Behind this seemingly simple matter, there is a magnificent history. Why did Mao Anqing sweep his mother's grave under the name of "Yang Anqing"? What kind of story does this name contain? Why should a person change their name? What is the reason? Is it to escape the war-torn era, or is there something else to hide? Is this related to what happened to her mother Yang Kaihui? Back then, Yang Kaihui unfortunately sacrificed for his beliefs and ideals, which made people sigh. And the origin of the name Mao Anqing, what kind of inspiration will it bring us?
Family Yi Ping: Fugitive Drifting
In 1927, Chiang Kai-shek launched the "Purging Movement" to bloodily suppress the Communist Party of China and revolutionary forces. This year is destined to be an extraordinary year for Mao Zedong's family.
As one of the important leaders of the Communist Party, Mao Zedong was sent to organize and lead the Autumn Harvest Uprising, leaving his wife Yang Kaihui and two sons, Mao Anying and Mao Anqing. No one thought that this farewell would be the last meeting between him and Yang Kaihui.
As Mao Zedong's wife, Yang Kaihui of course also became an important target of the Kuomintang reactionaries. In order to avoid arrest, she had to hide in Tibet with her two sons and live a wandering life.
During the escape, in order to hide people's eyes, Yang Kaihui changed the names of his two sons, respectively "Yang Anying" and "Yang Anqing". At that time, Mao Anqing was still young, and he was no stranger to this new name, and he lived a dodgy life with his mother.
In October 1930, Yang Kaihui quietly returned to her parents' home to visit her relatives, but was discovered and arrested by the enemy. She remained steadfast and died heroically at the age of 29. This tragic blow made the two brothers Mao Anying and Mao Anqing completely lose their mother's kindness and care.
After losing their mother, the two brothers were first cared for by their uncle and then sent to a kindergarten established by a party organization in Shanghai. However, it did not allow them to live here for a long time, and due to the betrayal of traitors, the underground party organization in Shanghai was severely damaged, and Mao Anlong died. At the critical juncture, Dong Jianwu entrusted Mao Anying and Mao Anqing to his ex-wife Huang Huiguang first.
But Huang Huiguang is not a member of the party, and his care for the two brothers is becoming more and more neglectful. In the end, Mao Anying and Mao Anqing, who were still young, could only survive alone in the strange city of Shanghai. They barely made ends meet by selling newspapers and pulling carts, and even became homeless street children for a time.
During these days in Shanghai, Mao Anying and Mao Anqing always used the surname "Yang", for fear of exposing their identities and encountering accidents. Even so, they could not escape the fate of being beaten. Once, when Mao Anqing wrote a slogan on the street with the slogan "Down with imperialism", he was severely beaten by the Indian police, leaving permanent pain on his body.
It was not until 1936 that the Shanghai underground party organization of the Communist Party of China found the two brothers and rescued them from the ruined temple life. However, due to the turbulent domestic situation at that time, Mao Anying and Mao Anqing were still unable to reunite with their father, but were arranged to go to the Soviet Union to study.
In the Soviet Union, the two lived a relatively stable but difficult life. It was the time of the Great Patriotic War, food was scarce, and they had to cultivate land on their own. But even so, the brothers still cherished revolutionary ideals and actively threw themselves into the cause of the world proletarian revolution.
In this part, Mao Anying, Mao Anqing and their father Mao Zedong have been separated for more than 20 years. During this period, the father and son could only comfort and care for each other through letters. It wasn't until 1947 that the two brothers finally finished their studies and returned to their homeland.
Changed his name to "Yang Anqing": to escape the White Terror
After the Kuomintang launched the "Purging Movement" in 1927, the Chinese Communists were subjected to unprecedented brutal persecution. Yang Kaihui, as Mao Zedong's wife, naturally became an important target of the reactionaries. In order to survive, she had to take the young Mao Anying and Mao Anqing to hide in Tibet and live a life of wandering.
At this time, in order to avoid being discovered and being unexpected, Yang Kaihui changed the names of his two sons, named "Yang Anying" and "Yang Anqing" respectively. Since then, the two brothers have adopted this new name and accompanied their mother to hide in various places.
In October 1930, Yang Kaihui was unfortunately arrested when he returned to his parents' home to visit relatives, and finally died heroically at the age of 29. The loss of their mother made the two brothers grief-stricken, but at the same time, it also made them cherish the names "Yang Anying" and "Yang Anqing" even more.
In the following period, Mao Anying and Mao Anqing have been using this name to avoid the pursuit of the enemy. Whether they were temporarily staying at their uncle's house in Hunan or later sent to a kindergarten established by the party organization in Shanghai, they were careful to hide their true identities.
In Shanghai, they began a life of wandering. In order to survive, he had to rely on selling newspapers and pulling carts to make ends meet. Due to the lack of guardian care, children are sometimes even reduced to homelessness at one point. But even so, the brothers still use the surname "Yang", for fear that the enemy will find out their identities.
Once, when Mao Anqing wrote a slogan on the street with the slogan "Down with imperialism", he was severely beaten by the Indian police, and his body was permanently scarred. Despite this, the two have never wavered in their pursuit of revolutionary ideals and have always cherished the long-cherished desire to change China.
It was not until 1936 that the Shanghai underground party organization of the Communist Party of China found their traces. In order to ensure safety, the party organization decided to send the two to the Soviet Union for further study. During their time in the Soviet Union, although Mao Anying and Mao Anqing lived a relatively stable but also hard life, they still cherished revolutionary ideals and actively devoted themselves to the cause of the international proletarian revolution.
In this parting, they have been separated from their father Mao Zedong for more than 20 years. During this period, the father and son could only comfort each other through letters. It was not until 1947 that Mao Anying and Mao Anqing finally completed their studies and returned to their motherland.
After returning to China, in order to completely get rid of the former identity of "Yang Anying" and "Yang Anqing", the two resumed their real names. However, they still remember the experience of wandering in the snail. It was the names "Yang Anying" and "Yang Anqing" that witnessed the ups and downs of their family in the turbulent era, and also made them more aware of the hardships of the revolution.
In 1990, when Mao Anqing, who was over the age of six, went to sweep the tomb of his mother Yang Kaihui, he wrote the name "Yang Anqing" in the registration book. He may just want to use this name to remember his mother, but it also carries the perseverance of people in the war-torn era.
In those turbulent times, the Chinese Communists had to be cautious and hide from time to time. Choosing a pseudonym became a necessity for their survival. The names "Yang Anying" and "Yang Anqing" are a microcosm of the experience of the Mao Zedong family, reflecting their survival in a difficult environment.
The sacrifice of her mother, Yang Kaihui
In October 1930, when Yang Kaihui temporarily returned to her parents' home for refuge, the family was sitting around for dinner, but unexpectedly they were suddenly attacked by reactionary forces. At that time, a group of warlords armed with guns broke into the house, and without saying anything, they directly arrested Yang Kaihui, his son Mao Anying, and a nanny.
These people revealed their identities and were men and horses under the local warlord He Jian in Hunan. They have long mastered the relationship between Yang Kaihui and her husband Mao Zedong, and have been paying close attention to Yang Kaihui's whereabouts, so they captured her in one fell swoop.
The only fortunate thing is that Mao Anqing, who was still young at the time, escaped this catastrophe, otherwise the consequences would be unimaginable.
After her arrest, Yang Kaihui was naturally tortured by the reactionaries, who unreasonably demanded that she confess the whereabouts of her husband Mao Zedong. But as a staunch Communist Party member, Yang Kaihui had no stage fright, turning a blind eye to all kinds of threats and intimidation from the enemy.
Seeing that Yang Kaihui was unmoved, the reactionaries decided to exert more pressure in an attempt to extract Mao Zedong's whereabouts from her mouth. They brutally imprisoned Yang Kaihui and her son Mao Anying together, trying to force her to submit. But no matter how the enemy coerced and lured, Yang Kaihui never gave an explanation.
Faced with the choice of life and death, she was unwavering, and would rather sacrifice herself than adhere to the revolutionary ideal. Finally, on November 25, 1930, the reactionaries sentenced Yang Kaihui to death on the grounds of "not giving an account of Mao Zedong's whereabouts", and she died heroically at the age of 29.
Afterwards, some witnesses recalled that before the execution, Yang Kaihui looked calm and said the last words to his son Mao Anying: "Mother is gone, you have to work hard for the revolutionary work." As soon as the words fell, Mao Anying was dragged out.
Yang Kaihui's deathbed entrustment has become the future life guidance of Mao Anying and Mao Anqing brothers. After losing their mother, the two were sent to live temporarily at their uncle's house in Hunan. But not long after, in order to avoid causing trouble and danger to relatives and friends, they were picked up by the party organization, first sent to an underground kindergarten in Shanghai, and then arranged to study in the Soviet Union.
It wasn't until more than 20 years later that Mao Anying and Mao Anqing finally reunited with their father Mao Zedong. At the reunion, Mao Zedong mentioned his late wife, Yang Kaihui. He said emotionally: "Your mother is a strong revolutionary, and she died heroically for the revolutionary cause. ＂
Yang Kaihui's heroic sacrifice is her greatest interpretation of the revolutionary ideal. As a member of the Communist Party, she pursued her beliefs unwaveringly; As a mother, she passed on the torch of the revolution to her sons. Although her life is forever fixed at the age of 29, her spirit will always guide future generations.
Perhaps it was out of remembrance and admiration for his mother that in 1990, 67-year-old Mao Anqing deliberately wrote the former pseudonym "Yang Anqing" in the register when he was sweeping the grave. This name not only carries the family's experience of fleeing and drifting, but also remembers the heroic life of her mother Yang Kaihui who sacrificed for her beliefs and ideals.
Father and Son Meet: Sustenance and Expectation
In 1947, Mao Anying and Mao Anqing finally completed their studies in the Soviet Union and returned to their motherland. They have been separated from their father Mao Zedong for more than 20 years.
On the day of the reunion, Mao Zedong, who was already the core of the leadership of the Communist Party of China at that time, personally went to Yan'an Airport to greet his two sons. When the father and son met, Mao Zedong's face was full of joy, and the joy of reunion after a long absence was overflowing.
At this moment, Mao Zedong had too many expectations and sustenance. As a father, he hopes that his two sons will grow up safely; As a revolutionary, he hoped that his sons would inherit his career and contribute to China's democratic revolution.
The greeting ceremony was simple, with only Mao Zedong and a few staff members present. At the moment when Mao Anying and Mao Anqing stepped on the land of Yan'an, Mao Zedong stepped forward and gave the two a big hug. He said happily: "I really didn't expect you to be so old. ＂
After a long absence, Mao Zedong had too much to say to his sons. He spoke emotionally about the heroic sacrifice of his wife Yang Kaihui for the revolutionary cause, and hoped that his two sons could follow their mother's example and contribute their own strength to China's democratic cause in the future.
In the days that followed, Mao Zedong kept asking his two sons about their studies and life in the Soviet Union, and told them to prepare well and be fully prepared to serve the people in the future.
Soon after the reunion, Mao Zedong personally arranged jobs for his two sons. Out of extremely high expectations for Mao Anqing, Mao Zedong hoped that he could take root in Yan'an, start from the grassroots level, and become the successor of the party in the future. As a result, Mao Anqing, who was only 21 years old, was arranged to work in the Yan'an propaganda team.
However, not long after work, Mao Anqing had health problems and had to be transferred to rural northern Shaanxi to recuperate. Before going to the countryside, his father Mao Zedong solemnly instructed him: "The countryside is a big school, where you should study rural life, learn the language of the masses, and understand the sufferings of the masses." One day in the future, you will return to Yan'an to work for the party. ＂
At the same time, Mao Zedong also arranged a job for the elderly Mao Anying and assigned him to the Yanhe Machinery Factory. In his father's eyes, the two sons are like his two arms, and they will contribute their strength to the Chinese revolution in the future.
In the days after the reunion, Mao Zedong has been observing and considering the character and ability of Mao Anying and Mao Anqing. From the words and deeds of the two, he saw the spirit and tradition of his mother Yang Kaihui's sacrifice for the revolution.
This made Mao Zedong very pleased, and he was full of confidence and expectations for his two sons. Not only that, but he even hopes that one day, his two sons can inherit the career of himself and Yang Kaihui, and become the pillars of the country in the future.
The trip to Yan'an in 1947 was of special significance to Mao Zedong. This is not only a reunion with his sons after more than 20 years of separation, but also a sustenance for the inheritance of the revolutionary cause in the future. From Mao Anying and Mao Anqing, he saw the hope of passing on the family torch.
Father and son parted: died young
However, just as the father and son were reunited, fate played a cruel joke again. Just a few years later, his father, Mao Zedong, lost two sons one after another.
In 1950, after receiving education in Yan'an's "Qixi School", Mao Anqing was ordered to go to the Korean battlefield and serve as a political instructor of the Volunteer Army. At that time, the Korean War was in a stalemate, and the positions of the two sides were very brutal. Soon, Mao Anqing suffered from severe malnutrition and edema due to the hardships of life on the battlefield, and was urgently airlifted back to China by the military.
In order to treat Mao Anqing, Mao Zedong personally rushed to the hospital from Zhongnanhai and specially invited experts from the Soviet Union for consultation. Under the meticulous treatment of Beijing Friendship Hospital, Mao Anqing's condition improved for a while. But just when everyone thought he would make a complete recovery, he died unexpectedly due to an asthma attack at the age of 26.
This bad news undoubtedly dealt a heavy blow to Mao Zedong. A few days after Mao Anqing's death, he wrote a desperate poem for his son, expressing his thoughts and condolences to his son. A few months later, Mao Zedong inscribed a painting for his son, "Tianxingjian, a gentleman should encourage himself", pinning infinite expectations on Mao Anqing's future.
However, the blow of fate to the father and son of the Mao family is far from stopping. At the end of 1950, Mao Anying also suffered from severe nephritis. You must know that at that time, China's medical conditions were still very backward, and there was a shortage of drugs to treat kidney disease. For this reason, Mao Zedong had to order drugs from the Soviet Union to treat his eldest son.
Sadly, despite his efforts, Mao Anying's illness continued to recur until November 1951, when he died at the age of 28 under the torture of the sequelae of accumulated illness. Before his death, Mao Zedong also came from Chongqing to visit him for the last time.
Soon after his son's death, Mao Zedong wrote a poem called "Seven Uniques":
"The revolutionary cause is hard to find even in half a lifetime. Only the dead ashes are burned in a furnace, and I am willing to turn my body into steel. ＂
This poem fully expresses Mao Zedong's persistent pursuit of the revolutionary cause and his infinite mourning for the untimely death of his two sons.
In the face of the death of his sons, although the 84-year-old Mao Zedong showed a strong side, his heart was already sad. Someone once witnessed Mao Zedong shed tears when he swept the graves of his sons.
Life and death, the father and son of the Mao family have experienced ruthless separation again and again. Two young and promising sons, who had a great future, died one after another, which really made Mao Zedong feel regret and regret.
Throughout Mao Zedong's life, he and Yang Kaihui gave birth to three children, both of whom died young, and only the youngest daughter Li Min survived. But the trauma of this family affection is destined to accompany the old man for a lifetime.
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Mao Zedong lamented more than once that his biggest regret was not being able to see his sons grow up and realize their ideals in life. The hardships of the revolution, the separation of family members, and all these things have become an eternal resentment in the hearts of the old man in his old age.