Chairman Mao
January 12, 1957, was a happy day for the editors of poetry magazine.
Although they were anxiously looking forward to and looking forward to it, they still did not expect that happiness would come so quickly, and they received a letter from Chairman Mao to the editors of the Poetry Journal, and sent 18 poems. The whole magazine "Poetry Journal" and the Writers' Association were in a sensation, and people rushed to tell each other, and the excitement was extraordinary.
Chairman Mao's letter to Zang Kejia and others
Chairman Mao's letter is as follows:
Comrade Kejia and comrades:
Huishu has already received it, and apologizes for the delay! If you follow the instructions, you will remember the old style of poetry, together with the eight poems you sent, for a total of eighteen poems, copied and sent as another paper, please add to the examination office.
I have always been reluctant to publish these things officially, for fear of spreading falsehoods and misleading young people; moreover, there is not much poetry and no characteristics. Since you think you can publish it and correct typos for a few poems that have already been copied, do as you please.
The publication of poetry, excellent, I wish him growth and development. Of course, poetry should be dominated by new poems, and some old poems can be written, but it is not appropriate to promote them among young people, because this kind of subject matter restricts the mind and is not easy to learn, and these words are only for your reference.
Salute of comrades!
Mao Zedong
January 12, 1957
The 18 poems sent by Chairman Mao to the Poetry Journal were: "Changsha", "Yellow Crane Tower", "Jinggangshan", "New Year's Day", "Huichang", "Dabaidi", "Loushan Guan", "Sixteen Character Order", "Long March", "Liupanshan", "Kunlun", "Snow", "Mr. Liu Yazi", "Huanxi Sha", "Beidaihe" and "Swimming".
So why did Chairman Mao send 18 poems to the Poetry Journal, and what stories happened in between?
01
In January 1956, a conference on intellectuals was held in Beijing. Soon after, the poet Zang Kejia was transferred from the People's Publishing House to the Chinese Writers Association, and immediately took charge of the preparation of the magazine "Poetry Journal" and served as the editor-in-chief. The task of the "Poetry Journal" is mainly to implement the literary and artistic policy of "a hundred flowers blooming and a hundred schools of thought contend", prosper poetry creation, promote the development of poetry, and use new poems to reflect the fiery life of the Chinese people.
In November 1956, the preparations for poetry magazine entered a critical stage. How did the first issue of the magazine come out? How should the first shot be fired? This is the first question before the editors. In order to run the magazine well, Zang Kejia visited Guo Moruo, Feng Xuefeng and other writers. Xu Chi, one of the editorial board members, went to ai qing, Feng Zhi and other old poets to listen to their opinions and hope to get their support.
At that time, Xu Chi and Lü Jian had already collected 8 of Chairman Mao's poems circulating in society. At that time, everyone read it and obtained the most precious treasure, and unanimously agreed that these poems should be examined and approved by Chairman Mao and published in the inaugural issue of the magazine "Poetry Journal".
First, the publication of Chairman Mao's poems is of great significance to the magazine, which will undoubtedly make the magazine a hit; second, it will allow more people to read Chairman Mao's poems. Because, as Chairman Mao said, these poems he created were "always reluctant to be officially published," only a very small number of people in society knew about Chairman Mao's poems, and for the broad masses, it was rare to read Chairman Mao's poems. It is inevitable that some poems will be circulated to society, and if there is no final draft, the masses will read many versions, and the understanding of Chairman Mao's poems will not be correct. Therefore, whether from the perspective of the magazine company or from the perspective of the masses of the people, it is timely to publish Chairman Mao's poems.
Therefore, the editorial board of the Poetry Journal, under the presidency of the editor-in-chief Zang Kejia, wrote a letter to Chairman Mao, and the other 6 editorial board members also signed their names.
Dear Chairman Mao,
The Chinese Writers Association decided to launch the Poetry Journal in January next year, and I think you like to hear this news. Because you have always cared about poetry, because you are our favorite leader, but also our favorite poet, the poet loved by the whole world.
We ask you to help us run this poet's own publication, give us some instructions, some support.
……
We hope to publish eight of your poems in the inaugural issue. Most of those eight poems have been translated into various languages and printed in the first volume of their Selected Chinese Poems. Those eight songs, in China, are widely circulated. However, because they had not been published publicly, the masses copied each other, so that there were quite differences in the text. Some comrades suggested that if we wanted these poems to circulate, we should ask the author's permission to publish a final draft.
Secondly, we hope that you will send us old works or new poems that have not yet circulated outside. That will be a blessing for the poetry scene of our country and a great encouragement to our poets.
We deeply feel that the task of the Poetry Journal is beautiful and important; we are eager for your help; we must calm down to listen to your voice and your chanting.
Editorial Board of Poetry Journal
Editor-in-Chief: Zang Kejia
November 21, 1956
The letter was sent out, and Zang Kejia and the editorial board waited anxiously. They knew that Chairman Mao was busy with official duties, so they all waited with trepidation for an echo. More than a month later, Chairman Mao sent a reply letter to Zang Ke's house in the form of an urgent letter. How exciting this is for the Zang family! In particular, Chairman Mao not only personally corrected the 8 poems that had been circulated, but also sent 10 poems that were not made public at all, which was undoubtedly the most important manuscript for the editorial board of the Poetry Journal, which was "joy descending from heaven."
Zang Kejia couldn't help but recall his "poetic relationship" with Chairman Mao.
As early as the Chongqing negotiations, Zang Kejia met with Chairman Mao...
02
Zang Kejia's original name was Zang Yuwang.
Born in 1905 in Zhucheng, Shandong.
He showed literary talent very early on.
In 1925, he published his works in the "Yu Silk" edited by Lu Xun.
After being admitted to Shandong University in 1930, he successively published poems such as "Refugees" and "Old Horse", and three years later published poems such as "Branding" and "The Black Hand of Evil", thus becoming famous in the literary world. In 1943, he was elected as an alternate director of the All-China Literary and Art Circles Anti-Enemy Association, responsible for editing the magazine "The Upbringing of Difficult Children".
Zang Kejia
In August 1945, Chairman Mao personally went to Chongqing to negotiate with the Kuomintang. During the peace talks, Chairman Mao met with cultural circles in Chongqing on many occasions to propagate to them the Communist Party's peaceful policy. One day in September, Chairman Mao convened a forum of more than 20 cultural figures at the Zhang Zhizhong Mansion.
Zang Kejia was also invited.
During the conversation, Zang Kejia asked Chairman Mao: "The Kuomintang is so stubborn, can we strive for unity and progress, can we do it?" ”
Chairman Mao replied: "The snowy mountains and meadows have all come, and there is nothing that cannot be won!" ”
This left a deep impression on Zang Kejia, who could see Chairman Mao's optimism and fearless boldness from the conversation, as well as the efforts made by the Communists to strive for peace. After returning home, Zang Kejia still couldn't suppress his excitement, so he unfolded his pen and paper and quickly wrote a poem called "Mao Zedong, You Are a Big Star", which was later published in The Xinhua Daily on September 9, 1945 under He Jia's pen name:
Mao Zedong! You are all Yan'an, all of China,
The tallest person.
You are thousands of miles away from us,
You're as close as you are in front of you...
In order to bring down the common enemy,
You stand for unity,
The War of Resistance was victorious,
You still stand for unity;
Because you know, what the people demand today is not civil war,
It is peace, it is democracy, it is construction.
With your own chest,
With the hearts of the people,
You yourself have descended upon this wartime capital,
Made a great symbol.
From your voice,
We heard a new China;
From your gaze,
We see a great light.
At that time, the Chongqing negotiations were not over, the Kuomintang reactionaries were still engaged in sabotage activities everywhere, and Zang Kejia's ability to publish such a poem also showed his fearless spirit. These verses express Zang Kejia's heartfelt love and trust for Chairman Mao and the Communist Party.
Now, 12 years later, the reactionary rule of the Kuomintang has long been overthrown, the people have become the masters of the house, and at this time chairman Mao's reply and poems have been received, which is an exciting moment for both the magazine "Poetry Journal" and for him personally.
However, there were still Zang Kejia and others who were even more excited, and only two days later, Yuan Shuipai, one of the editorial board members of the Poetry Journal, called Zang Kejia: "Chairman Mao wants to meet us, and at 3 p.m. I will come by car to pick you up." ”
03
The car drove into Zhongnanhai and went straight to the front of the Yinian Hall.
Silence in the room. There is no special decoration, just a bench, very simple.
Zang Kejia's mood was very nervous.
Not long after, a tall figure came out of the east door. Chairman Mao kindly shook hands with Zang Kejia and the others, then gave up his seat and everyone sat down. Chairman Mao drew a cigarette from a cigarette box and gave it to the crowd. When Giving Zang Kejia a cigarette, Zang Kejia said, "I can't smoke." ”
Chairman Mao laughed and said, "Poets don't smoke? ”
Chairman Mao's amiable conversation calmed Zang Kejia's heart.
Chairman Mao asked, "Are you teaching at Peking University?" ”
Zang Kejia said: "No, I work in the Writers Association. ”
Then Chairman Mao said: "I have read the article you published in the China Youth Daily commenting on my Yongxue words. ”
Zang Kejia hurriedly asked, "How should the word 'lap' in the poem 'original Chi La Elephant' be interpreted?" ”
Chairman Mao asked rhetorically, "What do you think it should be?" ”
Zang Kejia pondered for a moment and said: "It is better to change the word 'wax', which can be opposed to the 'silver' word of the 'mountain dance silver snake' above." ”
Chairman Mao said, "Well, you can change it for me!" ”
Later, talking about the founding of the "Poetry Journal", Zang Kejia said: "Now the paper is difficult, after our repeated requests, the head of the cultural department only promised to print 10,000 copies... "Poetry Journal" only printed 10,000 points, which is too unreasonable. ”
Chairman Mao asked, "How much do you say you print?" ”
Zang Kejia said: "Public Tao, fifty thousand copies!" ”
Chairman Mao said, "Well, just print fifty thousand copies!" ”
As the conversation deepened, the mood of the crowd became more and more high and unrestrained. Chairman Mao talked about his views on major international events, and the people knew very little about this aspect, but just listened silently. Chairman Mao suddenly asked, "After hundreds of years, communism has been realized in the whole world, but is there still any struggle?" Chairman Mao asked suddenly, and everyone said they didn't know. Chairman Mao said: "I still think there are still some, but not on the battlefield, but on the walls." ”
Because Chairman Mao met with poets, the topic was always inseparable from poetry. Chairman Mao attached great importance to folk songs, saying: "The Book of Poetry takes four words as the main body, later five words, and now there are more seven words, which has evolved with the times. The new poems now are too loose, and I think that the new poems should develop on the basis of classical poetry and folk songs. I personally like to write in the form of words, I am used to it, and it is easy to use. ”
The conversation lasted for more than two hours, until more than 5 p.m., when the Zang ke family and the poets saw that chairman Mao had taken up too much time, they got up and resigned, and Chairman Mao sent them out the door, waving to them: "Send me a copy of your poetry collection!" ”
Back at home, Zang Kejia remembered the scene of the cordial meeting with Chairman Mao, and not only was his heart full of excitement and poetry, but he wrote a long poem called "Being a Guest at Chairman Mao' Place" in one go.
04
Chairman Mao handed over his 18 poems to the Poetry Journal, and the news of the forthcoming publication was not far away, and soon became widely known, which ensured the success of the inaugural issue of the Poetry Journal.
On January 25, 1957, the inaugural issue of Poetry Magazine was officially launched. It was the eve of the Spring Festival, the sky was snowing heavily, and there was already a long queue on the street, which was not to buy New Year goods, but to buy "Poetry Journal", which became a good story in the literary world.
Poetry Journal
The "Poetry Journal" published 18 poems of Chairman Mao at once, and immediately after publication, it caused a sensation in the literary world and the whole country. This is not only a major event in the literary world, but also a major event for the people of the whole country. Because it was from this time that Chairman Mao's poetry went from being circulated by a few people to being circulated in public, and many people actually knew for the first time that Chairman Mao was not only a great thinker, military man, and revolutionary, but also a great poet.
Chairman Mao's poetry is picturesque
In particular, the re-publication of "Qinyuan Spring and Snow" and the first launch of "Beidaihe", "Loushanguan" and "Long March" let people appreciate Chairman Mao's magnificent and heroic poetry. At the same time, people in the music, radio, and opera circles have also successively launched songs, recitations, singing, and other literary and artistic forms; people throughout the country have organized the study of Chairman Mao's poems, and a wave of Chairman Mao's poetry has soon arisen on the land of Shenzhou. Before the poetry journal launched Chairman Mao's 18 poems as a whole, very few people knew about Chairman Mao's poems, but after that, Chairman Mao's poems quickly spread to all households and could be said to be household names.
Chairman Mao's poem "Huichang" was officially published in the magazine "Poetry Journal" in 1957
05
On November 23, 1956, Zang Kejia published an article entitled "Reading Chairman Mao's Words of Snow on Snow Days", which was praised by Chairman Mao. After Chairman Mao's 18 poems were published, Zang Kejia, at the invitation of major newspapers and periodicals, successively wrote many articles to appreciate Chairman Mao's poems, interpreting the ideological content, writing background, difficult problems, and artistic characteristics of the poems, which were widely welcomed by readers.
In addition to appreciating Chairman Mao's poems, Zang Kejia also actively discussed and revised Chairman Mao's poems. When Chairman Mao met with Zang Kejia and others, Zang Kejia proposed that the word "wax" of the "original Chi Laxiang" be changed to the word "wax", "La" is the ancient name of Cambodia, and the wax statue is also the meaning of "elephant of the southern country", but for most readers, "Wax Elephant" is not easy to understand, and Zang Kejia changed this word to be more understandable.
On New Year's Day 1964, Chairman Mao invited Guo Moruo, Zang Kejia, Feng Zhi, and others to attend a symposium to solicit opinions on his poems. Zang Kejia then gave his 23 comments to Chairman Mao's secretary, Tian Jiaying. Later, in the published "Poems of Mao Zedong", 13 opinions of Zang Kejia were adopted, among which the famous revision was the Seven Laws of "Climbing Lushan". "A mountain soars to the edge of a big river, jumping to the four hundred spins of greenery", in Chairman Mao's manuscript is "jumping to the four hundred plates of green onions"; and "cold eyes look at the world, hot wind and rain sprinkle the river sky" in the manuscript is "hot skin sweat sprinkled on the river sky". Compared with the manuscript, the final draft is indeed more poetic and more understandable.
Zang Kejia is a famous poet, and his famous poems, such as "Some People", were written to commemorate the 13th anniversary of Mr. Lu Xun's death, and this poem was selected into the "Language" textbook and became a classic recited by students. In his later years, Zang Kejia devoted himself to the interpretation and appreciation of Chairman Mao's poetry.
He said:
When we evaluate Chairman Mao's poetry, we must also have the spirit of seeking truth from facts, advocate the experience of the poems themselves, write articles to express our own views, even if the author's meaning is different from your experience, there is no need to force consistency, Chairman Mao's poetry on the whole, the level is very high... Such masterpieces as "Qinyuan Spring and Snow", sentences such as "Wind and things should be looked at for a long time", "Infinite scenery in dangerous peaks", are philosophical and poetic...
On February 5, 2004, Zang Kejia died of illness in Beijing at the age of 99.
In his later years, Zang Ke's family and family
His poetic relationship with Chairman Mao has become a good story in the literary world.