Wu Zhihui is a big man-level figure in modern history, arrogant and strange no less than the Famous Wei and Jin Scholars, leaving many interesting stories for posterity. Looking at the entire historical process of modern China, Wu Zhihui's participation is also extremely high, from the Penghu Reform Law to the Xinhai Revolution, the New Culture Movement, and then to the "April 12" and the War of Resistance Against Japan.
Wu Zhihui was born in 1865, his mother died early, he was pulled up by his grandmother, he was intelligent and studious since childhood, he was 23 years old, and he was a middle-aged man at the age of 26, but he participated in several examinations and was named Sun Shan. At the time of the change of law, Wu Zhihui once visited Kang Youwei and made a surprising remark about the eight strands, opium, and small feet. After that, Wu Zhihui went to Japan to study, and gradually came to the forefront of the anti-Qing front, and his reputation rose. In 1905, Sun Yat-sen visited Wu Zhihui. Wu Zhihui was invited to join the League, became one of the earliest members, and was later revered as a senior figure.
Wu Zhihui
After the Xinhai Revolution, Wu Zhihui served as the director of the Ministry of Education's Conference on The Unification of Pronunciation, presiding over the work of Chinese Zhuyin. Wu Zhihui believed that the difficulty of learning Chinese had caused the problem of education not being universal, and advocated the abolition of Chinese characters and the adoption of the "New Language of All Nations" composed entirely of letters. For how to implement the "new language of all countries" nationwide, Wu Zhihui also made detailed planning. Nowadays, most people remember that Qian Xuantong tried his best to advocate the Latinization of Chinese characters, but in fact, Wu Zhihui advocated this earlier than Qian Xuantong.
In September 1915, Chen Duxiu, who had returned from Japan, founded the New Youth in Shanghai, and the New Culture Movement began. Many people may not know that Wu Zhihui was actually involved in the planning of "New Youth". Wu Zhihui himself once recalled: Seeing the two terms of Duxiu, I still thought that he was a beautiful man. Later, when I met "New Youth" at the launch of it, I was amazed. Wu Zhihui and Chen Duxiu felt sorry for each other at first sight, and the two soon established a deep friendship.
Wu Zhihui and Chen Duxiu film and television images
At that time, Wu Zhihui was already a representative figure in the cultural circles, and his thinking was radical and avant-garde, and Chen Duxiu naturally would not put such good resources at ease. For Chen Duxiu's invitation, Wu Zhihui did not refuse, and wrote an article "Youth and Tools" during his illness, which was published in the second volume of "New Youth". In this regard, Chen Duxiu was extremely touched, and praised Wu Zhihui in the words at the end of the article: "Faithful and studious, old and sincere, and a model of sincerity for the people." Teachers of my generation.
Since then, Wu Zhihui has not only written articles published in the "New Youth", but also often mentioned younger generations, especially Qian Xuantong, who was also committed to the reform of Chinese characters. Qian Xuantong once wrote in his own handwriting: I know that Mr. Wu has a lot of brilliant ideas about ways to remedy Chinese characters, so I wrote to him to ask him.
Qian Xuantong
Even Lu Xun, who was not cold to Wu Zhihui, said when talking about Wu Zhihui's contribution to the new cultural movement: When you think about it, you remember that Wu Zhihui's pen and tongue have fulfilled a great task. In short, at that time, Chen Duxiu was the leader, and Wu Zhihui had the meaning of "teacher" next to the leader. Wu Zhihui is 14 years older than Chen Duxiu, and the two usually refer to each other as brothers, and in the exchange of letters, they respect each other as brothers.
Shortly after Chen Duxiu returned to Shanghai, the eldest son Chen Yannian and the second son Chen Qiaonian also came to Shanghai from their hometown in Anqing. Yannian and Qiao Nian have deep prejudices against their father, Chen Duxiu, mainly because Chen Duxiu eloped with Gao Junman a few years ago. Gao Junman is the sister of Gao Xiaolan, Yannian and Qiao Nian's mother, 10 years younger than Gao Xiaolan, but she and Chen Duxiu are in love.
Gao Junman film and television image
The brother-in-law and the little sister-in-law fell in love, which undoubtedly insulted the Gao family and the Chen family naturally strongly opposed this relationship. Chen Duxiu has always been rebellious and unruly, and the more others oppose him, the more determined he is, and as soon as he bites his teeth, he elopes with Gao Junman. In this way, Gao Xiaolan can only guard the empty house at home, and he also has to work hard to take care of several children and serve his in-laws. Yannian and Qiao Nian are well aware of their mother's difficulties, so they are naturally extremely dissatisfied with Chen Duxiu, and living with their aunt and stepmother Gao Junman is also quite embarrassing. Therefore, after the brothers arrived in Shanghai, they did not live in Chen Duxiu's house for a few days before moving out to rely on themselves.
Chen Duxiu did not stop Yannian and Qiao Nian, not because he had prejudices against his two sons, but because he hoped to see his son self-reliant. At that time, Chen Qiao was only 13 years old, and Chen Yannian was only 17 years old, neither of them had any skills, and could only work as a coolie at the dock. Within a few days, the brothers were unkempt and yellow-skinned.
Yannian and Qiaonian film and television images
Even Gao Junman couldn't look at it anymore, not only because he really felt sorry for the brothers, but also because he was afraid that others would say that she abused the child, so he persuaded Chen Duxiu to take the child home. However, Chen Duxiu disagreed, only believing that Gao Junman's "benevolence of women" looked kind on the surface, but it would harm Yannian and Qiao Nian, and the lives of young people should be allowed to create their own future.
Chen Yannian and Chen Qiaonian did not disappoint Chen Duxiu, they not only supported themselves, but also did not fall behind in studying, especially the excellent results of French. In 1917, Yannian and Qiao Nian were both admitted to Fudan University. It was also in this year that Chen Duxiu was invited by Cai Yuanpei, president of Peking University, to serve as the dean of liberal arts at Peking University, and left Shanghai with the editorial department of "New Youth", giving only 5 yuan per month to Yannian and Qiaonian living expenses.
Cai Yuanpei
Therefore, yannian and qiaonian still have to work and study half-time after going to college. Wu Zhihui is one of the initiators of the work-study movement, and has a great influence among young students, and Yannian and Qiaonian have great respect for him. Wu Zhihui also favored the sons of these two friends. Under the influence of Wu Zhihui, Yannian and Qiao Nian both joined the "Evolution Society" and accepted the anarchist ideas advocated by Wu Zhihui.
Wu Zhihui's thinking is mainly derived from western scholars such as Bakunin and Kropotkin, who believe that mutual help and mutual assistance is an instinct of human beings and an important factor in social progress, and relying on this force, mankind can eventually achieve a cohesive society of "each doing what it needs and taking what it needs". The young Chen Yannian and Chen Qiaonian, because they regarded Wu Zhihui as a saint-like teacher, naturally had great respect for his ideas.
Wu Zhihui film and television image
After the outbreak of World War I, there was a shortage of labor in European countries, especially France. Coupled with the sharp depreciation of the franc, the cost of studying in Paris and studying in Shanghai is almost the same. Prior to this, students who could study abroad were either all trained at official expenses or had better family conditions. After the First World War, the children of poor families were able to work and study abroad. Wu Zhihui found this important opportunity and vigorously called on young students in China to go to France to work and study half-time.
Chen Yannian and Chen Qiaonian were influenced by Wu Zhihui and also had the desire to study in France. But Chen Duxiu did not agree to let them go to France, but hoped to go to Soviet Russia after the October Revolution. Chen Yannian and Chen Qiaonian both lacked a sense of trust in Chen Duxiu himself and a sense of identification with the ideas he preached, so naturally they would not listen to Chen Duxiu's words. But in this way, they do not have the travel expenses and security deposits to go abroad.
Chen Duxiu father and son
Just when Yannian and Qiao nian were worried about money, Wu Zhihui helped them pay the deposit and helped them buy a ticket to France. At the end of 1919, Chen Qiaonian and Chen Yannian were crammed into the inferior cabin of an ocean-going cruise ship from Shanghai to France, and crossed the ocean to France for work-study. After that, Yannian and Qiao Nian had a strong sense of gratitude to Wu Zhihui and regarded him as a mentor.
However, because of the irreconcilable contradictions between Wu Zhihui and the work-study students, the teacher-student relationship between Chen Yannian, Chen Qiaonian and Wu Zhihui inevitably broke down. Wu Zhihui is too optimistic about going abroad to work and study, he believes that students can support themselves through part-time work after going abroad, and then squeeze out time to study, so that they can become talents. He once said: The more people who go abroad, the better, they can't learn anything else, and improving the toilets always has an effect.
What Wu Zhihui did not consider is that in foreign countries where languages and habits are not the same, and in France, where industry is far more developed than China, not every Chinese student can work and study, work and study half time. After many students arrive in France, they cannot solve the problem of part-time work for a long time, and their studies are even more out of reach. At that time, many students were from poor families, and their families sold their property and borrowed from the east and the west to make up enough money to go abroad, and after encountering unsolvable difficulties in France, they naturally felt dissatisfied with Wu Zhihui, the advocate, and felt that they had been deceived.
In June 1920, Wu Zhihui came to France to run the University of Lyon in Central France. At the welcoming ceremony held by the Huafa Education Society, many students asked Wu Zhihui questions about the difficulties of life and study, hoping to get help from the Education Society. But Wu Zhihui optimistically said: as long as there is ambition, all problems are not a problem, and doing hard work that has nothing to do with the profession is not a problem, as long as the four words "labor sacred" are recognized.
Young students have no relatives in a foreign country, and the Huafa Education Institute is the only object they can rely on. However, after Wu Zhihui discovered the contradiction between the society and the work-study students, he did not think of a way to seek assistance from the outside world to help the students solve the problem, but suggested that the society's assistance to students be cancelled. But this is obviously impractical, because these students came to France at the instigation of the Educational Institute.
In February of the following year, Cai Hesen, Li Weihan and others led a petition struggle of more than 400 work-study students, and the spearhead was directed at Chen Zhen, the Beiyang warlord's ambassador to France. Logically, Wu Zhihui, as the initiator of the work-study movement, should have resolutely stood with the students, but he did not do so, but stood with Chen Zhen. Chen Yannian and Chen Qiaonian were extremely disappointed by this, and gradually, Wu Zhihui's idol image collapsed.
Four months later, Zhao Shiyan, Li Lisan, Xu Teli, and others secretly borrowed money from France at the expense of China's rights and interests, and organized students to launch a "refusal conference." Subsequently, the French authorities made the decision to cut off all maintenance costs and repatriate the students. At this time, the students' only hope is the University of Central France, where Wu Zhihui is the president.
However, at this time, Wu Zhihui had a very big prejudice against the work-study students, believing that they were "undisciplined, unwilling to suffer hardships, and untrustworthy in their words", and refused to let the work-study students enter the University of Lyon. In the end, 104 students, including Cai Hesen, Li Lisan, and Chen Yi, were sent back to China. In the struggle against Wu Zhihui, Chen Yannian and Chen Qiaonian always stood with the work-study students and completely broke with Wu Zhihui.
Former site of the University of Central France-Lyon
Through practical struggles, coupled with the influence of zhou Enlai, Wang Ruofei, Zhao Shiyan, Li Lisan and other work-study students, Yannian and Qiao Nian abandoned the anarchist ideas they had originally respected and accepted Marxist ideas. In 1922, Chen Yannian, Chen Qiaonian, Zhou Enlai, Wang Ruofei and others founded "Youth" to actively propagate Marxism. In August of the same year, Yan Nian and Qiao Nian joined the French Communist Party under the introduction of Ho Chi Minh, and soon became full members of our party, and together with Zhou Enlai, became the leading members of the branch of the European branch.
Chen Duxiu was extremely happy after learning about the change in Yannian and Qiao Nian's thinking, especially since yannian and Qiaonian automatically changed in practice, and he had been waiting for this day for many years. Wu Zhihui, on the other hand, was extremely angry and could not accept the fact that Yannian and Qiaonian had come to the opposite side of him. For the two brothers, Wu Zhihui hated Yannian more than he hated Qiao Nian, because he believed that Qiao Nian was influenced by Yannian to oppose himself. The unfortunate murder of this later yannian laid the groundwork.
Chen Yannian film and television image
In the winter of 1924, Chen Yannian and Chen Qiaonian, who had studied in Moscow for more than a year, returned to China, of which Yannian was sent to work in the south and Qiao Nian was sent to the north. After Chen Yannian arrived in Guangzhou, he was first responsible for the work of the regiment, and then succeeded Zhou Enlai as the secretary of the Guangdong District Party Committee. Chen Yannian made very great contributions to the revolution in Guangdong; on the one hand, he vigorously developed the active elements on all fronts into the party, so that the revolutionary forces in Guangdong developed and grew rapidly; on the other hand, he actively led the masses to carry out revolutionary activities, the most famous of which was the provincial and Hong Kong general strike of more than a year.
Chen Qiaonian's work in the north was also outstanding, and he replaced Zhao Shiyan as the director of the organization department of the northern regional party committee, and assisted Li Dazhao in carrying out many influential work in the north, such as founding publications, strengthening organizational construction, and leading revolutionary activities. By 1927, both Chen Qiaonian and Chen Yannian had been elected as members of the Central Committee, plus Chen Duxiu, who was the general secretary, and was a member of the three committees.
Chen Yannian and Chen Qiaonian
Just as the revolutionary forces were thriving, Wu Zhihui told old Chiang Kai-shek to "clean up the party" and sewed a legal coat for him to launch the "April 12" campaign. Shortly before that, Wu Zhihui also had correspondence with Chen Duxiu, and still referred to Chen Duxiu as a brother. Not only that, Wu Zhihui also had a long conversation with Chen Duxiu, and the content of the conversation unfortunately became the evidence of Wu Zhihui's reporting and exposing.
According to Wu Zhihui's diary, Wu Zhihui once said that "200 years of Leninist society may not be enough for China", but Chen Duxiu did not think so, insisting that "20 years is enough". Chen Duxiu's persuasive analysis, coupled with the vigorous development of the revolutionary situation at that time, Wu Zhihui could not help but think carefully and was extremely afraid, and soon he said to the old Chiang Kai-shek that he would "clean up the party," resulting in the blood of countless revolutionary sons and daughters spilling on the ground. Chen Yannian, who had regarded Wu Zhihui as his mentor, was a victim who had been killed twice by Wu Zhihui.
Wu Zhihui and Chen Duxiu
On June 26, 1927, Chen Yannian was arrested for betrayal at the inaugural meeting of the Jiangsu Provincial Party Committee secretly held, when Chen Yannian had just been elected secretary of the Jiangsu Provincial Party Committee. However, Chen Yannian's identity was not revealed after his arrest. First, because the traitor did not know Chen Yannian, only the name. Second, because Chen Yannian was wearing a coarse cloth short coat when he was arrested, and his skin had been darkened by years of labor, it was completely a picture of a low-level coolie, and the enemy did not think of him at all as a "big member of the people."
Chen Yannian also behaved extremely calmly after his arrest, claiming that his name was Chen Yousheng, he was the husband of the landlord's family, and the scene was too chaotic when the military police came to arrest people, and unfortunately he was arrested, in fact, he did not have anything to do with the people they wanted to arrest. The interrogators believed Chen Yannian's words, but did not release him immediately, because he was so fierce at the time of his arrest that he hit two patrol officers with stools.
After the organization learned of Chen Yannian's arrest, it immediately launched a rescue operation. Wang Ruofei entrusted his friend Liu Fangyue to come forward to find Wu Kaisheng, a well-known lawyer in Shanghai, to defend Chen Yannian and put together a sum of money to open up the joints. Wu Kaisheng is a Chinese with a sense of justice, although he guessed the identities of Chen Yannian and Wang Ruofei, he did not refuse to rescue Chen Yannian for fear of risk. Wu Kaisheng went to prison as a lawyer to read the case records, determined that Chen Yannian's identity had not been exposed, and made a point.
Wang Ruofei
Chen Yannian's identity was not revealed, and the lawyer made another point, and if normal, he would soon be released. However, in addition to Wang Ruofei and others rescuing Chen Yannian, Chen Duxiu's good friend Wang Mengzou is also trying to save Yannian. Wang Mengzou is the manager of Yadong Library, who has helped many celebrities publish books, has close contacts with people from all walks of life, and is quite well informed. Wang Mengzou was extremely worried after learning the news of Yannian's arrest, but he did not have a strong relationship himself, so he thought of his mutual friend Hu Shi and Chen Duxiu, who happened to be in Shanghai.
Hu Shi is a friend of many celebrities, and he is also kind and kind, and has helped many people. After Wang Mengzou spoke, Hu Shi agreed to help out of his friendship with Chen Duxiu and his love for patriotic youth. However, Hu Shi was not particularly close to people in the military and political circles at that time, so he thought of finding help from Wu Zhihui, a "big red man". At that time, Hu Shi only knew that Wu Zhihui and Chen Duxiu were good friends, and he also greatly appreciated the Yannian and QiaoNian brothers, and did not know that they had broken up between them. I didn't think about it, but this is a bad thing.
Hu shi
Wu Zhihui learned that Chen Yannian had been captured by the Shanghai patrol, and Chen Yannian's identity had not yet been revealed, so he immediately wrote a letter to Yang Hu, the commander of the Shanghai garrison, to "inform." According to the letters that were later published in the "Declaration," Wu Zhihui wrote rather viciously: Today, when Chen Duxiu's son Yannian was captured, he did not feel happy. Sir is a real man, such a huge man will be arrested, Peihe to the end. Yan Nian was a hundred times more vicious than his father, and should be summarily executed as soon as possible.
Only then did Yang Hu know that his men had captured Chen Yannian and immediately went to prison to interrogate Chen Yannian. After Chen Yannian learned that his identity was exposed, he immediately held the determination to die. As early as the period of the provincial and Hong Kong strikes, he was in danger and said to the people around him that the sacrifice of a party member was better than a million leaflets. Therefore, no matter how Much Yang Hu coerced and seduced and how severely tortured, Yannian did not say a word. Yang Hu became angry and immediately ordered chen Yannian and others to be executed the next day.
Chen Yannian
In early July 1927 (generally believed to be the 4th, but according to the information found by the author, it is likely to be the 2nd, and the information will be attached later), the executioner secretly escorted Chen Yannian to the Shanghai Longhua Execution Ground. The executioner ordered Chen Yannian to kneel down and be tortured, but Yannian stood tall and did not kneel, and at the same time said loudly: Revolutionaries are bright and upright, they regard death as a homecoming, and they can only stand and die, never kneel to die!
Several executioners rushed up and pushed Chen Yannian to the ground, but Yannian soon struggled to stand up. The executioners became angry and once again swarmed to hack Yan Nian to death. The proud protracted years eventually fell. But it is only his flesh that has fallen, and his spirit will always stand. At that time, Yan nian was only 29 years old. A year later, at the age of 26, Qiao Nian also collapsed in this place.
After Chen Yannian's heroic righteousness, Yang Hu immediately sent a letter of thanks to Wu Zhihui. In the letter, he wrote: Yesterday he was taught by hand, and he was praised, and the tiger was flattered, and dared not to work harder...
Yang Hu's letter of thanks undoubtedly confirmed the fact that Wu Zhihui fell into the well and ruthlessly killed Yannian. And Yan Nian, who had regarded Wu Zhihui as a benevolent teacher, probably would never have thought that the person who killed him at the last moment was actually the former revered division commander!