Chairman Mao in his youth
Winter of 1919.
Hankou.
The cold wind whistled.
At the door of a hotel, a ragged tramp was shaking.
It had been more than half a year, and he begged all the way along the railway line from Changsha to Wuhan. But the current life is not good, ten winter waxing moon, how to survive is the first problem he faces. His face is very haggard, and it can be described by the word "wolf". At this point how he wished to eat a full meal and put on a warm cotton coat. But he was penniless and had no relatives!
Just when the tramp was bleak about his future, an adventure began, and a young man came out of the inn and greeted him.
This tramp's surname is Xu, and his name is Zhixing.
The young man who greeted him was named Mao Zedong.
Xu Zhixing, formerly known as Pan Zusheng, was originally from Wuxing, Jiangsu Province. Born in April 1901, there are three brothers and sisters in the family. When he was 7 years old, Xu Zhixing moved with his mother to Yuan Hua Town, Haining County, Zhejiang Province, where he lived with his father in his early years. Later, Xu Zhixing studied at a private school. However, just after 3 years, Xu Zhixing's family changed, his mother died, and his father let him enter the local Xu family because he could not support him, and since then Pan Zusheng has changed his name to Xu Zhixing. Soon after, he entered the Third Higher Primary School in Haining County. But after only 4 years of study, Xu Zhixing dropped out of school and was sent by the Xu family to a pickle garden in Jiaxing as an apprentice. The apprentices' work was hard, especially in that era, when the owner of the pickle garden ruthlessly squeezed the apprentices, Xu Zhixing saw one of his disciples, because he was too tired to support, and suddenly vomited blood and died when he came to the door. Therefore, Xu Zhixing, who saw through the boss's black heart, angrily left the pickle garden. But soon after returning home, he was sent to a pickle garden in Minhang, Shanghai, as an apprentice. The slavery of the boss has not changed, so Xu Zhixing has repeatedly rushed the boss and finally escaped again. At this time, Xu Zhixing was 18 years old and was sent to a hardware store in Changsha as an apprentice, he knew that doing so still could not change his fate, he wanted to study. Therefore, after only 3 days in the store, Xu Zhixing escaped desperately, and he fled along the railway line from Changsha to Hankou to Wuhan without any money on him!
At that time, Chairman Mao was only 26 years old, and he was already the head of the delegation to Beijing to expel the warlord Zhang Jingyao from Hunan, and he happened to be passing through Wuhan and temporarily staying in this hotel. After seeing the ragged, yellow-skinned teenager, he asked him enthusiastically:
"Boy, what's your name?" From the place of Mozi, to the place of Mozi? "
"My name is Xu Zhixing, and I escaped from Changsha."
"Tell me, why do you want to escape?"
Xu Zhixing then told Chairman Mao about his life and his desire to abandon his apprentices and read with his heart. Chairman Mao listened attentively, deeply sympathized with Xu Zhixing's plight, and praised his determination to study and become a talent, but still comforted him:
"Xiao Xu, don't be sad, it's not always the same thing to wander around at a young age, I want to find a way to help you go back to Wujiang's hometown, okay?"
Xu Zhixing said worriedly: "There is no way out when I return to my hometown." Mr. Mao, you still help me introduce a job, find a bowl of rice to eat, and when I have the opportunity, I still have to go to school. "
Chairman Mao felt a little embarrassed and said, "I am also a passer-by here, I have no acquaintances, and I still have to go to Beijing." It is better that you be patient for the time being, go home and wait for a while, and when I return to Hunan after I finish my business in Beijing, I will definitely try to help you. "
Young Chairman Mao
Xu Zhixing did not know what Chairman Mao was doing in Beijing, but in his eyes, he was a reliable person, sincere, frank, and trustworthy. So he listened to Chairman Mao and wrote the address of his home to Mao Zedong. At that time, the fare back to Haining was also given to him by Chairman Mao.
Xu Zhixing, who returned to Haining, was severely reprimanded by his father. More importantly, Xu Zhixing had already been assigned a family affair by his father at that time, but he did not like arranged marriages, so he still felt confused about his future. At this time, Mao Zedong sent him letters of encouragement from Beijing, and also sent him progressive publications such as New Life and Weekly Review. Through these publications, Xu Zhixing's thinking has made great progress.
In the spring of 1921, the tension movement achieved its intended purpose. Chairman Mao returned to Hunan and became the head of the primary school attached to the Hunan Provincial First Normal School, and raised funds to run an "adult out-of-school cram school," which was given homework to those who dropped out of primary school and wanted to go to middle school. Chairman Mao did not forget his promise to Xu Zhixing, so he wrote a letter to Xu Zhixing asking him to come to Changsha for cram school.
Xu Zhixing in his youth
After receiving Chairman Mao's letter, Xu Zhixing was not to mention how happy he was. But his father would not let him out, so he once again repeated the same trick and escaped from home and went to Changsha to find Chairman Mao. Chairman Mao was also very happy to see the deceased person who met in Pingshui and specially arranged for him to study in the senior department of the cram school. At that time, Xu Zhixing had no money, so all the expenses were paid by Chairman Mao. At that time, Chairman Mao's eldest brother Mao Zemin was also studying in the Senior Department, and Chairman Mao's younger brother Mao Zeqin was studying in the sixth grade of the Primary School. The two and Xu Zhixing saw each other as they were, and they got along like brothers. Chairman Mao treated Xu Zhixing like his own brother, giving them a lesson on "Citizens" once a week.
Xu Zhixing learns Courses such as Chinese, English and Arithmetic in the cram school. The Chinese textbook was compiled by the school itself, and the teacher was Xie Jueya. At that time, Chairman Mao was busy with work, and in addition to teaching the Chinese language courses of the first class of the Normal Department, he also concurrently took on some courses in the high and small departments, and more importantly, he also had to engage in revolutionary activities. He was the editor-in-chief of the Hunan Revolutionary Newspaper, the Xiangjiang Review, which had a great influence on the intellectuals of the time. He also founded the Cultural Book Club in Changsha, a group that studied the future of new culture and revolution. Like the Xinmin Society, the book club opposed the warlord Zhang Jingyao, so it was later headed by Chairman Mao that the exorcism campaign was launched.
Chairman Mao and his Xiangjiang Review
However, in the midst of all his busy schedules, Chairman Mao still took time to open a small stove for Xu Zhixing, Mao Zemin and Mao Zeqin, and instruct them to write articles.
At that time, Xu Zhixing only attended private schools and new schools for a few years, so he was not very good at writing vernacular articles. In order to train Xu Zhixing's writing ability, Chairman Mao deliberately let him train in several aspects such as observation and expression. Chairman Mao was very fond of Lu Xun's articles, so he asked Xu Zhixing to transcribe and familiarize himself with Lu Xun's articles such as "Hometown" and "How We Are Fathers." He also taught Xu Zhixing to train more: write a diary every day, write an essay every week, and read more good articles on "New Youth" and "New Wave". More importantly, Chairman Mao taught Xu Zhixing to write essays, not from book to book, but hoped that he would find materials from society.
Once, when the Hunan warlord Zhao Hengti killed two progressive youths and hung their heads on the city gate, Chairman Mao asked Xu Zhixing and other classmates to read them, and when he returned, he wrote an article attacking the reactionary rule of the warlords, and writing an article to be related to the actual struggle; at that time, superstitious activities in Hunan were prevalent, and when they encountered illness and disasters, people liked to ask God to burn incense, so Xu Zhixing wrote a "Result of Relying on Bodhisattvas", explaining that it was useless to ask God to burn incense. After reading it, Chairman Mao said yes in a loud voice and encouraged him to submit an article, and later the article was published in the "Popular Daily" edited by He Shuheng. This encouraged Xu Zhixing, and the momentum of learning and creation was even stronger.
After Chairman Mao married Yang Kaihui, he lived in Qingshuitang. At that time, Xu Zhixing lived with Mao Zemin and Mao Zeqin, and almost every week he would visit Chairman Mao and ask him about writing. One week, the three of them did not go because of something else, so they wrote a postcard to Mao Zedong explaining why they did not go. A week later they went to Qingshuitang again, Chairman Mao took out a postcard and asked them if there was anything wrong with it, and the three of them looked left and right, but they didn't see anything wrong, and Chairman Mao said: "It says'Mr. Mao Zedong kai, south gate ben sent.'" What does 'kai' mean, it means 'open', the postcard has only one piece of paper, how can it be 'opened'? Besides, the three of you have names, but you use 'Benji', is Xu Zhixing also surnamed Mao? "
The three of them opened up. Since then, Xu Zhixing has understood that writing articles is not something that can be used, but must be rigorous and withstand scrutiny.
At that time, every holiday, Xu Zhixing followed Chairman Mao, Mao Zemin, and Mao Zeqin back to Shaoshan, and all the food and clothing that should be eaten and used were supplied by Chairman Mao. Yang Kaihui was very kind to him, often sewing clothes for him and encouraging him to study hard. Xu Zhixing read in Chairman Mao's attic and spent the New Year there.
In 1922, Xu Zhixing graduated from the First Division Attached Primary School in Changsha, and he was eager to apply for Chairman Mao's alma mater, the Hunan Provincial First Normal School, but the Hunan Provincial School was run by the government and only recruited students from the province. Xu Zhixing also wants to apply for other schools, but other schools are fee-based and expensive. When Chairman Mao saw the situation, he suggested that he go back to his hometown of Haining to apply for the Zhejiang Normal School, so that he could pay half of the tuition and meal fees. Half a year is less than ten dollars. Chairman Mao said to Xu Zhixing: "I can still help you with these ten yuan." "
Xu Zhixing did not want to leave Chairman Mao. When he was wandering the streets, it was Chairman Mao who had never known him who helped him and gave him travel expenses to let him go home. Chairman Mao also invited him to study in Changsha, and Chairman Mao paid all the expenses. The great favor is already difficult to repay. At this time, how could he bother Chairman Mao again in this situation. Therefore, he accepted Chairman Mao's advice and decided to return to his hometown to study. Before parting, Chairman Mao told him in a serious tone that he should study hard and care for society, and Xu Zhixing was tearful and thanked Chairman Mao for his help.
Chairman Mao said: "Be careful on the road, when you arrive in Zhejiang, after you have entered the school, you will write a letter." "
Xu Zhixing did not live up to Chairman Mao's expectations, and after coming to Hangzhou, he was admitted to the First Normal School of Zhejiang Province. He immediately wrote to Chairman Mao, who sent Xu Zhixing pocket money and progressive books one after another. Xu Zhixing studied diligently, especially the good articles he wrote, which were deeply appreciated by Yu Pingbo, a teacher of Chinese language. He began to write literature and tried to submit articles. Xu Zhixing's literary talent was gradually displayed, and he later published a number of autobiographical novels in the "Novel Monthly" edited by Mao Dun and Zheng Zhenduo, such as "A Young Man", "Master and Disciple", "Lonely Grave" and so on. Among them, one of the "Master and Disciple" was selected by Mao Dun to be included in the "New Chinese Literature Series". So within a few years, Xu Zhixing created more and more novels, he published the collection of novels "Lonely Grave", Yu Pingbert wrote a preface for him:
The emotions are deep, gradually deepened, and the writing is also euphemistic, which can be in harmony with the emotions. What is shown in the concentration is not only the personal life, but also the great era...
It can be seen that Yu Pingbo has a high evaluation of his novel.
Xu Zhixing's novel collection "Lonely Grave"
The adventure with Chairman Mao and the acceptance of his help and teachings undoubtedly had a tremendous impact on Xu Zhixing. Therefore, it is also reflected in his novels. In one of the autobiographical short stories, "A Day in Besha," he depicts in the third person the farewell to Chairman Mao:
After walking back to school, he reluctantly packed up his scattered things, saw that it was still early in the morning, and went to Qingshuitang to say goodbye to Mr. M. Mr. M was writing something at home, and when he saw him go in, he put his pen down and said to him:
"Oh, you received the letter you sent me the day before yesterday. Are you just going today? Well, it's already been hit by now, tuition, I have informed Zemin, he will raise it for you, and you can take it from him before leaving. You have only been in Changsha for one year, your learning and thinking have made progress, and you will go to school in the future, and I hope you will work extra hard. In terms of funding, I can always take you every semester, but now I am also very short of money, I am afraid that I can't send more. Schools in Zhejiang are no better than in Hunan, students are very luxurious and spacious, you always have to consider your own situation, to create the environment, do not be dominated by the environment. In the spare time of reading, I must also care about social undertakings..."
"In the past year, I have tired you a lot..."
"You're wrong again, so what's the point?" Please don't take this into account..."
He bowed his head, his eyes opened and closed unceasingly, and he couldn't say a word! When he said goodbye, the gentleman sent him to the door, looked at him and said, "Be careful on the road, when you get to somewhere, write a letter..." At this time, his throat was choked, and hot tears filled his eyes, and he could not say a word.
The plot of "A Day in Changsha" is not complicated, the character settings are simple, and there is even no dramatic conflict. However, from the words and lines, it can be seen that Xu Zhixing has a deep attachment to Chairman Mao, and the emotional description is sincere and delicate, and he can also understand Xu Zhixing's depressed state of mind at that time.
The novel was included in Xu Zhixing's collection of novels, Lonely Grave, published in 1929 by the Shanghai Yadong Library. From meeting Chairman Mao in Wuhan in 1919 to publishing his first collection of novels in 1929, 10 years later, when Xu Zhixing was only 28 years old. On the one hand, this shows that Xu Zhixing has a high degree of understanding and literary talent, and can write novels to a professional level in a relatively short period of time, from a wanderer and a young student; on the other hand, it also shows that this is inseparable from Chairman Mao's support, cultivation, and teaching of him. In the novel "A Day in Changsha", Mao Zemin and Mao Zeqin both use their real names, and Mao Zedong uses "Mr. M" instead. According to the research of relevant literary historians, this is the first time that Chairman Mao has been written into a novel as an "artistic image".
Xu Zhixing sadly writes in the novel:
He was born to consider the two saddest days: first, the day his mother died; second, the day he left Changsha.
It can be seen that the difference with Chairman Mao had a great influence on his life.
Xu Zhixing's separation from Chairman Mao this time is not a farewell forever. At Hangzhou Normal School, he actively cared about society and participated in activities. In 1925, he was expelled from the school for participating in the anti-imperialist patriotic movement, and Xu Zhixing had no choice but to write to Chairman Mao again. At that time, Chairman Mao had already gone to Guangzhou to work, so Xu Zhixing also went to Guangzhou. Soon Chairman Mao went to Wuhan again, and Xu Zhixing also followed him to Wuhan. Due to the needs of revolutionary activities, Chairman Mao returned to Hunan to organize the autumn harvest uprising, and Xu Zhixing returned to Zhejiang to participate in the activities. Later, Xu Zhixing went to Hunan twice to look for Chairman Mao, but he never heard from him, and he lost contact with Chairman Mao ever since.
Xu Zhixing
1949 was an unforgettable year for Xu Zhixing. Upon learning of the imminent establishment of the Central People's Government in Beijing, Xu Zhixing, who had been engaged in educational work in Shanghai for many years, could not hide his excitement, and he wrote a letter to Chairman Mao and told him about his experience. Chairman Mao quickly wrote back to him, encouraging him to do a good job: "Teaching in Shanghai is very good, and teaching is to serve the people. "
Chairman Mao's letter to Xu Zhixing
So since then, Xu Zhixing has written a letter to Chairman Mao every year to report on his work, and although Chairman Mao is busy, he has also continued to write back to him.
In 1956, Chairman Mao wrote back to him again:
Brother Zhixing:
October 8 Huishu has already received... Apologies for the delay. It's summer vacation, if you want, you can come to Beijing and find Ye Zilong in Zhongnanhai. You can go to Shaoshan in the summer.
Best wishes!
Mao Zedong
At Chairman Mao's invitation, Xu Zhixing was both excited and uneasy, he wanted to see Chairman Mao immediately and pour out his thoughts, but he also felt that the disparity between the identities of the two was too great, and he was always a little hesitant. So after a year of delay, in 1957, Xu Zhixing finally stepped on the northbound train.
When Xu Zhixing saw Chairman Mao again, he held Chairman Mao's hand tightly in both hands for a long time, after all, 38 years had passed since he and Chairman Mao first met. Chairman Mao was also very excited, hugged Xu Zhixing's shoulder and said, "Zhixing, we have finally met." He looked at Xu Zhixing and said with infinite emotion: "After waiting for you for a long time, you should have come earlier after receiving the letter!" How I wish I had seen you sooner! Chairman Mao's mood was particularly good that day, he recalled the days when the two had been together, the first time they met in Wuhan, and the study life of the First Division in Changsha. Xu Zhixing's excitement could not be expressed, and Chairman Mao still had the kind of funny and cordial conversation he had before. He also did not expect that Chairman Mao, as the leader of the People's Republic of China, would actually talk to himself, a wanderer in his early years and an ordinary teacher now, and pour out friendship. Therefore, Xu Zhixing poured out the words in his heart to Chairman Mao.
That day Chairman Mao warmly entertained Xu Zhixing.
All are home-cooked side dishes, four dishes and a soup, fried green peppers, leeks stir-fried shredded meat, tomato scrambled eggs, a plate of braised pork is specially added for guests.
A few days later, Chairman Mao again met with Xu Zhixing to learn from him about some of the situation in Shanghai's educational circles; since Chairman Mao was going to inspect the field, he said to Xu Zhixing before leaving: "If there are any difficulties, what requirements you have to ask." Xu Zhixing thought for half a day and said, "I want to go to Shaoshan to see." Chairman Mao listened and said happily: "Well, go there and have a look, and greet the relatives of my hometown on my behalf." Chairman Mao wrote a letter to Shaoshan County, asking "to receive him as a friend and to tell him something." Then he took out 500 yuan to give Xu Zhixing as a travel expense. Xu Zhixing insisted on refusing to ask for it, and Chairman Mao said, "This is my manuscript fee, which was given to you in my personal name." I will definitely not be indignant about the country, you can accept it with confidence! "
Chairman Mao
For Xu Zhixing, returning to Shaoshan again was just as excited as seeing Chairman Mao again. At that time, he studied here with Mao Zemin and Mao Zeqin. Chairman Mao's family regarded him as their own! He met Mao Zemin's wife, Wang Shulan, at Shaoshan Mountain, and Xu Zhixing affectionately called her "Fourth Sister-in-Law". Wang Shulan was old, but still recognized Xu Zhixing and said, "Are you a brother of Zhixing?" We haven't seen each other for more than 30 years..." Xu Zhixing held Wang Shulan's hand tightly. Wang Shulan seemed to be back to those magnificent years, murmuring, "Kaihui was sacrificed, and there were many people who were killed with her." Opening Hui's gun did not hit the point, in the middle of the night she woke up, shouted in the coffin, the agent listened to the report, and He Jian's people dragged her out again and killed her..."
Xu Zhixing burst into tears.
Now, Mao Zemin, Mao Zeqin, and Yang Kaihui have all sacrificed...
Xu Zhixing, accompanied by Wang Shulan, visited Chairman Mao's former residence. He was wandering around in familiar rooms, his past memories came to mind, and he even climbed up to an attic where few people went up, which was where Chairman Mao used to read, and he had also read books here...
End
In the history of modern Chinese literature, Xu Zhixing's name is unknown. He knew Chairman Mao in his early years, but later lost contact with Chairman Mao for various reasons and turned to education. When he was a student, he wrote literature and for the first time wrote Chairman Mao as an "artistic image" in a novel.
In his later years, Mr. and Mrs. Xu Zhixing
During his years in Shanghai, Xu Zhi was low-key, and almost no one except his old friends knew that he and Chairman Mao had this friendship. After Chairman Mao's death in 1976, Xu Zhixing was deeply saddened, and he talked about his contacts with Chairman Mao with his relatives and friends countless times, and said with emotion: If he had not met Chairman Mao, he would probably have always been a tramp, and chairman Mao had provided him with meticulous care, help, cultivation, and teaching; without Chairman Mao, it would have been absolutely impossible to have him today!
In 1983, Xu Zhixing died at the age of 82.