Preface
In July 1996, at a meeting, Xiong Guangkai met Chen Haosu, then president of the Chinese Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries.
Both of them are engaged in diplomatic work and know each other very well.
In the chat between the two, it mainly revolved around Marshal Chen Yi. When Xiong Guangkai told a story about Chen Yi, Chen Haosu pointed out that it was not true.
Xiong Guangkai: I'm still your father's citizen
Xiong Guangkai was born in Shanghai in March 1939, and his ancestral home is Nanchang, Jiangxi.
In May 1949, Xiong Guangkai had seen Kuomintang soldiers in Shanghai repairing pillboxes everywhere for several months. He was only 10 years old, and he heard from adults that a big war was inevitable.
At that time, Xiong Guangkai felt very scared.
However, one morning, when Xiong Guangkai woke up, he was pleasantly surprised to find that the gunfire outside had disappeared.
He hurriedly ran to the street, only to see that both sides of the wet street were full of PLA soldiers in yellow cloth uniforms.
He was blown away by the scene.
Chen Yi was the first mayor of Shanghai, no wonder Xiong Guangkai said to Chen Haosu: "I am still your father's citizen!" ”
In 1956, Xiong Guangkai graduated from Yan'an Middle School in Shanghai. At that time, he responded to the slogan of "marching towards science" and set himself the goal of striving for - "Peking University" or "Tsinghua University".
Because his brother Xiong Guangleng went to Tsinghua University, Xiong Guangkai only considered Peking University. At that time, he longed for the Department of Mathematics and Mechanics of Peking University, because both astronomy and geography were related to this subject.
To put it simply, this is the first step into cutting-edge fields.
Speaking of which, in the three years of high school, Xiong Guangkai's grades ranked first in the school almost every year, and he also served as the president of the student union. Not surprisingly, going to Peking University is expected.
However, fate made another arrangement for Xiong Guangkai. Due to the needs of the modernization of the armed forces at that time, the high-level arrangements were made for the establishment of the People's Liberation Army Foreign Language College in Beijing.
The school directly selects undergraduate students among the college entrance examination candidates.
Xiong Guangkai also has the ambition of "throwing pen from Rong", so he was directly selected into this school in time for the college entrance examination in the future.
In order to cultivate talents as soon as possible, the school has set up an intensive class. Due to Xiong Guangkai's excellent grades, he was directly selected into this fast class.
It is worth mentioning that a teacher named Zhao Zhiwen, who taught Xiong Guangkai, was awarded the rank of major general in 1990.
Three years later, Xiong Guangkai got his graduation certificate. Since then, Xiong Guangkai has done a lot of translation work. Among them, the most memorable thing for him was to translate for Ye Shuai simultaneously.
In 1971, Xiong Guangkai received a task assigned by his superiors to go to Ye Shuai's house to do simultaneous translation for foreign films shown here.
Due to the special era, Xiong Guangkai has not been exposed to English for a long time. But this temporary assignment, Xiong Guangkai was not stumped.
On that day, the film was "Churchill". At first, Xiong Guangkai was a little nervous about translating and would get stuck, but as the follow-up gradually improved, he found that feeling, and finally successfully completed the simultaneous translation of the film.
At this time, Ye Shuai asked Xiong Guangkai's name. Xiong Guangkai replied:
"The bear is able to write four dots, the light of the light, and the Kai of the regular script."
After Ye Shuai thanked him, he invited him to have supper. Later, when Xiong Guangkai recalled that past, he was still so excited.
In the next three years, Xiong Guangkai often went to Ye Shuai's house to do simultaneous translation for movies, including English films and German films.
Speaking German, when Xiong Guangkai was in his early 20s, he was sent to Berlin to work as an English interpreter at the military attache of the Chinese embassy in the German Democratic Republic.
That's seven years. He went out in September 1960 and did not return to China until 1967. After living in Germany for so many years, he learned German long ago.
One day in the 70s of the 20th century, Wu Xiuquan, then deputy chief of the General Staff, arrived in the Federal Republic of Germany, where he was the leader of the General Staff in charge of military attaché work.
Just this time, Wu Xiuquan took Xiong Guangkai to meet with the distinguished guests of the Federal Republic of Germany.
That day, he had a good conversation with the German guests, and then said an ancient poem: "The sea has a confidant, and the end of the world is like a neighbor." "Many people know that the most fearful thing for translators is to encounter idioms and classical poems.
However, this is not difficult for Xiong Guangkai. As soon as Wu Xiuquan's words fell, Xiong Guangkai perfectly interpreted this ancient poem and explained the profound meaning of this sentence.
When the guests heard this, they all applauded!
Xiong Guangkai has been engaged in diplomatic work for a long time and admires Marshal Chen Yi, an old diplomatic senior. At the same time, he has a very good relationship with Chen Yi's son Chen Haosu, and there are always endless topics to talk about when the two meet.
Xiong Guangkai and Chen Haosu
In 1996, after Xiong Guangkai and Chen Haosu met, they praised Marshal Chen Yi:
"What impressed me most about your father was on the diplomatic front, he was a marshal and a poet. Therefore, in his diplomacy, there is not only the straightforward and heroic side of the marshal, who swept thousands of troops, but also the passionate and witty side of the poet. ”
In this regard, Chen Haosu said: "Indeed, my father is probably the only foreign minister in the world who is both a marshal and a poet. ”
Xiong Guangkai talked about Chen Yi's domineering and witty response at a press conference held by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in September 1965.
On that day, Chen Yi's opening remarks: "Your Excellency, journalists, you must be vigilant. When you come to China, beware of being 'brainwashed'! ”
At that time, Western countries often used the term "brainwashing" to distort and scandalize China. Chen Yi's words were humorous and humorous.
When asked by a Japanese reporter about the mainland's development of nuclear weapons, Chen Yi continued to humorously say that China has already exploded two atomic bombs, and you and I both know that the third atomic bomb may also explode, and when it will explode, you should just wait and read the communique.
For American reporters, Chen Yi said domineeringly: "We have been waiting for the Americans to come in for 16 years, and my hair is gray. ”
I have to say that that kind of spirit shocks the past and the present.
At that time, Xiong Guangkai was working at the mainland embassy in the GDR. When he saw Chen Yi's speech at the press conference, he was very excited.
In his impression, he was able to speak so transparently and frankly on a diplomatic occasion, which was unique in the international community.
After chatting about the press conference, Xiong Guangkai told a story about Chen Yi in a special era.
He said that at a "criticism" meeting, Chen Yi held up the little red book in accordance with the practice at that time and said: "Please open Chairman Mao's quotations and turn to page 271." ”
After being busy for a while, the people in the audience felt that they had been played. It turned out that the book was only 270 pages.
At this time, Chen Yi recited aloud with a thick Sichuan accent: "Chairman Mao said that Chen Yi is a good comrade!" ”
Although the story was widely circulated, Chen Haosu said: "That's not true! ”
In January 1972, Chen Yi died of illness. On January 10, Chairman Mao unexpectedly attended Chen Yi's memorial service, and said to Chen Yi's wife Zhang Qian: "Comrade Chen Yi is a good person and a good comrade. ”
Chairman Mao's evaluation of Chen Yi in the story and legend was finally confirmed after Chen Yi's death.
At the end of the conversation between the two, Xiong Guangkai said that he wanted to make a secret agreement with Chen Haosu.
Chen Haosu asked puzzledly: "What secret agreement?" ”
Xiong Guangkai said that he wanted Chen Haosu to send a copy of Mr. Chen's book and stamp it with Mr. Chen's seal.
Chen Haosu readily agreed.
Soon after, Xiong Guangkai received the "Complete Works of Chen Yi's Poems" printed with two Chen Yi seals. One of them is engraved with Chen Yi's words "Zhonghong." ”
In the book, Chen Haosu also clipped a letter, which said: "The secret agreement has been fulfilled, I wish you a happy Army Day!" 1 August 1996".
Xiong Guangkai later learned that this book not only brought together the colorful chapters of Marshal Chen Yi, but also condensed all the efforts of his wife Zhang Qian.
After Chen Yi's death, Zhang Qian has been busy compiling the book despite her illness. Zhang Qian, who has been diagnosed with cancer, did not lie down to rest, but worked more against time to edit and sort out her husband's poems.
Unfortunately, Zhang Qian passed away on March 20, 1974, before the book was published.
In February 1993, Chen Haosu made some adjustments to the layout and structure of the book, adding some of Chen Yi's early works, and the final product was born!
Xiong Guangkai sighed that the best gift he received that year was "The Complete Works of Chen Yi's Poems".
References: "Tibetan Secretaries Reminiscences", "Shanghai Soldiers in the People's Army"