In the early summer of 1940, in the Chen Clan Ancestral Hall in Nanjing, a unique drama was being staged. On stage, a young woman is impassionedly preaching new ideas. In the audience, a general in military uniform stared at her intently, with a strange glint in his eyes. This moment is destined to leave a strong mark in China's modern history.
【Strange Woman in the New Era】
Zhang Qian, you may not have heard of this name. But when it comes to "China's First Diplomatic Lady", it is her exclusive title.
Zhang Qian was born in Wuhan in 1922, and her family conditions are good, and she belongs to the kind of "rich" eldest lady. However, her parents are quite open-minded, and they don't have the old routine of "don't go out of the door, don't step out of the second door", but encourage their daughter to read more and gain knowledge.
This girl has been restless since she was a child, and she thinks about how to save this old China that is full of holes. When she was studying, she was like a chicken, and as soon as she heard that there was a demonstration, she immediately rushed to the front.
Don't say it, this girl really has two hits. The more noisy she became, the more courageous she became, so that her parents couldn't stand it anymore, and persuaded her to stop. But Zhang Qian didn't listen at all and continued to do her own thing. In the end, her parents were anxious and locked her up at home, thinking that this would stop her from pursuing her ideals.
Who knew about this level, but Zhang Qian figured it out: how can you really save the country just by marching on the street and shouting slogans? You have to join the revolutionary ranks! So, as soon as the eldest lady turned around, she slipped out of the house and went straight to the New Fourth Army.
【Dramatic Encounter】
After Zhang Qian joined the New Fourth Army, she was assigned to the logistics department. Don't think it's easy in the rear, she has to rely on acting in dramas to propagate the party's ideas. This job may seem simple, but it is actually a test. You have to express complex political ideas in a way that ordinary people can understand, and you have to make people want to listen to them.
It was during such a performance that the gears of fate began to turn. Chen Yi, who was already a senior general of the New Fourth Army at that time, happened to come to the Chen Clan Ancestral Hall to watch the performance.
Zhang Qian on the stage was full of passion, and Chen Yi in the audience was fascinated. The battle-hardened general was fascinated by the performance of the young girl on stage. Don't say it, this scene is really a bit like a modern person chasing stars!
As soon as the performance ended, Chen Yi hurriedly found Zhu Kejing, the head of the logistics regiment, and inquired about Zhang Qian's situation. After learning that he was still single, the general immediately came up with the idea of pursuing it.
【Love Offensive and Defensive Battle】
General Chen Yi's pursuit was not smooth. What do you think, who is Zhang Qian? People are determined to save China's women in the new era, how can they have time to fall in love?
Although head Zhu Kejing accidentally revealed Chen Yi's identity, Zhang Qian still went her own way and was not moved at all. This stumped Chen Yi. However, the more this is the case, the more he admires Zhang Qian.
As a result, a vigorous "love offensive and defensive battle" began. General Chen Yi did everything he could, writing love poems and giving gifts. But Zhang Qian's side is like an impregnable wall, let you wind in the southeast and northwest, I will not move.
This tug-of-war lasted until 1940. In the end, with Chen Yi's unremitting efforts, Zhang Qian's mental defense was finally broken. The two walked into the palace of marriage hand in hand and became an enviable pair of revolutionary partners.
[Sweetness in Revolutionary Life]
After marriage, Zhang Qian and Chen Yi can be described as talented and beautiful, a match made in heaven. But don't think they're living a sweet little life. The Anti-Japanese War is not over yet, how can there be time for children to be long?
The two soon went their separate ways and threw themselves into their respective battlefields. Zhang Qian continued to perform dramas in the rear to propagate anti-Japanese ideas. Chen Yi led his troops to charge into battle and fight the Japanese devils.
It wasn't until the founding of New China that the two really settled down. Chen Yi became the mayor of Shanghai, and Zhang Qian also went to Shanghai. The couple finally had a chance to enjoy their world.
【A Shining Pearl in the Diplomatic Arena】
In 1958, Chen Yi became Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Zhang Qian was also known as the "First Diplomatic Lady". However, this title is not for nothing.
Zhang Qian originally wanted to continue her drama career, but Chen Yi hoped that she could help with foreign affairs. This stubborn couple has a lot of quarrels about this. In the end, under the persuasion of Song Qingling, Zhang Qian reluctantly agreed to change careers.
Unexpectedly, Zhang Qian was like a fish in water in the diplomatic arena. Once, when Chen Yi was ill and hospitalized, Zhang Qian temporarily took his place at the Diplomatic Conference. Who knew that this appearance immediately amazed the four. Her elegant speech and generous and proper demeanor won the admiration of all the foreign officials present.
Since then, Zhang Qian has shone on China's diplomatic scene. She has not only won China an international reputation, but has also become a "goddess" in the eyes of many diplomats.
【Life and Death】
However, the good times were short-lived. In 1972, Chen Yi died of illness. Zhang Qian, grief-stricken by the loss of her beloved, has since withdrawn from the diplomatic arena.
She locked herself in her home and sorted out Chen Yi's posthumous manuscripts. Between the lines, it seems that you can still see their unforgettable love in the war-torn years.
Zhang Qian is getting thinner and thinner, as if she has lost the meaning of life. Two years later, in 1974, at the age of 52, she also died.
Zhang Qian and Chen Yi are not only a touching love legend, but also a little-known story in modern Chinese history.