For Qiao Guanhua, I am very familiar with and understand, he is a good person who is emotional and active. In the diplomatic history of the first generation of new China's leaders, there are three people whose images are particularly rich in personality in my photographic lenses: one is Zhou Enlai, a diplomat with a polite demeanor; the other is Chen Yi, a diplomat with the demeanor of a general; and the other is Qiao Guanhua, a diplomat with a talented demeanor. They cooperated with tacit understanding, each of them showed great brilliance, and opened the diplomatic door to the world for New China. They each have their own characteristics: Zhou Enlai is rigorous and solemn and sharp; Chen Yi is dashing and generous and humorous; Qiao Guanhua is quick in thinking and full of literary talent. When it comes to diplomats, it's natural to mention them.
Although Qiao Guanhua is said to be the foreign minister, he is also more than ten years older than me, and I am only a reporter in Zhongnanhai who specializes in the photography of Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai, whether it is official position or age, I belong to his subordinates and juniors, but we have been in contact for more than ten years, and we have accompanied Zhou Enlai, Chen Yi, Deng Xiaoping and other leaders on many occasions on their visits, and have established a very deep friendship. This process is also the process of his change from assistant to foreign minister to foreign minister. But I never felt that there was a gap between the high and low levels of positions and the age gap between us. He always happily looked down at the comrades around him, and spent the years with them in the same boat. Moreover, because of his straightforward personality, improper official frame and talented crepe temperament, the people under him are not afraid of this boss, and like to be close to him, and even frolic with him. At the end of the 1950s, a comedy movie "Joe On the Car" amused many viewers, and unconsciously Qiao Guanhua was also dipped in the light of a comedy star, and everyone borrowed flowers to offer Buddha, and gave the name of "Joe Lord" to the assistant minister who was still very young at the time. In this way, he took this elegant number and walked through more than twenty years.
Although Qiao Guanhua is a person who laughs and scolds, criticizes sharply, and does not tolerate a single grain of sand, he is also a person who attaches great importance to emotional morality. His feelings with Premier Zhou Enlai were very deep. The great man he most admired and admired was Zhou Enlai. If looking up to a person from a distance can lead to worship, then the worship that arises after getting close together is the real worship of personality. They have been together for 30 years, from the Chongqing office together, under the cultivation and education of Zhou Enlai, Qiao Guanhua became the first generation of diplomats in New China from a foreign talent, and assisted Premier Zhou Enlai in handling major international affairs many times. In 1971, he led a delegation to participate in the United Nations conference, representing New China for the first time in the restored United Nations seat; in 1972, Qiao Guanhua was responsible for drafting the Sino-US Communiqué, which after its publication aroused strong repercussions in the world and won a substantive breakthrough in China's diplomacy; later welcomed Nixon's visit to China. This series of major diplomatic activities of his has won the praise of everyone.
Qiao Guanhua and Zhang Hanzhi
In 1974, Qiao Guanhua became foreign minister, while Premier Zhou Enlai, who was concerned about his growth, was hospitalized. At that time, the situation in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was complicated, and Qiao Guanhua was in a depressed mood, often telling me that he missed the sick prime minister.
Zhou Enlai passed away, and Qiao Guanhua, like all those who loved the premier, was grief-stricken. At that time, the specifications for Zhou Enlai's funeral were very low and low, which made people feel extremely painful, but since it was a decision of the central authorities, no one could change it.
When the prime minister's body was about to be sent to the crematorium, the last person who refused to let go was Qiao Guanhua, who was already creeping on the prime minister's crystal coffin and crying to death. While crying, he said, "Prime Minister, you have been childless all your life, and today I will send you the last journey as your child... Whoops..." Everyone couldn't be persuaded, and it took a lot of effort to pull him away, but he pounced on him again... I was worried about him on the side, he was in his 60s after all, how could he be so sad! I was tall and strong, and I tried desperately to pull him back so that the prime minister's body was pushed into the cremation truck.
I've never seen an emotionally driven person so miserable. Although Qiao Guanhua has a straight temper and loves to be angry, his grief is frightening. When the prime minister's body disappeared into the crematorium, he let out another miserable cry, and all the people present cried in a mess. When I came back, I hurriedly called his wife Zhang Hanzhi and told her that tonight pay attention to Mr. Qiao, when the prime minister was cremated, his emotions were too excited, after all, he was in his early 60s... Before I could finish speaking, I heard Zhang Hanzhi crying at the end of the microphone.
Qiao Guanhua also revealed his initial feelings when he was extremely sad. He regarded Zhou Enlai not only as the chief, but also as a father's beloved. He is like the one who has lost his dearest, and he cherishes the most precious feelings in the depths of his soul, and he is the only one who tastes and feels alone.
The next day the ashes were parked at the Working People's Cultural Officer. During the three days of condolences, Qiao Guanhua resigned from all official duties and went to guard the prime minister's soul every day. At that time, the Central Committee stipulated that Shouling would only go to one Politburo member every day, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would take turns to go to a ministerial-level cadre. Qiao Guanhua is a member of the Central Committee and a foreign minister, and he does not have to guard the spirit every day, for the sake of the prime minister, he alone to the end.
Didn't the last time the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic sent off the Prime Minister of the Republic also hinted at the end of zhou Enlai's career as foreign minister? After Qiao Guanhua finally bid farewell to Zhou Enlai's dead, a bumpy fate sent him a gray invitation.
——Excerpt from "Red Lens: The State Affairs in the Eyes of Zhongnanhai Photographers", published by Liaoning People's Publishing House
Author: Gu Baozi Du Xiuxian
Editor: Zhou Yiqian