In 1957, the founding major general Gan Zuchang asked to return to his hometown to work as a farmer, a decision that many people found puzzling. On the one hand, he is a founding general who has just received the rank of major general, and his future is bright; On the other hand, his physical condition deteriorated due to multiple injuries. Why would a well-decorated founding general give up all his honors and return to his hometown to become an ordinary farmer? At that time, Xiao Hua, deputy director of the General Political Department, persuaded Gan Zuchang: "You should recuperate and strive to live to be 60 years old." Will Gan Zuchang follow Xiao Hua's advice, or insist on returning to his hometown?
1. Gan Zuchang was seriously injured and his health deteriorated
During the war years, Gan Zuchang was wounded twice. The first head injury occurred during the Battle of the Yellow River. In the spring of 1948, Gan Zuchang was ordered to go from Taiyuan to northern Shaanxi, but was strafed by enemy planes along the way, and a bomb exploded next to him, and Gan Zuchang was seriously injured, and his head was scratched by the bomb fragments that blew up. Although the medical staff bandaged him in time to stop the bleeding, the wound on his scalp was very serious, resulting in hearing loss in his right ear.
After a short period of recuperation, Gan Zuchang threw himself into the raging flames of the Liberation War. In the spring of 1949, in the Battle of Weinan, Gan Zuchang was wounded in the head again. At that time, he was consigning supplies to the command department on a high ground when he was suddenly attacked by enemy artillery fire. The flash of fire and shock waves from the explosion of a cannonball knocked him to the ground, and he suffered a severe blow to his right temporal region.
These two severe head injuries, combined with the subsequent car accident, left Gan Zuchang with deep sequelae of a traumatic concussion. After the unfortunate car accident in early 1952, his condition worsened. At that time, he was riding to Dihua (now Urumqi), and when he passed a wooden bridge erected over a small river, because the bridge board was sawn off by gangsters in advance, Gan Zuchang's vehicle fell into the river, and he was unfortunately seriously injured and once dying.
Fortunately, thanks to the all-out rescue of the medical team at that time, Gan Zuchang was able to pick up a small life. But since then, the sequelae of his concussion have become extremely severe, often dizzy, confused, and unable to work and live normally. In order to save the life of this heroic general, the Xinjiang Military Region turned around in various ways and sent him to Beijing, Shanghai, Wuhan, Lushan, and other areas for medical treatment, but there was no significant improvement.
Despite the military's best efforts, Gan Zuchang's condition continues to come and go, showing no signs of improvement. Seeing that his comrades-in-arms around him were shouldering heavy responsibilities and making contributions, while he could only lie in the hospital bed year after year, Gan Zuchang felt extremely guilty. He believes that he can no longer contribute to the country and the people, and it is better to return to his hometown and live the life of an ordinary peasant.
Second, Gan Zuchang is determined to return to his hometown to work as a farmer and seek a new life
In the spring of 1957, Gan Zuchang received a letter from his hometown of Lianhua County, Jiangxi Province. It was written by his younger brother, who said that the land reform had been completed in his hometown, and that the peasants were working to develop agricultural cooperatives through mutual aid groups.
Hearing this news, Gan Zuchang was extremely excited. He imagined with great expectation that the reason why he participated in the revolution was to enable the peasants, who had been exploited and oppressed for a long time, to live a new life free from poverty and slavery.
However, Gan Zuchang also knows that the level of productivity in the rural areas is still very backward, and the economic situation is also very embarrassing. Most peasants have just emerged from the shadow of poverty, and the standard of living remains low. As a revolutionary fighter, how can he sit idly by and watch the development of the countryside falter?
At this moment, Gan Zuchang suddenly had an idea and decided to return to his hometown in person, devote himself to the front line of agricultural production, and contribute to the construction of a new socialist countryside in his hometown. With this determination, he quickly began to submit a discharge report to the party committee of the military commission at a higher level, and applied for disarmament and return to his hometown.
However, the party committee of the Central Military Commission, considering that Gan Zuchang was seriously ill with a concussion, believed that his body could no longer adapt to the harsh environment in the countryside, so it repeatedly rejected his request. But Gan Zuchang was not discouraged, but repeatedly insisted on his decision.
In May 1957, he again wrote a letter to the Party Committee of the Central Military Commission to complain, in which he sincerely wrote: "Since I injured my brain in a car accident in 1952, I have been recuperating for many years, but my condition has not improved. With my current physical condition, I am no longer suitable for continuing to do leadership work. Fortunately, my hands and feet are still sound, and I hope to return to my hometown and contribute to the construction of a new socialist countryside with my fellow villagers. ＂
These sincere words finally moved the superiors. At this time, Xiao Hua, deputy director of the General Political Department, came to Xinjiang to inspect the work. Gan Zuchang went to tell him about his hardships. After listening to Gan Zuchang's statement, although Xiao Hua was also worried that his body would not be able to bear it, he was finally moved by his firm determination, so he nodded and agreed to his request.
In this way, with the support of Xiao Hua, Gan Zuchang finally got his wish and was allowed to return to his hometown. In August 1957, he took his whole family and returned to his hometown of Yanbei Village in Jiangxi Province with excitement.
3. Gan Zuchang's family returned to his hometown and worked hard to start a business
In August 1957, Gan Zuchang's family returned to Yanbei Village in Lianhua County, Jiangxi Province with excitement. This is a small village located on the bank of the Yunxi River, with a quiet environment and simple folk customs. The villagers were all pleasantly surprised to see Gan Zuchang return. It was unprecedented at the time for a founding general who once wore a military uniform and armed a steel gun to live the life of a peasant, just like everyone else.
When Gan Zuchang's family first arrived in the village, they temporarily lived in a dilapidated thatched house. Although the conditions were very simple, this did not affect the enthusiasm of the whole family in the slightest. Soon, Gan Zuchang took the lead in farm work. Thanks to the training of his military career, he has a lot of strength, whether it is to work in the field, scoop rice and flour, or do some physical work, he is at ease.
With Gan Zuchang's guidance, the whole family is united and has a clear division of labor. His wife, Gong Quanzhen, takes care of the housework, while her daughter cooks and sews. Gan Zuchang, on the other hand, took his son and hired a few long-term workers and began to build his own farm.
He first transformed a barren hillside into terraced fields and reclaimed dozens of acres of fertile land. Canals were then laid in the fields to divert water from the river to irrigate the crops to prevent drought. In order to improve the fertility of the land, he also sprinkled a large amount of animal manure in the fields as base fertilizer. These were quite advanced agricultural technologies at the time.
At the same time, Gan Zuchang also raised some poultry and livestock. The fine breeding animals they brought from Xinjiang are second to none in the village. In addition to his own use, some public animals Gan Zuchang also lent them to the villagers for common use. For these things, which are regarded as "foreign strange things" by the locals, Gan Zuchang also took the initiative to teach breeding techniques, thus setting off a wave of learning in the village.
In this way, under the leadership of Gan Zuchang, his family, which was once just a poor small farmer, grew stronger and became one of the best "ten thousand households" in the village. But their style of life has always maintained a high degree of diligence and frugality, and they never show off.
Whenever the harvest season, Gan Zuchang would always lead the whole family to work in the field, sometimes for more than half a month. When they returned from work, the whole family was so tired that they didn't want to speak, so they only cared about dealing with the seeds and crops that they brought back from the field. Sometimes even the rice is eaten cold, but no one ever complains. This spirit is unmatched in the village.
Fourth, Gan Zuchang advocates diligence and thrift and educates children
In his hometown of Yanbei Village, Gan Zuchang's family is widely praised not only for their hard-working, courageous, hard-working spirit, but more importantly, for their grand thrifty style.
As a founding general, Gan Zuchang had a monthly income of several hundred yuan, far ahead of the general income level in the countryside at that time. But he himself lived a more frugal life than an ordinary peasant. Whenever his salary was paid, he always donated most of the money to the commune, which was used to finance the poor and build public facilities in the village.
One year, a new primary school was built in the township, and the school building was very dilapidated. Without saying a word, Gan Zuchang donated all his salary that month to fund the school to rebuild the school building. Since then, the local children have been taught in a new, modern school building.
In addition to donating money, Gan Zuchang's life style is also a model for others to learn. He always taught his wife and children: "Eat leftovers, wear clothes, and be diligent and thrifty." He set an example for this.
He will always master the exact amount of rice, salt and oil sauce at home, and never waste a penny. Even the kitchen waste is collected by him and used to feed the pigs and chickens. His clothes are never compromised, and his family wears old cotton jackets and patched pants all year round. Sometimes he couldn't wear it anymore, so he personally sewed and mended for his wife and daughter, and picked up tattered clothes for reuse.
Gong Quanzhen once asked Gan Zuchang: "Anyway, our family has a little spare money in the village, do you think it's okay for us to buy a few new clothes for our children?" ＂
Gan Zuchang categorically refused: "The children of poor families are the most diligent and thrifty models." They know the preciousness of labor and the meaning of frugality, so that they will not be deceived by wealth and lewdness. ＂
After saying that, Gan Zuchang handed over most of his family's savings to the commune for use as a poverty alleviation fund. Since then, the family has been even more frugal.
Gan Zuchang's way of educating his children is also the same as his life style of being diligent and thrifty. His only daughter is named Gan Shuangquan, who has been taught by him to work hard since she was a child. Every weekend and holiday, Gan Zuchang must personally take his daughter to work in the fields, the purpose is to let her develop a good habit of hardship and hard work since she was a child.
Even if it is a sewing job, Gan Shuangquan has to start from elementary school. Gan Zuchang wears a patch gown all the year round, which is made by his daughter. At first, Gan Shuangquan was young, and his needlework was very poor, and he often damaged his clothes halfway through sewing. But Gan Zuchang never scolded her, but patiently corrected her mistakes stitch by stitch. Over time, Gan Shuangquan's needlework became more and more proficient.
Later, Gan Shuangquan himself said: "If it weren't for my father's words and deeds since I was a child, I might have developed some bad habits like other children." It was my father's earnest teaching that benefited me all my life and taught me how to be a thrifty housekeeper. ＂
Fifth, Gan Zuchang is dedicated to his profession and happy to be a group, and he will be old and old
In the days after returning to his hometown, Gan Zuchang not only worked diligently in agriculture and was diligent and thrifty, but also won the love and respect of the whole village with his simple nature and noble character.
As a founding general, Gan Zuchang could have been condescending and domineering. But he was never proud of his rank and exploits, on the contrary, he was always very humble and polite. When talking with the villagers, he never put on an official position, but was full of kindness and kindness to others. It was this simple nature that made him quickly integrate into the life of the village and become the respected "Uncle Gan" of the villagers.
One year, during the Spring Festival, Gan Zuchang's family worked hard in the fields. It was the thirtieth day of the Chinese New Year's Eve, and according to custom, it should be the most important holiday. But Gan Zuchang, who has always been diligent and thrifty, still worked as usual, only resting at noon and having a simple Chinese New Year's Eve dinner with his family.
During the meal, he said to his wife and children: "There are some poor families in the village who may not be able to eat Chinese New Year's Eve. You see, we might as well give them all this extra cooked food, right? ＂
So, the family made a few small cuts of leftover rice cakes and bacon and gave them to those poor households who could not afford to celebrate the festival. Facing the grateful eyes of the villagers, Gan Zuchang just smiled and said that it was nothing.
"Comrade General, you are the founder of New China, why are you still so humble? Someone praised him like that.
"Where, I'm just one of you. Gan Zuchang waved his hand and said, "Now everyone is the master of the new socialist countryside, we should help each other, help the poor, and jointly contribute to the country's socialist construction." ＂
Another time, Gan Zuchang saw a family's house in disrepair, with a tattered roof, four walls, and a very difficult living environment. Without saying a word, he immediately organized the whole family to help the family renovate the house.
A few months later, a brand new tiled house was re-erected in the village. When he saw the family happily moving into their new home, Gan Zuchang felt very relieved.
In addition to doing it himself, Gan Zuchang also attaches great importance to the collective construction of the village. From time to time, he convened meetings with the villagers to discuss some public affairs of concern to everyone, such as farmland and water conservancy, highway construction, etc. He also unreservedly passed on the management experience he had accumulated during his military career to the villagers.
In this way, under the influence of Gan Zuchang, the appearance of the village is changing with each passing day, the production and living conditions are constantly improved and optimized, and the quality of life of the villagers is also improved. The village praised Gan Zuchang as an "expert in rural construction" and sincerely admired him.
But he never took the credit for himself. As long as he was tired, he sat by the rocks, looking at the familiar farmland, and his heart was full of nostalgia and nostalgia for this village. As he himself often said: "This is my home, and the villagers are my relatives, and I can't live without it." ＂