The names Liu Qingshan and Zhang Zishan may not be unfamiliar to many people, but these former combat heroes have become corrupt officials who are spurned by people. They made great achievements in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the War of Liberation, but in the years of peace, they began another "battle" against corruption. Liu Qingshan, who is known as the "big old man", and Zhang Zishan, who is regarded as an "intellectual", how did they go to the abyss step by step? If you are interested in the history behind this period, then let's take a closer look with me.
Back in the early fifties, China had just experienced one war after another, and the people longed for peace and construction. But at that time, the behavior of two people seriously deviated from the theme of the times. They are Liu Qingshan and Zhang Zishan, two former combat heroes who are now synonymous with corruption.
Liu Qingshan was originally a respected veteran soldier who participated in the revolution since he was a child and made great achievements. After the war, he seemed to be beginning to lose his way. Liu Qingshan, who used to forge ahead bravely, has now become arrogant, and even began to call himself "the concretization of Marxism-Leninism in Tianjin", which can't help but make people laugh. His changes are not just in words, but also in deeds. He moved into a luxurious bungalow and began to live a life of luxury, and his daily pastime was to study how to eat and how to play.
And Zhang Zishan, a knowledgeable man, is not far behind. He and Liu Qingshan hit it off, and the two became corrupt partners. The two of them took the country's money, squandered it, bought luxury cars, gave gifts, and lived a prosperous life, completely throwing their original intentions and missions out of the clouds.
Such a situation naturally aroused the dissatisfaction and anger of many people. Among them is Li Kecai, a former revolutionary comrade, who watched the actions of Liu Qingshan and Zhang Zishan, and his heart burned with anger. Li Kecai used to respect Liu Qingshan very much, but he couldn't tolerate seeing his two old comrades-in-arms become corrupt officials. His conscience and sense of justice drove him to stand up and decide to report it to his superiors.
It's not that simple. When Li Kecai tried to report for the first time, his report letter was leaked, and after Liu Qingshan and Zhang Zishan learned about it, they even tried to use money to seal Li Kecai's mouth. But Li Ke was an iron-hearted Communist Party member, and he was not swayed by money. Seeing that the report was ineffective, Li Kecai decided to rely on the power of the people, and he began to secretly collect evidence from the two and report it to higher-level leaders in a more secretive way.
This time, his efforts were not in vain. The top management attached great importance to this matter and soon sent an investigation team to gain an in-depth understanding of the situation. Through countless days and nights of hard work, the investigation team finally brought to light the crimes of Liu Qingshan and Zhang Zishan. The amount of money they embezzled was so staggering that even the most ordinary people could not believe that it was the work of their former heroes.
When the true colors of Liu Qingshan and Zhang Zishan were revealed, people's anger reached its peak. Chairman Mao personally instructed that it must be dealt with seriously and given an explanation to the people. In the end, the two were sentenced to death as a warning to the world that even heroes will be punished once they go down the wrong path.
The deaths of Liu Qingshan and Zhang Zishan are not only the tragedy of two people, but also the tragedy of that era. They have become a mirror, reflecting the contradictions and struggles between individuals and society during the period of war and peaceful transition. Their degeneration makes people think deeply that after the success of the revolution, how to continue to maintain the true character of a revolutionary and how to avoid being corrupted by power and money are the topics that every revolutionary must face.
Li Kecai's actions, although once seen as risky, ultimately proved his justice and courage. He is not only the exposer of Liu Qingshan and Zhang Zishan's corrupt behavior, but also the embodiment of the sense of justice of the whole society.