On New Year's Day 1974, the commanders of the eight major military regions of the whole army were transferred, and Pi Dingjun, commander of the Lanzhou Military Region, was transferred to the post of commander of the Fuzhou Military Region, taking up the important task of leading the military forces of Fujian and Jiangxi provinces. When Pi Dingjun took office, Fujian was not at peace, and the provincial party committee, the provincial revolutionary committee, and other leading organs were all attacked by the "rebels."
Pi Dingjun, born in 1914, a native of Guangdong Province, has a military career that runs through almost the entire Chinese Liberation War and the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea. His military career carried the fate of the motherland and was full of honor and mission.
In the face of the onslaught of the "rebels," Pi Dingjun decided to quickly transfer a large number of cadres with a high level of policy and strong discipline from the army to form "three branches and two armies" to help the local cadres carry out their work. His decisive measures stabilized the situation in Fujian, but they attracted attacks and slander from the "rebels".
In the face of criticism, Pi Dingjun rebuked the "rebels" with great righteousness and awe, and firmly said: "This is the front line of anti-imperialism and anti-Chiang and the southeastern gate of the motherland, and the central authorities have ordered me to stabilize the 'three armies' and stabilize the situation in Fujian.
At the end of 1974, Luo Ruiqing came to Fujian to recuperate due to illness. Faced with the difficulties of the "rebels", Luo Ruiqing became the target of their attacks. However, Pi Dingjun was not afraid of this, he not only maintained respect for Luo Ruiqing, but also provided him with the best treatment. In the face of accusations of "rebels", he firmly defended Luo Ruiqing's rights and interests, showing his loyalty and integrity to his colleagues.
In June 1975, Ye Jianying, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, and Deng Xiaoping, chief of the General Staff, presided over an enlarged meeting of the Central Military Commission, stressing the importance of reorganizing the army and preparing for war. After the meeting, Pi Dingjun expressed his satisfaction at the rectification and held that once the army was reorganized, there would be hope for the party and the country. He decided to organize a training camp for senior officers at the Nanchang Military Academy, demonstrating his concern and responsibility for army building.
Rectifying work style and discipline has become a top priority for the army, and Pi Dingjun decided to start with senior officers. He led by example, standing in the middle of the playground in person every morning, asking cadres at all levels to participate in the running assembly. This move not only improved the quality of the troops, but also changed the style of the troops. This training camp is of great significance to stabilizing the security of Fujian's front.
Both Mao Zedong and Pi Ding ushered in the death of Premier Zhou Enlai on January 8, 1976. Pidingjun was deeply saddened by this, and he believed that Zhou Enlai was a pillar of the central government, and his death would make the situation even more chaotic. However, his wife Zhang Feng comforted him, believing that there were still Deng Xiaoping and other old commanders, and the military power was in the hands of the old commanders, and the country would be stable. The moment showed Pidingjun's loyalty to his leaders and his concern for the country's future.
In February 1976, Jiang Qing criticized Fujian at a central meeting, saying that it had "fully restored capitalism". Pi Dingjun resolutely refuted, believing that Fujian's work achievements are the mainstream, and the problem is being overcome. Jiang Qing threatened him, asking him to stop being a prince, otherwise there would be bad consequences. However, Pi Dingjun resolutely responded: "It is the fine tradition of the people's army that the army supports the localities and does a good job in the relations between the military and the government and between the army and the people, and the fine tradition of the revolution cannot be lost!" His attitude toward the protest showed his adherence to principles and his loyalty to the party.
On July 7, 1976, Pi Dingjun received an order from the Central Military Commission to speed up preparations for the liberation of Taiwan. He served as commander-in-chief during large-scale military exercises held in Fujian. However, many problems arose during the exercise, such as the poor coordination of naval and land operations, and the ineffective command, so Pi Dingjun had to personally go to the front line to command. This exercise became the last stop of his life.
At the beginning of the exercise, Pidine was hospitalized for eye surgery, but as the exercise progressed, the problem gradually became apparent. The commanders at the front kept reporting on the situation, but the conference call was too long, which made Pidingjun very irritable. In the end, he decided to go to the front in person, showing his responsibility and the requirements for the quality of the army.
After bidding farewell to Luo Ruiqing's home, Pi Dingjun flew to the front line of the exercise in a "Mi-8" helicopter. However, the unexpected happened. The weather in Zhangzhou changed abruptly, and the plane flew into the clouds and lost contact with the ground. In the end, in the sky over the Yunxiao Mountains in Fujian, all the people on board were killed, and Pi Dingjun ended his military career at the age of 62.
He was an excellent general, a loyal party member, a hero who devoted his life to the country and the people. Throughout his life, he carried the expectations and responsibilities of the motherland and was one of the outstanding representatives of the Chinese People's Liberation Army.
At half past six in the morning on July 7, 1976, Pi Dingjun hurriedly ate breakfast, and with a piece of white gauze covering his right eye, he set off in a jeep. However, at the moment when he was looking forward to the future and shouldering a mission, a sudden storm took his life.
The death of Pi Dingjun has deprived the country of an outstanding general and the army of an outstanding leader. His life is full of legends and he is a bright star of the Chinese People's Liberation Army. Under his leadership, the situation in Fujian was stable, the army was reorganized and orderly, and great contributions were made to the security and stability of the motherland.