Author: Chen Yuanjie
2024 is another traditional Chinese Year of the Dragon.
1976 was the year of the dragon in modern Chinese history.
On January 8, the death of the beloved Premier Zhou Enlai caused infinite grief among the people of all ethnic groups across the country. The "Gang of Four" set off a trend of "criticizing Deng and countering the right-leaning trend of overturning the case" pulled down Vice Chairman Deng Xiaoping, who had just come out to preside over China's political situation, and let Vice Chairman Ye Jianying "recuperate due to illness" stand aside. At this time, the land of China has the tendency of "black clouds crushing the city".
On 6 July, the sad news of the death of Zhu De, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, who was deeply loved by the people of the whole country and the officers and men of the whole army, passed away.
At 8 p.m. on 6 July, General Chen Xilian, who was presiding over the work of the Central Military Commission at that time, convened a meeting of responsible persons of the major units of the Central Military Commission stationed in Beijing in the first conference room of the three gates. Chen Xilian told a brief account of the death of Commander-in-Chief Zhu: Mr. Zhu died after being too late to receive foreign guests in the Great Hall of the People, and the temperature of the indoor air conditioner was too low, causing him to catch a cold and have a high fever, which in turn caused pneumonia and other illnesses. This news had a relatively widespread legend in those days. The leakage of Chen Xilian's speech has indeed confirmed that the negligence of this air conditioner reflects the human problem.
General Chen Xilian said at the meeting: His funeral arrangements have been reported to the party Central Committee and Chairman Mao. Then, Chen Xilian also talked about Chairman Mao's illness with a heavy heart. This was the first time that the staff at that time heard very worrying news from the mouths of the leaders.
On the morning of July 7, in the Great Hall of the People, he participated in the work team for the funeral of Commander-in-Chief Zhu. The comrades from all over the family who originally treated Premier Zhou's funeral came, and everyone was an old partner and old acquaintance who had worked together many times, so there was no need to introduce each other. The person in charge of the funeral office conveyed the arrangements approved by the party Central Committee for the funeral of Commander-in-Chief Zhu. Basically, it is in accordance with the model of Premier Zhou's funeral, that is: farewell to the body, condolences, and a memorial service. The body was said to be farewell for one day, and 3,000 cadres at all levels of the party, government, and military and representatives of the masses from all walks of life participated. During the two days of mourning, 15,000 cadres and representatives of the masses from all walks of life in the capital participated.
The 69-member funeral committee headed by Chairman Mao issued an announcement in the name of the CPC Central Committee, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, and the State Council. The announcement said: A farewell to Comrade Zhu De's body is scheduled for July 8, 1976, a condolence ceremony will be held on July 9 and 10, and a memorial meeting for Comrade Zhu De will be held on July 11. From the date of the publication of the obituary to the 11th, flags were lowered at half-mast in relevant places in the capital to mourn.
On 8 July, more than 3,000 party and state leaders, responsible persons of various party, government, and military departments, senior generals of the People's Liberation Army, and representatives from all walks of life in the capital went to Beijing Hospital to bid farewell to the body of Commander-in-Chief Zhu, who had led us in fighting for decades. Those who came to say goodbye were: Hua Guofeng, Ye Jianying, Song Qingling, Li Xiannian, Chen Xilian, Wang Dongxing, Wei Guoqing, Chen Yonggui, Wu Guixian, Su Zhenhua, Ni Zhifu, Guo Moruo, Xu Xiangqian, Nie Rongzhen, Chen Yun, Tan Zhenlin, Li Jingquan, etc. The senior generals of the People's Liberation Army who followed Mr. Zhu in the bloody battles during the Agrarian Revolution, the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, and the War of Liberation were extremely sad when they saw the body of their old commander, and most of them wept silently. Representatives from all walks of life in the capital were also full of grief and bid farewell to the chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, who was widely loved by the people.
The British name "Zhu De" is a huge monument in the minds of the Chinese people and the officers and men of the whole army. He served as Commander-in-Chief of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, Commander-in-Chief of the Eighth Route Army, and Commander-in-Chief of the Chinese People's Liberation Army. For nearly 50 years, the admirable and affectionate title of "commander-in-chief" has been deeply rooted in the people and the army. Therefore, although he has held other important leadership positions in the party, the state, and the army, people still habitually call him "Commander-in-Chief Zhu." At the scene of the farewell ceremony of the remains, there was a mourning voice of "Commander-in-Chief" and "Commander-in-Chief Zhu", one after another, which made people heartbroken and grief-stricken after hearing it.
On July 9 and 10, a grand condolence ceremony was held at the Taimiao Temple of the Working People's Cultural Palace in Beijing for the death of Commander-in-Chief Zhu. The huge banner above the entrance of the main hall of the Taimiao Temple reads: "Comrade Zhu De, the great proletarian revolutionary of the Chinese people, is immortal!" "
More than 15,000 workers, peasants, commanders and fighters of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, cadres of government agencies, and students in the capital, with respect and deep sorrow, entered the mourning hall in two columns under the guidance of the staff, paid silent tribute to the statue of Commander-in-Chief Zhu, bowed three times, and walked around the statue and exited the hall from the left and right sides.
In the past two days, more than 100 high-ranking PLA generals took turns to take part in the wake for Commander-in-Chief Zhu. Party and state leaders Chen Xilian, Wu De, Chen Yonggui, Wu Guixian, and Wu Lanfu, Ji Pengfei, secretary general of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, Geng Biao, director of the International Liaison Department of the CPC Central Committee, and Qiao Guanhua, minister of foreign affairs, respectively received foreign friends such as leaders of fraternal parties, leaders of governments of friendly countries, and envoys stationed in China in the hall and expressed their deep gratitude to them.
At 4:30 p.m. on the afternoon of the 10th, the spirit went to Babaoshan to be cremated, and tens of thousands of people on both sides of Chang'an Avenue saw off Commander-in-Chief Zhu with tears in their eyes.
At 3 p.m. on 11 July, a solemn memorial meeting was held for Commander-in-Chief Zhu in the north hall of the solemn Great Hall of the People. The flag is at half-mast across the country.
The memorial meeting hall was solemn and solemn, surrounded by black veils. The huge banner read: "Comrade Zhu De, the great proletarian revolutionary of the Chinese people, is immortal!" In the middle of the hall hangs a large portrait of Commander-in-Chief Zhu, under which is placed the urn of Comrade Zhu De, covered with the party flag, surrounded by bluegrass and flowers. Party and state leaders Mao Zedong, Hua Guofeng, Ye Jianying, and Song Qingling all sent wreaths. The wreaths sent by Commander-in-Chief Zhu's old comrades-in-arms, his wife Kang Keqing, and his children were placed in front of the urn, and the salute soldiers on both sides stood solemnly with guns. More than 5,000 workers, peasants, and military representatives and patriots in the capital attended the memorial rally.
Hua Guofeng, first vice chairman of the CPC Central Committee and premier of the State Council, delivered a eulogy at the memorial meeting.
Ji Pengfei, Secretary-General of the National People's Congress, and the staff of the funeral office
The article comes from the official account of the director of the Beijing Lookout Office, thank you!