During the Spring Festival of 1975, in a quiet courtyard in Beijing, several veteran generals sat around the fire. Ye Jianying squinted his eyes and looked thoughtfully at Liao Hansheng opposite. Suddenly, he spoke: "Han Sheng, I'm afraid you're going to move." This seemingly ordinary sentence made everyone present hold their breath. Liao Hansheng was stunned for a moment, and was about to speak, but Ye Jianying made a gesture and signaled him not to say more. What's going on, and where will Liao Hansheng go?
From a peasant child to a founding general, Liao Hansheng's life trajectory has been full of ups and downs
Liao Hansheng, this name may be a little unfamiliar to many people. But in modern Chinese history, he is an out-and-out legend. Liao Hansheng, who was born in Sangzhi, Hunan Province in 1911, grew from an ordinary peasant family to a founding general, and even became the president of the Military Academy at the age of 46, setting a record as the youngest president of the Military Academy at that time. His life experience can be called a microcosm of modern Chinese history.
Liao Hansheng, who has shown great talent and intelligence since he was a child, joined the Red Army at the age of 17. During the Long March, the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the War of Liberation, he made many military exploits and gradually grew into an excellent military commander and political cadre. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, Liao Hansheng rose to prominence, successively serving as vice minister of national defense and president of the Military Academy. However, just when his career was in full swing, a sudden change made his life take a dramatic turn again.
From the center of power to the border fortress, a sentence has caused a great change in life
The Spring Festival of 1975 was supposed to be a day of gathering, but because of Ye Jianying's words, Liao Hansheng fell into deep confusion. "Han Sheng, I'm afraid you're going to move." This seemingly ordinary sentence contains huge political implications behind it.
At that time, China was in the late stage of the "Cultural Revolution", and the political situation was complex and changeable. As a high-ranking member of the military, Liao Hansheng is well aware of the weight of this sentence. He was originally a member of the Standing Committee of the Academy of Military Sciences in Beijing, and it can be said that he was at the center of power. But Ye Jianying's remarks hinted that he might be about to be transferred out of Beijing.
Liao Hansheng knows in his heart what this kind of "move" usually means. In that particular era, a transfer could be a promotion, a derogation, or more likely a political distrust. He was apprehensive, but he didn't dare to ask more. After all, in those days, knowing too much was sometimes a burden.
From shock to acceptance, Liao Hansheng's mental journey
When Ye Jianying said those words, Liao Hansheng's heart experienced a fierce struggle. He was shocked and uneasy at first, after all, he had worked in Beijing for many years and had become accustomed to the rhythm and interpersonal relationships here. Suddenly having to "move" means that he has to leave his familiar environment and face a new challenge.
But soon, Liao Hansheng began to calm down again and think carefully about the significance of this transfer. As a veteran revolutionary who has experienced a hail of bullets, he is well aware of the importance of staying calm and obeying organizational arrangements in a complex political environment.
A few days later, Liao Hansheng learned that he would be transferred to the Nanjing Military Region as a political commissar. The news was both a relief and a little loss. Although the Nanjing Military Region is an important post, it is far away from Beijing, the center of power. However, as a battle-hardened general, Liao Hansheng quickly adjusted his mindset and began to prepare for new challenges.
Before leaving, Ye Jianying found Liao Hansheng again and told him earnestly: "Don't get too close to some people in Shanghai, let alone participate in their activities." These words made Liao Hansheng even more vigilant, and he realized that what he was about to step into was a political whirlpool with an undercurrent.
From political struggle to pragmatic construction, Liao Hansheng's Nanjing years
In the spring of 1975, Liao Hansheng officially went to serve as the political commissar of the Nanjing Military Region. When he first arrived in Nanjing, he felt the political atmosphere here that was very different from Beijing. At that time, the Nanjing Military Region was in the whirlpool of the "Criticism of Lin and Confucius" movement, and various political factions were fighting openly and covertly, causing panic among the people.
Liao Hansheng knew very well that the task of his trip was not only to be an ordinary political commissar, but also to balance the forces of all parties and stabilize the morale of the army. He decided to adopt the strategy of "promoting unity through work" and focused his main efforts on improving the combat effectiveness of his troops, rather than getting involved in endless political struggles.
At a meeting of the party committee of the military region, some people proposed that the campaign of "criticizing forests and criticizing holes" should be carried out in depth and in depth. Liao Hansheng said unexpectedly: "Comrades, we are soldiers, and our primary task is to protect our families and defend the country. Now that the international situation is complicated, we should focus our main efforts on raising the level of combat readiness. As soon as these words came out, the venue suddenly fell silent. Some people nodded in agreement, while others showed dissatisfaction.
But Liao Hansheng didn't care about any of that. He began to carry out drastic reforms, readjusting the training program and strengthening actual combat exercises. He often went to the grassroots level, ate and lived with ordinary soldiers, and understood their real thoughts. Gradually, the atmosphere of the Nanjing Military Region began to change, with fewer political slogans and more practical training.
However, Liao Hansheng's actions have also attracted some criticism. Some people say he is "right-leaning", others say he is "apolitical". In the face of these doubts, Liao Hansheng has always remained silent and responded with practical actions. Under his leadership, the Nanjing Military Region's combat effectiveness has been markedly enhanced, and it has achieved good results in all-army competitions on many occasions.
In 1976, a sudden political storm swept across the country. As a high-ranking member of the army, Liao Hansheng once again faced a severe test. He kept in mind Ye Jianying's instructions, always maintained political sobriety, and neither blindly followed nor easily expressed his position. This prudent attitude allowed him to survive the storm.
Liao Hansheng is not only a legend of one person, but also the epitome of that special era. From a peasant boy to a founding general, from a power center to a border fortress, and then to smoothly survive the political storm, Liao Hansheng's experience can be called ups and downs.
Looking back on Liao Hansheng's life, we can see how important it is to maintain the original intention and persist in hard work in a complex political environment. He does not get involved in unnecessary political battles, but focuses on his job, and this pragmatic attitude has allowed him to maintain his focus in the midst of turmoil.
Today, we are far away from that particular era. However, the sense of responsibility, mission and calmness in the face of difficulties shown by Liao Hansheng is still worth learning. In the current era of peace, we should focus more on improving our own capabilities and contributing to the country, as Liao Hansheng did, rather than getting involved in meaningless internal friction.
Liao Hansheng told us that no matter what kind of environment we are in, as long as we stick to our original intention and be down-to-earth, we will definitely be able to find our own calmness in the ups and downs of life. This may be the most precious revelation that Liao Hansheng left us.