On the occasion of the National Public Memorial Day (December 13), in order to commemorate the martyrs who sacrificed their precious lives for national independence and national liberation, Xiaobian specially sorted out the life deeds of Wang Tao, a martyr from Qingpu.
Martyr Wang Tao (1921-1943)
Martyr Wang Tao (1921-1943), formerly known as Ruipeng, was a native of Chengxiang Town, Qingpu (Chengxiang Town has now been withdrawn). He has been diligent and studious since childhood, especially in Chinese language classes and arithmetic classes, and is often praised by teachers. Entering high school, Wang Tao has become the leader of the class.
During his studies, Wang Tao often read articles by famous writers such as Lu Xun, Guo Moruo, and Mao Dun, met many progressive classmates and friends, and was influenced by a large number of revolutionary and progressive ideas. On July 7, 1937, after the outbreak of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, he returned to Qingpu to join the Foreign Student Union and devoted himself to the work of anti-enemy support. In the autumn of that year, together with his classmate Ding Jingtang, he founded a literary and art journal called "Bee".
Wang Tao and his classmates founded the semi-monthly magazine "Bee"
(Image from the Internet)
It is a publicly published literary and art journal, sixteen folio, thirty-two pages, semi-monthly. In order to be officially published, classmate Ding Jingtang, with the help of his enlightenment teacher Mr. Chen Qiying, issued a publishing license. Teacher Chen also enthusiastically introduced Ding Jingtang and Wang Tao to Muling Road to find a newspaper editor surnamed Zhang and ask him for business knowledge about editing and typesetting. Then he introduced the two of them to a printing factory at the intersection of the new gate of Nicheng Bridge to learn printing technology. Such a simple alley factory with only five or six people sent two old workers skilled in printing business to teach them hand in hand until the birth of "Bee". Founded in 1938, Bee only published two issues, but it worked well. Later, Yi Bao hired him as a deputy editor. During the editing of "Bee" and "Yi Bao", Wang Tao wrote and edited many articles of a combative and infectious nature, which played an immeasurable role in awakening the people and educating them to fight against the war.
Soon after, the situation in the concession was turbulent and unpredictable, and the publication was forced to stop. With the help of friends, Wang Tao found a job as a Chinese language teacher in primary schools. But Wang Tao still stubbornly held his pen and wrote some articles that frightened the invaders and traitors. From the end of 1938 to July 1940, Wang Tao successively published 120 essays, essays, poems, small novels, political papers and other supplements such as "Free Talk", "Entertainment Circles", "Spring and Autumn" of "Declaration", "Silhouette" and "Children's Weekly" of "Big Evening News", "Weekly Literature and Art" and "Solid" of Hua Pao, "Luminous Light" of "Damei Evening News", "Ji Na" of "Sino-American Daily", "Morning Tea" of "Damei Weekly", "Lighthouse" of "Wenhui Evening", and "Morning Bell" of "Herald". He became a more influential young author in the "isolated island" literary circle at that time.
Wang Tao published an essay on the "Free Talk" of the "Declaration"
In his article "Our Pen", he wrote:
"Our pen, our weapon, is sharper than a gun. Even if the mighty invaders have shot the bullets, we need to cut through the belly of the enemy and expose all its vileness and brutality hidden under good terms. Neither slow nor hesitant; hold up our pen and make a heroic and intense assault on the invaders! We cannot be weak or obscure; we hold up our pens like the yangtze river gushing with rage, stirring up the white waves of our anger. This white wave roared with rage and was about to overwhelm every invader and robber. Our pen, dipped in the blood of tens of millions of loyal and courageous soldiers, burns like a martyr, writing about our suffering nation, struggling out of the hard prison and winning the final victory. It is in tune with the melody of the War of Resistance, constantly exercising our pen in the nourishment of blood, and defending the motherland! Rise up! Heroic of our pen. ”
Wang Tao strongly advocated that writers in Shanghai write some popular books and carry out in-depth popularization campaigns. Shouldering the responsibility of the times, only by using popular tones and writing popular literary and artistic works to educate the public is the best way. Popular is not vulgar, and popularity does not reduce the achievement and value of excellent works in any way. Wang Tao practiced it himself. For example, "Asking for Flowers and Flowers Falling" published on "Everyone Talks", "Tian Banchang" on "Damei Weekly", and "Midnight Song" on "Big Evening News" are all simple language and easy to understand. Some works also absorb folk slang, which seems vulgar, but in fact has a strong appeal, which is very suitable for the reading and preaching of ordinary people at that time, and has a strong combat nature.
In July 1940, Wang Tao and his comrades-in-arms crossed the enemy's blockade and arrived at the Liberated Area of Northern Jiangsu and entered the Funing Lu Xun Art School to study. Soon after, he joined the Communist Party of China. After graduating, he was assigned to the New Fourth Army as a cultural instructor. In December of the following year, the Pacific War broke out, the Japanese army entered the Shanghai Concession, and Wang Tao was ordered to return to Shanghai to carry out the anti-Japanese underground struggle. He put his personal safety at risk and did an excellent job in accomplishing the tasks entrusted to him by the Party in a very dangerous environment.
On the evening of April 20, 1943, Wang Tao was unfortunately arrested for betrayal by traitors. In prison, he was tortured to the fullest, not succumbed to rape, and showed the lofty integrity of a Communist Party member. On June 6, after the Japanese Kou had exhausted their ruse, they brutally and secretly killed Wang Tao in Jiangwan, who was 23 years old at the time. After the liberation of Shanghai, traitors who betrayed the martyr Wang Tao were detained and executed by the people's judicial organs.
Source: Qingpu Archives
Editor-in-charge: Chen Shi