou Jinghua and his classmates came to the Yan'an Grand Hostel, which was actually just a few cave dwellings. She was packing up and getting ready to go to bed, when a female warrior walked in and asked loudly who was Zou Jinghua.
Zou Jinghua replied, and asked who was looking for her in doubt, and the female soldier replied in a loud voice that it was Xu Guangda, the education chief of the Kang Da. Zou Jinghua couldn't believe his ears for a moment.
(Xu Guangda with students)
After many years of searching, it turned out that Xu Guangda was actually in Yan'an, and he also became the education chief of kang da! I don't know how much suffering he has suffered for such a long time outside in order to survive in this chaotic world. After losing the news, I once doubted whether he had already sacrificed, but now it seems that it is really lucky, everyone is fine.
Zou Jinghua hurriedly ran out the door with the female soldiers, and saw a heroic Eighth Route Army cadre standing outside, wasn't he the husband who thought about it day and night? She rushed up excitedly, tears welling up her eyes.
Xu Guangda saw Zou Jinghua running out, immediately hugged her, a thousand words poured into his mouth, and he didn't know where to start, but silently sighed, ten years of life and death parting, many times to go to danger, thinking that it was difficult to have a chance to see again, did not expect to finally reunite in this dynasty, after the rest of his life, never to be separated again!
epilogue
The couple who have been separated for more than ten years finally ushered in the moment of reunion, which cannot be easily accomplished by unilateral persistence, injury and war separated the flesh of the two, and persistence and steadfastness reunited them. Even though they are separated by thousands of rivers and mountains, no one has let go of their thoughts and pursuits for each other, and finally achieved this legendary marriage.
After Zou Jinghua reunited with Xu Guangda, he was influenced and guided by the red culture of Yan'an, and finally joined the Communist Party of China with honor. The two always maintained firm faith in the party, threw themselves into the great road of seeking rejuvenation for the Chinese nation, and constantly forged ahead with that heart full of loyalty and struggle. Their spiritual deeds have inspired generation after generation of Communists to forge ahead and paint a magnificent picture of national rejuvenation.
reference:
LIU Xiaomei,LIANG Xianzhi. The Loyal Love of Xu Guangda and Zou Jinghua[J].Party History Tiandi, 2008:28-33.