Preface
In 2015, at the Xiaogan Municipal Government Office in Hubei Province, an old man dressed in plain clothes quietly walked into the service hall. He sat quietly in his chair, as if he was a little embarrassed, his eyes lowered. The staff came over and asked enthusiastically, "Old man, do you need help with anything?"
The old man replied in a low voice, "I'm here to exchange IOUs from the government." As he spoke, he carefully took out a yellowed note with the words "The Red Army owes 400 oceans" on it.
The staff was stunned and asked in disbelief, "What did you say?"
The old man could only repeat it, with a hint of helplessness on his face. The staff took the IOU, realized that this was not an ordinary request, and quickly reported the situation to the leader.
After checking the authenticity of the IOU, the leader realized that this was a history that had been precipitated over the years. The story of the Red Army's debts bears the hardships and perseverance of the revolutionary years, and this IOU has become a witness to history.
Feeling deeply responsible, the government leaders decided not to slack off, and immediately arranged an exchange for the elderly. And how much did this IOU get for?
The IOU of the Red First Army: The mouth of the soldier ruffian is trustworthy
After the counter-revolutionary coup d'état of April 12 in 1927, the Kuomintang reactionaries unleashed a brutal White Terror and vigorously suppressed the workers' and peasants' movement, killing countless communists and revolutionaries. In this critical autumn, the Communist Party of China chose to establish the Red Army, open up revolutionary base areas, and seize power through armed struggle.
From the Nanchang Uprising on August 1, 1927 to the Long March of the Central Red Army, the main force of the Central Red Army in 1931, our party and our army have successively established more than 10 revolutionary base areas across the country. Among them, the Hubei-Henan-Anhui base area was second only to the Central Soviet Region at that time, and was the largest area before the Shaanxi-Gansu base area.
In the spring of 1930, more than 4,000 people of the main force of the Red First Army fought in the border area of Hubei, Henan and Anhui. Successive battles have depleted the army's rations and repeatedly destroyed the supply of troops in the rear. When the Red Army quartermaster Tang Aiguo learned of this, he made an astonishing decision in a hurry.
He decided to lead a few comrades-in-arms to smuggle to a village and town in Hubei hundreds of miles away, and begged Yang Changyin, a local gentry and landlord, to borrow some military rations to support the Red Army. This is a risky move. Not only did they have to evade the patrols of the national army, but they also faced many obstacles that could be counterattacked by the landlords.
"We are in charge of the revolution, what is this risk!" Tang Aiguo didn't care much, so he led a few of his subordinates to travel fifty or sixty miles, and finally arrived at Yang Changyin's house.
Yang Changyin was born in a scholarly family, and the villagers in the mountains also had high hopes for his simple and benevolent character. Although he took a very different position from the Communists, he also had the sympathy and compassion of an intellectual. When he saw these ragged Reds, he was terrified for a moment, but quickly calmed down. Tang Aiguo told him about the current plight of the Red Army and begged if he could support some grain and grass.
Yang Changyin groaned slightly after hearing this. He understood the cruelty of the Kuomintang and the fierce struggle of the Red Army. I bought food to support the Red Army, and if the government knew about it, it would have dealt with it jointly. But if you watch them starve to death, you can't bear it...... Yang Changyin struggled for a long time, and finally spoke: "Since it is a national disaster, how can I bear to see death and not save it...... Your army is for the common people of the world, and there is no injustice or enmity with me. Even though I am poor, I should do my best to help!"
Yang Changyin said that he took out 400 oceans of silver from his warehouse, which is equivalent to more than 5,000 taels, which is equivalent to more than 30,000 catties of sugar wheat, which is enough to support the Red Army for about a month. Tang Aiguo gladly accepted and immediately issued a receipt as proof of repayment. Before leaving, Yang Changyin couldn't help but admonish: "The current situation is unpredictable, I hope you don't forget the old feelings." An IOU, it is a gentleman's righteousness to honor it!" Tang Aiguo agreed repeatedly, grateful.
The Red Army was overjoyed to receive the money, arranged transportation, and soon turned silver dollars into military rations. With material support, the morale of the Red Army was greatly boosted, and the journey north to resist Japan opened the dawn of hope. And the Yang family's mansion was also wiped out in the war two years later. Yang Changyin's incense was cut off, and the yellowed IOU seemed to be lost forever.
Eighty-five years later, a shocking IOU
However, the gears of fate are far from stopping, and the miracle continues. Today, 85 years later, a small IOU, spanning nearly a century, will finally be cashed in!
It was a spring morning in 2015. Yang Mingrong continued to flip through the old books in his ancestral home. This is a Xi he has accumulated in the past six months. He wants to revive the Yang family, and only by studying can he be sensible. Yang Mingrong is the descendant of the five generations of the Yang family, and his ancestor Yang Changyin, who was righteous and charitable during his lifetime, was honored as "Yang Qingtian" in the township. Although the Yang family is not at the peak of the past, Yang Mingrong is still concerned about his family and country, thinking about how to carry it forward.
As he flipped to a fragment of the Records of the Historians on the pages of a loose book, a yellowed receipt slipped from it. Yang Mingrong was shocked, and saw that there were several big words written on it: "Four hundred oceans, return it immediately, Yang Changyin!" What is this? A thought flashed through Yang Mingrong's mind: Could it be the ancestor's thing?
He hurriedly straightened the receipt and looked at it carefully, and it was clearly an IOU from seventy or eighty years ago! Although the handwriting on it was blurred, the numbers in black and white were clearly visible. Yang Mingrong's tall figure instantly appeared in Yang Mingrong's mind: Four hundred oceans, that's a huge amount of money!
"What the hell is going on?" Yang Mingrong couldn't figure out why his ancestors had such an old IOU of more than 80 years. He decided to consult local experts in literature and history first to see if he could find out why.
Early the next morning, Yang Mingrong set off to visit Gao Quanxi, the county's cultural relics bureau chief and historian, and submitted the original receipt for consultation. Professor Gao Quanxi was a well-known person in this field, and after reading the original, he was also shocked: This is obviously an IOU from the Red Army more than 80 years ago! Although the handwriting on it is old and illegible, it records the loan money in detail. This was very rare under the conditions of those years, and it was really rare in the world!
Yang Mingrong was excited when he heard this. It turned out that this was the IOU that his grandfather Yang Changyin lent to the Red Army to support the revolutionary cause! Yang Mingrong implored Gao Quanxi to carry out a comprehensive examination to confirm the authenticity. Gao Quanxi readily agreed, promising to give a reply as soon as possible.
A week later, the results of the examination were indeed released: This is indeed the true result of the Red Army's loan to Yang Changyin 85 years ago! Although the IOU has gone through vicissitudes, after all, the physical evidence is in hand, and its credibility is extremely high! Yang Mingrong was excited, but at the same time, he was also full of thoughts: How should this account be calculated now? He once again asked for the opinion of Teacher Gao Quanxi.
Gao Quanxi said: "Although this IOU has a long history, it is genuine after all. I think it is possible to contact the relevant state departments and convert it to the current monetary equivalent. If it can be finally approved, you can formally apply on behalf of the Yang family. After hearing this, Yang Mingrong suddenly realized, this is indeed a feasible plan!
Early the next morning, he left for Beijing, where he first went to the Cultural Relics Bureau for a review and then formally submitted an application for a reappraisal of the value to the judicial department. The whole process was extremely arduous and complicated, and Yang Mingrong worked tirelessly, running for visas, and finally received the results of the official reassessment of the value from the court one day two months later.
According to the review and appraisal, the value of this Red Army IOU is equivalent to 40,000 yuan. Yang Mingrong got the results of the court's value appraisal and burst into tears. This small IOU is not only a silver dollar, but also the red memory of a generation. "Thanks to the old-timers of the Red Army, thanks to the Communist Party!" Yang Mingrong said sincerely.
It was more than 80 years ago that the Communist Party of China, under the leadership of Mao Zedong and other proletarian revolutionaries of the older generation, raised the red banner of armed resistance against the rule of the Kuomintang reactionaries and lit the torch of national liberation. After the 25,000-mile Long March, the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army finally crossed the motherland, fired the first shot of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, and announced the arrival of the new democratic revolution.
The reason why the Red Army, which was able to win the support and assistance of the broad masses of the people, was because of its strict discipline and noble character. Three disciplines and six points of attention to ensure that the Red Army never arbitrarily harms the interests of the people. A group of people with lofty ideals who supported the Red Army in righteousness, such as Yang Changyin, were witnesses of the Red Army's valuable spirit of keeping its promises and basing itself on the people.
Today, the Communist Party of China (CPC) is leading the Chinese nation on a new journey of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and marching towards a modern and powerful country. As a descendant of the Yang family, Yang Mingrong also shoulders the mission of carrying forward the legacy of his ancestors.
As Professor Gao Quanxi said: "This IOU, which spans nearly a century of history, has finally been fulfilled, which is a testimony of the red spirit left by the older generation of communists." We, the descendants, should remember gratitude, carry it forward, and thank the old-timers for their dedication with practical actions!"
Two months later, with the assistance and witness of the relevant departments, Yang Mingrong, on behalf of the descendants of the Yang family, officially handed over the 85-year-old IOU to the historical relics department of the procuratorate for proper preservation. He also accepted the equivalent of $40,000 as approved by the court. "We will use the money to run some public welfare and charity in the countryside to help the needy. This is the spiritual legacy left by the old-timers, and we should be even more grateful to the pictorial and carry it forward. Yang Mingrong said earnestly to the descendants of the Yang family.
They said that the Chinese nation is growing and growing stronger with each passing day. And the spirit will be passed down from generation to generation, and the thousand years will shine forever! This small IOU, spanning 85 years of ups and downs and going through vicissitudes, has finally completed its final mission today. It will sleep and become a part of history; And the spiritual meaning it contains will continue to be passed on by generations of Chinese!
The Red Army's discipline has won the hearts of the people
In the face of the frenzied attack of Chiang Kai-shek and the Kuomintang reactionaries, the Communist Party of China, under the guidance of its leader Mao Zedong and other members of the older generation of Communist Party members, chose the path of launching an armed uprising in the countryside. From the Nanchang Uprising in 1927 to the Long March of the Central Red Army in 1934, the Party established more than 10 revolutionary base areas throughout the country, which were embraced and supported by the broad masses of the people.
One of the most important reasons why the Red Army was able to survive tenaciously under the encirclement and suppression of the enemy and finally achieve national victory was its strict discipline and firm conviction.
As early as the twenties and thirties of the twentieth century, Mao Zedong profoundly realized that if he wanted to rely on the strength of the masses of workers and peasants to defeat the enemy, he must establish his own prestige. Therefore, he formulated and constantly perfected the "three major disciplines and eight points of attention" to strictly regulate every word and deed of the Red Army.
The three disciplines are: "1. When fighting against the enemy, absolutely obey the command; 2. Don't take a stitch of what the masses have; 3. confiscate the property of the local tyrants and inferior gentry and distribute it to the poor peasants". The Eight Points of Attention demanded that the Red Army establish good relations with the masses, from treating people politely to fair exchanges, and embodying the noble qualities of the Communists.
These simple but strict regulations ensured that the Red Army would never arbitrarily harm the interests of the common people, and that it would distribute the seized enemy's property to the poor, thus winning the trust and support of the broad masses of the people. "We relied on this discipline to gain the support of the farmers and win. Later, Zhu De concluded that the reason why the Red Army was able to survive tenaciously under the heavy encirclement of the enemy was entirely dependent on the supply and support of the people. Otherwise, it would be impossible to resist the attack of the Kuomintang army on its own.
The reason why the impoverished Red Army was able to win the support of Yang Changyin and a large number of righteous people was precisely because they also scrupulously observed discipline and embodied noble qualities in a difficult environment. This has achieved the trust of the masses of the people in the party and laid the most solid mass foundation for the Red Army to march to victory!
Yang Changyin is an ordinary person who has witnessed the spirit of the Red Army and the valuable qualities of keeping promises. When he saw the plight of the Red Army and yet remained disciplined, he could not help but be moved. So he gave generously, regardless of whether he would suffer too. It was precisely the Red Army's discipline and noble sentiments that won the support of the common people and enabled them to advance from a desperate situation to victory! As Chairman Mao said, "Strengthening discipline makes the revolution invincible!"
Honouring the 85-year IOU: The inheritance of the red spirit is passed down from generation to generation
The years go by, and the white horse passes by. Eighty-five years is just a flick of a finger in the long river. Yang Changyin, who lent the Red Army 400 oceans back then, and the small yellowed IOU, seem to have been lost forever in the wind and rain of history. But the miracle continues.
One day in 2015, Yang Mingrong, a fifth-generation descendant of the Yang family, stumbled upon this receipt that spanned more than half a century. Experts confirmed that this was indeed an IOU that Yang Changyin lent to the Red Army to purchase military supplies! Yang Mingrong was ecstatic. In his view, this matter is not just the end of a debt relationship.
What is even more significant is that this small IOU, which spanned nearly a century of historical ups and downs, finally completed its final mission and witnessed the glory and greatness of the older generation of communists!
"This is a precious spiritual legacy left by the old-timers, and we should be even more grateful to the pictorial!" Yang Mingrong said earnestly to the descendants of the Yang family.
Indeed, it was under the leadership of the Communist Party of China that the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army braved all kinds of difficulties and dangers after a 25,000-mile long march in the rain of bullets. It was their spirit of defying violence and perseverance that lit the torch of national liberation, fired the first shot of the Chinese nation's anti-fascism, and comprehensively changed the future and destiny of modern China.
The key to the Red Army's ability to win the support of the masses of the people in the face of many difficulties lies in their strict discipline and noble character.
This valuable spirit is precisely the immortal monument erected by the Communists of the older generation and the Red Army. Now, in the historical process of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, this red gene is being passed down from generation to generation. Countless Communist Party members who follow the party without hesitation have taken "seeking happiness for the Chinese people" as their lifelong creed and continued to pass on the red spirit.
As Yang Mingrong said: "The fearless spirit of the old-timers who are not afraid of difficulties and bloody battles will inspire us future generations to continue to move forward and repay their great dedication with practical actions!"
The fulfillment of this small IOU is the best answer to the older generation of communists. Looking forward to the future, under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, the Chinese nation will continue to write new glories!