Rong Yiren, a well-known democrat and "red capitalist", died in Beijing on October 26, 2005, at the age of 89. On November 3, the farewell ceremony of Rong Yiren's body was held at the Farewell Room of the First Body of Babaoshan Mountain. There was a low atmosphere inside and outside the auditorium, and there was already a black line outside the farewell room, and mourning slowly played and floated over people's heads.
In the ranks, several young men with white flowers on their chests were conspicuous, and one teenager was clutching a newspaper with the news of Rong Yiren's death in his hand, and his face was sad. It turned out that these teenagers were several second-year students from the Department of Business Administration of North China University of Technology, and they deliberately asked the school for leave to mourn the idol Rong Yiren, whom they had always respected.
Rong Yiren is a great figure in the history of China's economic development in the past century, has made a lot of contributions to our country, is an indispensable figure in the modern history of New China, and is the object of respect and respect by countless people.
One of the university students, Zhai Dongfang, said in an interview that Rong Yiren was an idol he worshipped, and that the Rong family was very remarkable, and he was shocked to learn the news of Rong Yiren's death. Early this morning, my classmates and I took a special leave of absence to send Rong Lao off.
The brilliant end, the achievement of an immortal life. Throughout his life, he was involved in the great changes in the country and the rise and fall of the Rong family. He performed a classic story that became an icon for generations. Throughout his life, he was deeply admired.
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" > the rise of Rongshi and the birth of CITIC</h1>
At the time when the Rong family was at its best, Rong Yiren was born, and no one knew what kind of legendary life this child would have at that time.
Rong Yiren was born in Wuxi in May 1916, and in the years since Rong Yiren was born, the Rong family has successively operated a number of flour mills and spinning mills in Shanghai and other places, and the Rong family has become a famous modern industrial and commercial family in Wuxi in the early twentieth century. The foundation of the Rong family's commercial family was laid by Rong Yiren's father and his father, Rong Zongjing and Rong Desheng.
Rong Desheng
Through the flour business, the Rong brothers entered the ranks of China's largest national capitalists. The success of the Rong brothers, who came from civilian origins, marked the rise of China's emerging entrepreneurs as a social class. They are a group of patriots, they are a group of "industrialists" who have saved the country through the industrial and commercial industry.
Rong Yiren was born and raised in the golden age of China's entrepreneurial boom, but unfortunately, this era was too short. During Rong Yiren's elementary school years, the end of a decade-long warlord melee actually brought hope to the people in itself, but in addition to hope, it also brought the new policy of the Kuomintang regime to "rule the economy".
It emphasized the priority development of the military industry and heavy industry, the implementation of state intervention in the economy, the restriction of the living space of entrepreneurs, because the Rong family did not buy enough military bonds, the enterprise was shut down by the Kuomintang government. Later, it was dredged by Wu Zhihui, a wuxi compatriot of the Kuomintang elders, and it was counted as a dismissal.
Wu Zhihui
Rong Yiren, the son of the richest man in China at the time, entered the family business early on, where he received training and rarely had time to relax. He remembered that when he was in school, he never had any winter or summer vacations, and as soon as he returned to Wuxi, he would enter the factory for internship, and his father was very strict with their young generation, and he could not put the young master's shelf, which was still very hard in general.
In the summer of 1937, Rong Yiren graduated from St. John's University and became the deputy manager of The Rong factory. After taking office, the young boss drafted a plan to open more than a dozen flour mills and create a flour trust, but the plan had not yet taken shape, and the sudden outbreak of the Lugou Bridge Incident shattered his dream.
In the eight years of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the Rong family agreed to the Kuomintang to enter the factory to resist the Japanese attack, and also handed over tens of thousands of bales of flour and thousands of bales of wheat accumulated in Jinan Maoxin to the Third Group for military food. When the Japanese army in Wuxi sent people to Shanghai several times in 1941 to pretend to negotiate with the Rong family about a Sino-Japanese joint venture (actually forcibly occupied), they were sternly rejected by Rong Yiren and his father and brother.
In the face of repeated threats and inducements by the Japanese and puppet forces, the Rong family said: "We are Chinese, and we will never sell China's industry to foreigners!" "Watching the Japanese army empty and destroy the enterprise, the Rong family will never give in." None of the Rong family bowed to the Japanese, nor did any factories "cooperate" on the same day.
In the face of the Japanese army's step-by-step pressing, Rong Yiren's father, Rong Desheng, braved the bombing of enemy planes to move the Shenxin No. 4 Factory and the Fuxin No. 5 Factory in the interior one after another under extremely difficult conditions, and successively established factories in Chongqing, Chengdu, Baoji, Tianshui, and other places to produce cotton yarn, compete with the dumping of Japanese yarn into the Chinese market, support the War of Resistance, and make contributions to the development of inland industry.
Rongjia lost 35% of their total pre-war assets, and thankfully, Rongjia still holds ownership of these enterprises and is not swallowed up by bureaucrats like some companies. On the day of the victory of the War of Resistance Against Japan, Rong Yiren drove a car and carried the national flag for a ride. He believes that the future of the country and business is bright. The post-war period was indeed a good time for industrial development.
Many Japanese factories can be acquired and operated by private companies. Entrepreneurs, however, were devastated by the chaos and collapse of the Kuomintang-ruled areas. In 1946, Rong Desheng was kidnapped, shocking Shanghai Beach and chilling the entrepreneurs.
As the Kuomintang retreated step by step, the entrepreneurs faced historic decisions, and everyone was in disarray. On the eve of the founding of the People's Republic of China, Rong Yiren's other relatives left the mainland one after another, but Rong Yiren decided to stay and actively participate in the great cause of new China's construction.
This move has made great contributions to China, set an example for national capitalists, and has been well received by the central leadership, and Chairman Mao Zedong has a special appreciation for Rong Yiren.
In the 1950s, as Chairman Mao Zedong invited Rong Yiren and other special guests to visit the Second Session of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference for the first time, they came to have dinner at Chairman Mao's official residence at the Zhongnanhai Mountain Resort, and Rong Yiren happened to sit at the table of Premier Zhou, who shook the hand of the 34-year-old Rong Yiren and said appreciatively: "Oh, Boss Rong is a young zhuang faction!" ”
This was the first time that Rong Yiren had been so close to the premier and the first time he had dinner with the leaders of the CPC Central Committee. Since then, the nickname given to him by the prime minister, "Young Zhuang Faction", has spread like this. In 1956, after careful consideration, Rong Yiren handed over many companies to the state free of charge, making outstanding contributions to the industrial rejuvenation of New China and winning the respect of the people.
From liberation in 1949 to 1959, Rong Yiren worked in Shanghai. China's textile industry was the most important industry at that time, and it was in need of an experienced leader to manage it, so Premier Zhou thought of Rong Yiren. In 1959, Rong Yiren was appointed Vice Minister of the Textile Industry. At his hotel in Beijing, Premier Zhou met with Rong Yiren.
Worried that Rong Yiren was not used to living in Beijing when he first came to Beijing, Premier Zhou took special care of him and said, "You can be in Beijing for half a year, and you can be in Shanghai for half a year." He paid great attention to Rong Yiren's work in Beijing.
After the Third Plenary Session of the Eleventh Central Committee, Rong Yiren began a new life, and out of the needs of economic development, Rong Yiren began to explore the road of China's economic development and the road of international economic cooperation.
With the personal support of Deng Xiaoping, Rong Yiren founded the China International Trust and Investment Corporation CITIC in October 1979, an investment institution directly under the State Council. Rong Yiren personally formulated the company's first founding document.
Rong Yiren has always stressed that the company should adhere to the principle of socialism and act in accordance with economic laws. He has the courage to innovate and learn from the effective practices of economic development in developed countries, and CITIC's tentacles cover all areas with different functions, such as banking, trading companies, law and accounting, lending, import and export trade, and consulting. This includes international tender agencies and various businesses.
In the first year of CITIC's establishment, Rong Yiren received more than 4,000 guests from more than 40 countries and regions, and more than 3,000 people came to China to negotiate business, and as a consultant, he made great contributions to the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the United States. Rong Yiren spared no effort to recruit talents and hired former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger as an adviser, making great contributions to the establishment of Diplomatic Relations between China and the United States and becoming a hot topic.
CITIC's business began with the issuance of overseas bonds, and over the years, CITIC has issued bonds in different currencies in several countries and in Hong Kong, China.
In 1984 alone, it successfully issued four foreign bonds, including 30 billion yen bonds, 300 million Hong Kong dollars, 150 million West German brands and 100 million US dollars, which won valuable financial support for China's industrialization.
In 1987, Rong Yiren was selected as one of the world's 50 most attractive entrepreneurs, which was the first time that Chinese entrepreneurs were selected.
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" > Rong Yiren's red path</h1>
On January 9, 1957, Vice Premier Chen Yi, who had been transferred to Beijing, accepted Mao Zedong's assignment and made a special trip back to Shanghai to elect vice mayor of Shanghai at the First People's Congress of the Second Shanghai Municipal People's Congress for Rong Yiren, whom he called "Red Capitalist." Rong Yiren was only 41 years old when he was elected vice mayor of Shanghai.
There is no doubt that this is a new starting point on his road to "red life".
Later, Rong Yiren mentioned in the article that he used to say this: "In the early days of liberation, I said that I was in favor of the Communist Party holding up only one hand. If both hands are raised, it is surrender. ”
Of course, all this is no longer a question of raising hands. Rong Yiren knows very well that the Communist Party serves the people and that socialism is the only way to revitalize China, and he will use his own hands to serve the Communist Party and socialism with all his might.
Rong Yiren fulfilled the trust of the party, as early as as the vice mayor of Shanghai, he gave full play to his advantages, actively worked, went deep into the factory to understand the situation, and helped solve problems in production.
According to the actual situation, he put forward many constructive suggestions to promote the development of Shanghai's industry, especially the textile industry, from many aspects, which is enough to see Rong Yiren's serious attitude and determination to treat the work.
In the 14 years from 1979 to 1993, Rong Yiren experienced two unusual springs. In the spring of 1979, he was ordered to "go out of the mountains" and established the CITIC Company, which attracted attention at home and abroad. In the spring of 1993, he was elected Vice President, stepping into a new dimension of his life.
On March 27, 1993, at the first session of the Eighth National People's Congress, Hu Jintao, the presiding officer of the congress, solemnly announced that Rong Yiren had been elected vice president of the country. After the news came, many people were greatly impressed.
For the 400 members of the Rong family, this is even more exciting news. Rong Yiren's niece in Germany, Rong Zhimei, said: "My fourth uncle is very lucky. He has his faith. A man who does as he believes, he can achieve it, and now he does. ”
Indeed, as a descendant of the national bourgeoisie, Rong Yiren's "red life" was not smooth sailing, but his conviction to follow the Communist Party and take the socialist road has never wavered.
Starting from Mao Zedong to Deng Xiaoping and Jiang Zemin, the three generations of party leaders took the lead in implementing the party's united front policy by example, always caring for him, loving him, helping him, and educating him.
Before the first session of the Eighth National People's Congress, Jiang Zemin's proposal for nominating vice presidents included Rong Yiren, which was unanimously approved by other leading comrades of the central authorities, as well as by Deng Xiaoping.
When we look at the background of the times and look at the life of the legend of Rong Yiren, we can see more clearly: from the "red capitalist" to "Mr. CITIC" to the vice president of the Republic, Rong Yiren's experience is extremely legendary, and it is inevitable and inevitable of the times.
After being elected vice president, Rong Yiren left his beloved CITIC and began to fulfill his duties as vice president of the country. During the five-year term of office of the Vice President of the People's Republic of China, Rong Yiren continued to contribute to the construction and development of the country with his unique identity, status and ability.
Since he had been engaged in economic work, he still focused his main energy on the economic construction of the country.
Through in-depth investigation, Rong Yiren understood the situation and expressed his own unique views on the country's major political and economic decisions, and he often put forward his opinions to the central authorities or relevant departments in a timely manner by means of talks and writings.
Jiang Zemin and other leading comrades attached great importance to his suggestions, often had cordial and in-depth exchanges with him, and specially appointed Zeng Peiyan, then deputy secretary general of the Central Financial and Economic Leading Group, to listen to his opinions on a regular basis.
As Vice President of the People's Republic of China, Rong Yiren also regularly attended various important state affairs activities, met with foreign leaders and important diplomatic envoys, visited the United States, Britain, Japan, Portugal, Spain, Myanmar and other countries, and forged deep friendships with leaders of many countries and well-known people in the business community.
In March 1998, after the election of the new term, Rong Yiren abdicated and lived a dull old age.
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" > the end of an era, and the legend ended</h1>
The legendary life of Rong Yiren came to an end at the age of 89, and his departure represented the departure of an era, the wheels of history rolling, pressing down on a heavy color, which belonged to Rong Yiren.
On the day of the farewell ceremony of the body, a large number of police officers gathered in front of the three gates of the Farewell Hall of the Babaoshan Tomb to manage the scene, and looking through the crowd, they vaguely saw the black banner at the door of the farewell hall, which read: "Mourn Comrade Rong Yiren with deep sorrow!" ”
Rong Yiren's portrait hangs straight under the flag. In the photo, he has a kind face and a gentle and elegant smile, which makes people feel very warm. Shangzhuang East Street is the main street leading to the farewell room of Babaoshan Funeral Home. On this hundred-meter-long street and intersection, four or five police teams were formed.
At 9 o'clock, a number of party and state leaders accompanied by mourning, they took a slow and heavy step to rong Yiren, stood for a long time, and then solemnly bowed to Rong Yiren's body three times, and shook hands with his family one by one to express deep condolences.
Dozens of wreaths were arranged outside the farewell room, and the mourning in the farewell room echoed in a low voice, and Rong Yiren's son Rong Zhijian stood next to Rong Yiren with a group of family members and shook hands with the people who came to mourn.
Rong Yiren lay calmly in a field of flowers, his body covered with a red party flag representing the party, and the wreath in front of him read: "We will always miss you for leading your children to cry." Rong Yiren's son kept bowing beside him and said to the people who came: "Thank you! Thank you! ”
Among the people waiting outside the farewell room were rongshi group employees, and a staff member who worked at China CITIC Bank said, "Ronglao used to be the chairman of CITIC Group, we met him in the company, and today the company's employees dressed uniformly to bid farewell to Ronglao." The memorial service was attended by thousands of people, and Rong Yiren's departure taught countless people who admired and worshipped him to mourn heavily.
Although Mr. Rong Yiren has passed away, the story of the Rong family is not over. The descendants of the Rong family are still passing on the "Rong spirit" with practical actions.
Rong Yiren had five children in his lifetime, four of whom were daughters and one was a son. The third daughter, Rong Zhiyuan, suffered from encephalitis when she was a child, was misdiagnosed as dementia, and later died of lung cancer. The remaining four children grew up under the supervision and guidance of Rong Yiren and are now shining in their respective fields.
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" > summary</h1>
Rong Yiren's life is closely related to most of China's important processes in the 20th century, and it can be said that it is another modern history of China, and at many important historical turning points, he always has a long-term vision, sees the situation clearly, and makes various contributions and great achievements.
Rong Yiren can be said to be the most legendary entrepreneur in China in the past century. The only private enterprise Mao Zedong visited in his life, the Shanghai Shenxin Ninth Factory, was owned by Rong Yiren. Rong Yiren not only had a special position in Mao Zedong's heart, but also an irreplaceable economic and financial wizard in the heart of Deng Xiaoping, the core of the second-generation central leadership.
Since Rong Yiren, there is no one in China with a business background like him to hold this high position.
The former "red capitalists", as the iconic figures of an era, have left us. Once upon a time, relying on flour and cotton yarn, they went from Wuxi to the world step by step, witnessing the rise and fall and twists and turns of China over the past hundred years. Now, the light of the Rong family will continue to spread to all parts of the world and benefit more people.