Picture | Chen Yonggui and Mao Zedong
<h1 class="pgc-h-center-line" data-track="94" > preface</h1>
Before his death, Chen Yonggui said this:
"I can be connected with Chairman Mao in this life, it is not a vain life, people are doomed to die, I have not disgraced Chairman Mao." As a peasant, as a member of the Politburo of the Party Central Committee, who would have thought? I dare say that I am a farmer who has never been seen before and has never come after. ”
<h1 class="pgc-h-center-line" data-track="95" > during his 1963 tour of the south, Mao Zedong first noticed Chen Yonggui</h1>
It is important to mention that Mao Zedong first noticed Chen Yonggui during his southern tour in 1963.
When the train stopped in Handan, Hebei Province, Tao Lujia, secretary of the Shanxi Provincial Party Committee, reported to Mao Zedong. During the conversation, Tao Lujia specifically mentioned Chen Yonggui, saying that he was the most outstanding farmer he had ever seen, and told about Chen Yonggui's mobilization of the people of Dazhai to overcome the disaster and create miracles.
After hearing the report, Mao Zedong immediately asked Tao Lujia for Chen Yonggui's deeds and materials, and after reading it, he praised him even more, and later launched the call of "Daqing of Industrial Science, Dazhai of Agricultural Science", and the spirit of Dazhai of "fighting against the heavens and the earth and relying on oneself" was also spread from then on.
Picture | Chen Yonggui
When it comes to Chen Yonggui, the first thing that people think of is the spirit of Dazhai, and his spirit of bearing hardships and standing hard work and doing what he says has always been talked about by everyone.
Chen Yonggui was a very simple farmer, who joined the party at the age of 34 and did not have the opportunity to shine until he was 38 years old. In 1952, Chen Yonggui succeeded Jia Jincai as the branch secretary of Dazhai Village in Xiyang County, Shanxi Province.
At that time, the environment of Dazhai Village was very harsh, and Chen Yonggui personally led the people of Dazhai to work hard to start a business, and used flat burdens to pick up the soil under the mountain to the mountain to make land. Chen Yonggui had rich experience in agricultural production, and he personally did everything and took the lead in hard work, and the people of Dazhai did not disbelieve him.
In the perennial production labor, Chen Yonggui gradually explored a set of his own agricultural production management system. Under his leadership, Dazhai's grain production can make new breakthroughs every year, and the living standards have also steadily improved.
In the summer of 1963, Dazhai faced the challenge of many natural disasters, such as continuous floods, wind disasters, hail disasters, frosts, and droughts, which made the land of Dazhai bear many hardships. The flood washed away the villagers' houses, and the terraces that had been built so hard were destroyed.
Under this circumstance, the Shanxi Provincial Party Committee decided to transfer a batch of relief materials to Dazhai, and some people suggested that Chen Yonggui apply for assistance from the state. At this time, however, Chen Yonggui said that the state's relief grain, relief funds, and relief materials were all not needed, and the rations, working days, and grain sold to the state could not be reduced.
You know, according to the situation at that time, if the agricultural production in Dazhai is to be restored, it will take at least ten years and eight years. However, under the leadership of Chen Yonggui, the people of Dazhai rose to the challenge, relied on themselves, fought tenaciously, and finally won a bumper harvest in such a catastrophe year and handed over a satisfactory answer sheet to the country.
Subsequently, a climax of learning in Shanxi Province was set off, Chen Yonggui shared and introduced his experience to everyone at the meeting, and Shanxi writer Zhao Shuli was also on the scene at that time. After listening to Chen Yonggui's sharing, Zhao Shuli rushed to Tao Lujia's office and said very excitedly: "Secretary Tao, I found a talent today!" ”
Zhao Shuli said something suspenseful, and Tao Lujia asked who it was.
"Chen Yonggui! Mao Zedong is not mentioned in any place in his words, but mao Zedong Thought is embodied everywhere in what he says; philosophy is not mentioned everywhere, but dialectics can be felt everywhere, and I admire him very much! ”
Picture | Zhao Shuli
At the end of this year, Li Yiqing, secretary of the Central and Southern Bureau, came to Dazhai to visit, and after witnessing the current situation of Dazhai, he said emotionally: "Chen Yonggui has a strong charm, and in such a complex environment, he has shown extraordinary command ability. ”
In this way, Chen Yonggui's name began to be known by more and more people, and it was later noticed and valued by Mao Zedong.
<h1 class="pgc-h-center-line" data-track="99" > Mao Zedong invited Chen Yonggui on his birthday in 1964 to call him an agricultural expert</h1>
On December 26, 1964, the day of Mao Zedong's 71st birthday, he arranged a three-table banquet in the small banquet hall of the Great Hall of the People, and Chen Yonggui, 50, was fortunate to be invited.
This was the last public birthday party in Mao Zedong's life, and in his own words, he invited everyone to a meal with his own writing fees. As for the guests of this banquet, Mao Zedong attached great importance to it, and even personally listed the seats on which each guest sat, and let Wang Dongxing and others arrange it.
This birthday happened to be during the first session of the Third National People's Congress, and on that day, Chen Yonggui had just walked out of the venue when he heard Zhou Enlai calling his name in the back: "Comrade Yonggui!" ”
Zhou Enlai walked up quickly and said to Chen Yonggui, "Tonight for dinner, come with me!" ”
Before Chen Yonggui could figure out the reason, Zhou Enlai continued to explain: "Today is the chairman's birthday, and Chairman Mao has specially invited you here. ”
When he heard that Chairman Mao had celebrated his birthday and invited himself, Chen Yonggui's heart was extremely excited. In this way, accompanied by Zhou Enlai, Chen Yonggui walked into the gate of Zhongnanhai for the first time in his life.
In order to show the importance he attached to Chairman Mao, Chen Yonggui's clothes that day also spent a lot of thought. On the outside of the black cotton jacket, he deliberately put on one of the best black cloth plackets in the house, and wrapped a white towel around his head. He looks very thin on the outside, and his face is covered with deep wrinkles like knife carvings, giving people a feeling of being through vicissitudes.
By the time Chen Yonggui and Zhou Enlai entered the lounge, Zhu De had already arrived first. During the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, Zhu De fought in the Taihang Mountains and had an understanding of the situation there, and Chen Yonggui, who was a native of Shanxi, rushed forward to greet Zhu De, and the two of them chatted cordially and had a very pleasant conversation.
Zhou Enlai looked at his watch and said, "The time is almost up, let's go to the restaurant and wait for the chairman." ”
In addition to Zhou Enlai, Zhu De, and Chen Yonggui, there were also Liu Shaoqi, Deng Xiaoping, and other central leaders; Li Fuchun, Zeng Zhi, Tao Zhu, Hu Yaobang, and others; Wang Jinxi, a representative of daqing workers; Qian Xuesen, a scientist; Xing Yanzi, dong Jiageng, representatives of young intellectuals; and others.
Shortly after Chen Yonggui, Zhou Enlai and Zhu Degang arrived at the restaurant, Mao Zedong smiled and walked into the restaurant to shake hands with everyone one by one.
Chen Yonggui usually saw people who could speak well, but when he saw Chairman Mao, he couldn't even say half a word for a while, so he had to grin and laugh incessantly, and Mao Zedong shook Chen Yonggui's hand and said to him: "Yonggui is good!" ”
After speaking, he shook hands with Wang Jinxi, Qian Xuesen and others.
Mao Zedong looked around, and then said to everyone: "Dongxing and Luo Zichang and Tao Zhu asked me to entertain, well, today I will invite you." ”
At the banquet, Mao Zedong sat at a table with Chen Yonggui, Wang Jinxi, Qian Xuesen, Xing Yanzi, Dong Jiageng, and others, and specially beckoned Chen Yonggui to sit in the seat next to him.
Chen Yonggui said modestly, "Let's give it to young people." In this way, Xing Yanzi and Dong Jiageng, two young people, sat down next to Mao Zedong.
After the banquet began, Mao Zedong first made a few opening remarks:
"Today is neither a birthday nor a birthday celebration, but the implementation of the 'three sameness'. I invite everyone to a meal with my own fee. My kids didn't come, they didn't qualify. There are workers, peasants, scientists, the People's Liberation Army, not only to eat, but also to talk! ”
After speaking, Mao Zedong picked up the wine glass and proposed to toast everyone, and the crowd also stood up to toast Mao Zedong's health and longevity. Mao Zedong loved to smoke, but he was not too interested in wine, and the wine in the glass just touched his lips and put it down.
Mao Zedong kept persuading Chen Yonggui, Wang Jinxi, and others to eat vegetables, and when he found that Chen Yonggui seemed to be a little restrained, he said: "Yonggui, eat vegetables, eat vegetables!" ”
Mao Zedong chatted cordially with everyone, and he spoke in a Hunan accent and said to Chen Yonggui: "You are an agricultural expert!" ”
Chen Yonggui couldn't understand Mao Zedong's Hunan dialect, and just nodded vigorously. When Zhou En's arrival saw that Chen Yonggui did not speak, he "translated" on the side: "The chairman said that you are an agricultural expert. ”
Hearing this, Chen Yonggui quickly shook his head and said, "No, no, no, I am not an agricultural expert, not an agricultural expert." ”
When Mao Zedong saw that Chen Yonggui was so modest, he continued to praise: "Everyone is doing a good job! ”
Mao Zedong invited everyone to sit down, beckoned everyone to smoke and eat candy, and asked about Chen Yonggui's age.
Chen Yonggui replied, "Fifty." ”
Mao Zedong smiled and said, "Fifty heavenly destiny!" Make a big village, very good! ”
This time, Chen Yonggui did not nod, but just smiled.
At the banquet, Mao Zedong also said to several other labor models: You have made achievements, don't your tail, don't your tail a little, don't your tail when you do two points, don't warp when you make three or four points, don't your tail, it's not good to your tail, you have to be a person with your tail between your legs. ”
For Chen Yonggui, he never forgot the day of his visit to Mao Zedong's birthday party, always remembered what happened that day, and always firmly kept Chairman Mao's advice to everyone in mind.
<h1 class="pgc-h-center-line" data-track="103" Chen Yonggui requested to move out of Diaoyutai >, and Mao Zedong replied: Diaoyutai has no fish to catch</h1>
One day in 1974, Zhou Enlai summoned Chen Yonggui.
At that time, Zhou Enlai was still sick, and after Chen Yonggui came to the Beijing Hospital, he found that the premier had lost another round of weight, but fortunately, his spirit seemed to be OK.
Inquiring about the condition, Zhou Enlai immediately entered the main topic of the day: "This time looking for you is to arrange the matter of the Fourth National People's Congress, and you must be prepared to become vice premier of the State Council and promote the spirit of Dazhai to the whole country." ”
After Zhou Enlai finished speaking, he asked Chen Yonggui's views on this matter. The vice premier of the State Council is not a petty official, and Chen Yonggui was mixed, saying to Zhou En: "Premier, I am not at a good level of education, and I am afraid that I cannot be this vice premier." ”
Zhou En:
"Yonggui, are you a party member?" If you are a party member, you must accept the party's arrangement. You better do it. The Chairman of the Matter agreed, and the other comrades of the Politburo agreed. You are a farmer representative. ”
Later, Zhou Enlai took the illness to participate in the Fourth National People's Congress held in January 1975, and the congress made the following appointments, Zhou Enlai continued to serve as premier of the State Council, and also appointed 12 vice premiers, of which Chen Yonggui ranked seventh.
However, Chen Yonggui was born as a farmer, his education level was not high, and he was once very worried after becoming vice premier. At that time, he knew no more than 1,000 Chinese characters, and he could write no more than 500, so the matter of approving documents was a very headache for him.
Every time the document is approved, the secretary will read it to Chen Yonggui, and if he agrees, he will draw a circle or annotate a "consent". Sometimes when he encountered problems that he couldn't understand, Chen Yonggui saw Hua Guofeng and Li Xiannian drawing circles, so he followed them.
Chen Yonggui said, "Can I do this?" We can't approve the documents, we can't write them, I'm a farmer, and I'm very unfree here! ”
Chen Yonggui lived in diaoyutai uncomfortably, he was usually lively, and he was really panicked in the small building here.
There are carpets everywhere here, occasionally there are waiters to bring tea, but it is always quiet, Chen Yonggui can not find an acquaintance who can talk, although there are also Shanxi compatriots who want to visit, but they can't enter the door at all.
Although Chen Yonggui sometimes works outside, as long as he returns to Diaoyutai, it is a tranquility and a pile of documents that can never be read.
In this environment, Chen Yonggui wrote a letter to Mao Zedong in which he mentioned that he hoped to spend one-third of the time in the central government, one-third in the whole country, and one-third back in Dazhai. In addition, Chen Yonggui also made a request to Mao Zedong to move out of diaoyutai.
At a later meeting, Mao Zedong asked the politburo members present: "Where is Comrade Yonggui?" ”
Chen Yonggui was sitting on the sofa not far from the door, and when he heard Chairman Mao call his name, he quickly replied, "I'm here." ”
Mao Zedong pointed to the seat of the sofa next to him and said to Chen Yonggui: "Hey, come and sit, come, come!" ”
Chen Yonggui hurriedly sat down next to Mao Zedong, who took out the letter written by Chen Yonggui to him and handed it back to him, which read: "Agree." There are no fish to catch in the Fishing Platform. ”
In August, Chen Yonggui moved from Diaoyutai to a small courtyard in a Beijing hutong.
In this way, Chen Yonggui can actually bring his family, but he is unwilling and resolutely wants to take the lead and let his wife and children honestly earn work in Dazhai.
Shanxi Province transferred the hukou of Chen Yonggui's family members, and also planned to send them to Beijing, complete all kinds of formalities, and then come to greet Chen Yonggui.
Chen Yonggui was very angry when he learned of this, and he slapped the table and shouted, "Who did it?!" I disagree, who dares! ”
In this way, the hukou of Chen Yonggui's family was returned. Because Chen Yonggui always remembers his original intention, he is a public servant of the people, and his roots are in Dazhai Village.
<h1 class="pgc-h-center-line" data-track="107" > Chen Yonggui, the "cloth-clad prime minister", said before his death: I have not disgraced Chairman Mao</h1>
Chen Yonggui's becoming vice premier was personally instructed by Mao Zedong, mainly in charge of agriculture throughout the country. He did not disappoint Mao Zedong's expectations of him, always worked diligently, and was the only vice premier who did not break away from the status of a peasant.
Although Chen Yonggui is vice premier of the State Council, he is unwilling to take the salary of the vice premier, and the central government does not want any subsidies, only the 60 yuan subsidy in Shanxi Province and the amount of labor given to him by Dazhai Village every year.
Chen Yonggui never wastes extravagantly, and eating is always very simple, often a bowl of miscellaneous noodles, accompanied by a few pickles is enough to eat a meal.
Even in a high position, Chen Yonggui always wears a peasant outfit to remind himself not to forget his peasant identity. Because he never forgot Ben, people affectionately called him "Cloth Prime Minister".
Chen Yonggui has a bad temper, smashing things and smashing bowls often happens, but no matter how angry he is, he will not beat the child, he will not put up a shelf at home, and the housework that can be done will help to do.
After coming to Beijing, Chen Yonggui found that the husband and wife here would help each other cook, and after returning to Dazhai, he vigorously promoted this style of life.
Chen Yonggui said to the men in Dazhai:
"The woman cooked you a meal in the morning, folded the quilt, brushed the bowl, and you took the bowl and ate it on the ground?" If people go to the ground, you don't care about anything? Wife cooking you will not peel the onion? You man doesn't do any housework at all? Cooking and washing clothes are women's business? Inequality between men and women! ”
Since then, Chen Yonggui has called on the men of Dazhai to help women cook in the future. Sure enough, everyone responded, and to this day this atmosphere is still preserved and has become a local feature.
In 1980, Chen Yonggui resigned as vice premier, but even so, he still remembered his work in his heart, and later wrote to the central government, hoping to do some work within his ability.
The request was approved, and Chen Yonggui worked as a consultant in the eastern suburbs of Beijing to help the farm, because his easy-going and simple personality was very popular with everyone.
In July 1985, Chen Yonggui underwent parsley cancer resection surgery in Beijing Hospital, and at the same time as the operation was carried out, it was found that there was a lung problem, and the diagnosis was advanced lung cancer, so Chen Yonggui was admitted to Beijing Hospital.
After knowing the results of his diagnosis, Chen Yonggui understood in his heart that he was no longer saved, and gradually began to talk about the aftermath. Even at this time, he was always relieved about the issue of the diversion of water from the west to the east and the support of the state.
Chen Yonggui's greatest wish before his death was to return to Dazhai, hoping that he could return to his roots after falling leaves, and repeatedly asked to go back, but the central government hoped that he could be at ease in Beijing and treat his illness well.
On March 26, 1986, Chen Yonggui closed his eyes forever. That night, Chen Yonggui's relatives and friends all came, and everyone gathered around him and looked at him silently. Not long after, Xinhua News Agency released the news:
"Comrade Chen Yonggui, a well-known national labor model, former secretary of the party branch of the Dazhai Brigade in Xiyang County, Shanxi Province, and a farm consultant in the eastern suburbs of Beijing, died in Beijing at the age of 72 at 20:35 on March 26, 1986, due to ineffective treatment for lung cancer."
Five days later, Chen Yonggui's relatives returned to Dazhai with his ashes in their arms. According to his last wishes, Chen Yonggui's ashes were scattered on the land of Dazhai, and the last ashes were buried on the top of Hutou Mountain, which was personally selected by Chen Yonggui before his death, where the people of Dazhai erected a monument for Chen Yonggui, on which were engraved with the following big characters: "Meritorious efforts cover the tiger's head, and the achievements pave the earth." ”
At Chen Yonggui's memorial service, he lay quietly in the flower bush in the center of the hall of the Babaoshan Funeral Home, and his face was still deep and long wrinkles, and those wrinkles vaguely revealed his weathered life, a life of dedication, and a glorious life...
Throughout Chen Yonggui's life, although he was born ordinary, he was extremely great, and the spirit of Dazhai was later promoted to the whole country and inspired countless people. As Chen Yonggui himself said, he did not live in vain, did not disgrace Chairman Mao...