Shortly after the founding of the People's Republic of China, an interesting little incident happened in a primary school in Beijing. A teacher called a primary school student named Chen Danhuai into the office and repeatedly asked him about his father's identity. In the face of the teacher's questioning, Chen Danhuai repeatedly avoided it, only saying that his father was an ordinary director. What is puzzling is why Chen Danhuai, as the son of founding marshal Chen Yi, concealed his family background? For what reason did he deliberately keep a low profile of his identity? What kind of unique educational philosophy does Chen Yi have for his children? What kind of feelings for the family and country are contained in this? Let us find out.
1. Chen Danhuai's growth experience
In 1943, when the Anti-Japanese War entered the most difficult stage, Chen Danhuai was born in an ordinary peasant family in Huanghuatang, Huai'an, Jiangsu. His father, Chen Yi, was a famous general of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, who threw himself into the revolution from a young age and fought tirelessly for the independence of the country and the liberation of the people.
Due to the war, Chen Yi has been commanding operations on the front line for a long time, and he rarely has time to return home. Chen Danhuai's childhood was spent in the smoke of war, and his impression of his father was very vague.
It was not until after the victory of the Anti-Japanese War in 1945 that Chen Danhuai met his father for the first time after a long absence. However, the time with his father did not last long, and with the outbreak of the civil war, Chen Yi soon went to the front line again to lead the People's Liberation Army in a desperate struggle against the Kuomintang army. During this period, Chen Danhuai could only learn about his father's heroic deeds on the battlefield through his mother's narration. He was deeply influenced by his father's firm revolutionary belief and unafraid of sacrifice and dedication, and he had great reverence for the ideals of the Communist Party.
In 1949, after nearly four years of arduous fighting, the People's Liberation Army finally won a complete victory in the war. Chen Yi had the opportunity to reunite with his wife and children and take them to his side. However, due to the long-term separation, Chen Danhuai's impression of his father is still relatively unfamiliar, and he is even a little reserved and shy in front of his father. In order to get closer to his son, Chen Yi spared no effort to accompany and care for Chen Danhuai, and educated and influenced him with his actions.
2. Chen Yi's educational philosophy for children
As one of the founding marshals, Chen Yi not only made outstanding achievements on the battlefield, but also had unique ideas and practices in children's education. He adheres to the family motto of diligence and thrift, self-denial and public service, and requires his children to stay away from privilege and thrive in an environment of fair competition.
After the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, Chen Yi served as the mayor of Shanghai. In order to rectify the family style, he set up three iron rules for his children: first, except for some special occasions, the whole family should wear cheap and rough homespun clothes, and old clothes should not be thrown away, but should be left for younger children to wear. Secondly, it is not allowed to take public cars for official and private affairs, even if it is rain and snow when going to school. Finally, things must be done in accordance with the rules, and they must not enjoy special treatment because of their father's leadership status.
Chen Yi's requirements for his children's diligence and thrift have been implemented in all aspects of life. He has a well-known teaching, "The eldest is new, the second is old, the third is mended, and the fourth is broken", which means that the eldest son wears new clothes, and when he can't wear them, he wears them for the second son, and when the second son wears them out, he wears them for the third son, and when the third son wears them out, he wears them out and finally gives them to the fourth son. A garment is recycled on all four children until it is completely tattered and unworn. One year during the Spring Festival, Chen Yi's third son, Chen Xiaolu, was wearing a short old clothes that didn't fit well because he grew up fast, so he had to ask Chen Yi's secretary for help: "Uncle, will I wear such short clothes for the New Year?"
In addition to being diligent and thrifty, Chen Yi also requires his children to be self-denying and compete fairly. The organization provided Chen Yi with a car, but he never allowed his children to ride, and no matter how windy or rainy, his children could only ride bicycles or walk to school. Chen Yi also explicitly forbade his children from using his leadership status to seek any special treatment, and everything must be handled according to normal procedures.
Teaching by example is more important than teaching, and Chen Yi's requirements for his children are first of all to do it himself. During his tenure as vice premier and foreign minister, he refused the luxurious accommodation arranged for him by the organization and insisted on living in a modest Zhongnanhai bungalow. His office was just a small suite, and except for foreign affairs and meetings, he usually wore an old cloth garment, plus a coffee-colored corduroy overcoat, and a few patches on the clothes, no different from ordinary people.
In terms of children's learning and career choices, Chen Yi has adopted a relatively relaxed attitude. He will show his children a direction, but he will not interfere too much and give them greater autonomy. Chen Yi's educational philosophy has deeply influenced his children, who have developed the virtues of diligence, thrift, simplicity, and fair competition, and have become excellent citizens who have selflessly contributed to the country and the people.
3. Chen Danhuai's unique understanding of his father
Although Chen Danhuai was separated from his father Chen Yi for a long time when he was a child, he had a unique understanding and cognition of his father's revolutionary deeds and firm beliefs. This is mainly due to his mother's narration of Chen Yi, as well as Chen Yi's own words and deeds in the future.
In Chen Danhuai's childhood, because Chen Yi had been on the front line for a long time, he rarely had time to go home for reunion. Chen Danhuai's impression of his father mostly comes from his mother's narrative. His mother would repeatedly tell the story of Chen Yi's heroic killing of the enemy and his good command in the flames of war, so that Chen Danhuai was full of admiration for his father's revolutionary deeds since he was a child.
His mother would also tell Chen Danhuai that Chen Yi was a staunch communist who fought tirelessly for the independence of the country and the liberation of the people. Although his family life has paid a heavy price, Chen Yi has never wavered in his belief in the cause of the party and the people. This spiritual quality deeply influenced Chen Danhuai, who set up a lofty ideal of serving the country and the people since he was a child.
After the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, Chen Yi finally had the opportunity to reunite with his family. During this time, Chen Danhuai really came into contact with his father for the first time and felt Chen Yi's approachable, thrifty and simple style. Despite his high position, Chen Yi never puts on a show, and treats his children and ordinary people equally. He was also dressed modestly, even more simply than the average person. This deeply shocked Chen Danhuai, who realized that power and status are not the same as privileges, and that a true revolutionary should be hard-working, simple, fair and upright.
In Chen Danhuai's impression, one of Chen Yi's most prominent characteristics is that he adheres to the concept of "everyone is equal". Whether in work or life, Chen Yi resolutely does not allow his children to enjoy any privileges, and everything must be handled in accordance with normal procedures. He also personally set up a family motto for his children to be "diligent and thrifty, self-denial and public service", requiring them to stay away from privilege and grow up in an environment of fair competition.
Once, when Chen Danhuai was going to school, he encountered rain and snow, and he wanted to take the car that the organization had equipped for Chen Yi to go to school. But Chen Yi sternly refused, insisting that Chen Danhuai ride a bicycle or walk to school like other classmates. Although Chen Danhuai was a little reluctant, he also knew that his father was setting an example and educating himself not to enjoy privileges.
Chen Danhuai still remembers that one year on the eve of the Spring Festival, he had to ask Chen Yi's secretary for help because he grew fast and wore a short old clothes that didn't fit. As a result, Chen Yi insisted that he wear this old dress for the New Year, and no special treatment was allowed. This series of practices has made Chen Danhuai deeply understand the truth of "everyone is equal".
Fourth, the reasons for concealing the identity and subsequent achievements
Chen Danhuai deliberately concealed the identity of his father Chen Yi during his school days, not for other reasons, but completely in accordance with Chen Yi's educational philosophy of "equality and fair competition".
Chen Yi told Chen Danhuai many times that he could not obtain any privileges because of his father's leadership position, and everything had to be handled according to normal procedures. In order to ensure that his son can really do this, Chen Yi even asked Chen Danhuai to fill in "Chen Xueqing" as his father's name in the school and on the file.
Chen Danhuai kept his father's teachings in mind, and developed a humble and low-key, thrifty and simple character since he was a child. When he was in school, he never revealed that he was the son of the founding marshal for fear of being treated special by his teachers and classmates. Even when asked by the teacher about his family background, Chen Danhuai insisted on answering that his father was just an ordinary director. Although this approach is puzzling, it reflects Chen Danhuai's high degree of compliance with his father's teachings.
Chen Danhuai's practice is not temporary, but throughout his entire life. In 1961, Chen Danhuai was admitted to Harbin Military Engineering College with his own strength. Chen Yi was extremely pleased with his son's achievement, and he wrote a poem "Show Danhuai, and Tell Haosu, Xiaolu, and Xiaoshan" for encouragement. The poem reads: "You are the son of the party, and the revolution is my style." Thou art a proletarian, and thrift is my sect. This is exactly what Chen Yi has always been about education.
After graduation, Chen Danhuai did not receive any preferential treatment because of his father's identity, but made remarkable achievements in the field of military scientific research step by step with his own efforts. He successively served as Deputy Director of the Science and Technology Department of the General Armament Department and Deputy Director of the Science and Technology Committee of the General Armament Department, and was awarded the rank of colonel in 1988 and promoted to the rank of major general in 1992.
Someone asked if Chen Danhuai also gained any work experience and life philosophy from his father. Chen Danhuai said frankly that his father influenced and educated himself more through example rather than words. He said: "My father did whatever he said, adhered to the concept of equality for all, and resolutely did not engage in speciality, which had a great influence on me. First, we must be responsible, and second, we must unite people. ＂
It can be said that Chen Danhuai has been practicing the teachings of his father Chen Yi all his life. He never used his father's leadership position for personal gain, but relied on his own efforts to climb the ranks of success within the military system. Even after attaining a higher rank, Chen Danhuai maintained a humble and low-key style, which is the same as his deliberate concealment of his family background when he was young.