Li Jishen: Strive for New China

On October 1, 1949, Mao Zedong, Li Jishen (front row, second from right) and others were on the upper floor of Tiananmen Square.

　　Li Jishen, also spelled Renchao, was the chairman of the 1st to 4th Central Committee of the Kuomintang Revolutionary Committee. After 1949, he served as vice chairman of the Central People's Government, vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the First and Second National People's Congresses, and vice chairman of the first to third sessions of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.

　　Li Jishen's acquaintance with the leaders of the Communist Party of China began during the first period of Kuomintang-Communist cooperation, and Li Jishen successively knew Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai. In January 1924, the First National Congress of the Chinese Kuomintang was held in Guangzhou. Li Jishen, then commander of the First Division of the Guangdong Army and superintendent of the aftermath of Xijiang, met Mao Zedong, who was elected as an alternate member of the Kuomintang Central Committee at the meeting. The Kuomintang promoted the establishment of the Whampoa Military Academy, and during the preparatory period Li Jishen was appointed a member of the Preparatory Committee for the Military Academy, and in March, he was appointed acting chairman of the Military Academy's Enlistment Test Committee. In May, Li Jishen was appointed by Sun Yat-sen as the director of the Whampoa Military Academy's coaching department. In November, Zhou Enlai went to the Whampoa Military Academy as the director of the political department, and together with Li Jishen, he served at the Whampoa Military Academy, and the two worked closely together and supported each other.

　　In 1936, Li Jishen explicitly supported the Chinese Communist Party's proposition of "stopping the civil war and unanimously resisting Japan" and proposed the conclusion of an anti-Japanese national salvation agreement. Mao Zedong personally wrote a letter to Li Jishen expressing his approval and discussing the details of cooperation, and Li Jishen replied that he supported the anti-Japanese national united front and proposed that he was willing to cooperate closely with the Red Army in military operations. In December, when the Xi'an Incident broke out, Li Jishen sent a telegram to the whole country opposing the civil war, and on December 30, Li Jishen wrote to Mao Zedong, Zhu De, and Zhou Enlai, the original text is as follows:

　　Mao Zedong, Zhu De, and Zhou Enlai were the same as Xun Jian:

　　Mr. Qian (Qian Nashui) returned to the south and had to follow the Great Religion, and Mr. Pei and other grand dukes had no spirit of self-stoic struggle and weiqu. Mr. Qian also has the thickness of Mr. Dao's treatment and the sincerity of seeing each other, which is particularly admirable. After the deeds of the Xi'an soldiers, Mr. Foot Zheng and other inspirational dedications, and then how to achieve the unity of the entire strength of the whole country to the outside world, Mr. Tetohu Egong went to all parties to contact and entrust the situation in the southwest to the left and right, eagerly looking forward to showing zhou xing, praying to the point of feeling, not exhaustive wisps, and Mr. Tohu chen.

　　Dedicated, honoring Xun Qi.

　　Brother Li Ji deeply worshiped Qi

　　December 30th

　　At the end of the letter, a "brother" character is signed, which reflects Li Jishen's deep feelings for Mao Zedong, Zhu De, Zhou Enlai, and other CPC leaders. Li Jishen also actively promoted the second Kuomintang-Communist cooperation. In 1936, Chen Jitang, Li Zongren, Bai Chongxi, and others launched the Liangguang Incident to oppose Chiang Kai-shek's annexation of local forces, and Mao Zedong immediately issued the "Declaration on Resisting Japan in the North for the Two Guangdongs," indicating that the Red Army was willing to go north to resist Japan first, and "was willing to first form an anti-Japanese alliance with the two Guangdong authorities and fight together." At the same time, in order to further clarify the situation and carry out the united front, Mao Zedong also dispatched Yun Guangying, then head of the organization section of the Political Department of the Red Army University, to Guangxi on behalf of the CPC Central Committee and Mao Zedong himself to hold talks with Li Jishen, Li Zongren, Bai Chongxi, and others to introduce the CPC's anti-Japanese stand and carry out united front work. Li Jishen was particularly pleased with the arrival of the CPC deputies; he held talks with Yun Guangying on many occasions, showed a high degree of enthusiasm for cooperation among the CPC, and endorsed the CPC's proposition of "stopping the civil war and unanimously resisting Japan." At the same time, he actively promoted Qian Shoukang, a representative of the Gui faction, to go to northern Shaanxi to propose to the CPC Central Committee that the two sides sign an agreement on resisting Japan and saving the country, and to express his greetings to Mao Zedong.

　　On April 30, 1948, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China issued the "May Day Slogan". On May 1, Chairman mao Zedong of the CPC Central Committee sent a letter to Li Jishen and Shen Junru, proposing in a consultative tone the specific time and place of convening the POLITICAL CONSULTATIVE CONFERENCE, the parties and principles of the meeting, and the implementation steps.

　　After receiving the letter, Li Jishen immediately launched a series of actions in response to the "May Day slogan". For two consecutive days, on 2 May and 3 May, he summoned responsible persons of various democratic parties in Hong Kong to heat up discussions on the CPC's "May 1st slogan." Everyone unanimously agreed with and expressed their support, believing that convening a new CPPCC meeting and establishing a democratic coalition government is China's "politically necessary way" and "democrats should rise up and respond." On 5 May, Li Jishen, together with He Xiangning, Shen Junru, Zhang Bojun, Ma Sulun, Wang Shaojun, Peng Zemin, Chen Qiyou, Li Zhangda, Cai Tingkai, Tan Pingshan, Guo Moruo, and others, jointly sent a telegram to Mao Zedong, chairman of the CPC Central Committee, and actively responded to the "May 1st Slogan," saying that the "May 1st Slogan" is "suited to the requirements of the people's current situation, especially in line with the original purpose of the same people, and so on, and is willing to dedicate their modesty and jointly plan under the leadership of the CPC, with a view to Chinese the rapid success of the people's democratic revolution and the early realization of an independent, free, peaceful, and happy new China."

　　On September 30, 1949, at the First Plenary Session of the Chinese Political Consultative Conference, Li Jishen was elected vice chairman of the Central People's Government. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, Li Jishen was very excited and sincerely admired the Communist Party of China and its leaders who led the Chinese revolution to victory. Specially endowed with poems: "The wind and clouds are determined in Kyushu, and the command and planning are all the best in the world." The century-old empire should look back, and the thousand-year-old workers and peasants should take the lead. Cultivators have land to increase production, and labor-management cooperation benefits from profit. Peace of mind fell to the peace front, and the construction of glory and prosperity. (Ge Xuan)