"I am not a party member, and my mother said that I still do not meet the qualifications of a party member." This is what she told reporters when interviewing Kong Dongmei.
Kong Dongmei’s mother is Li Min, the eldest daughter of the great leader Mao Zedong, and she is Chairman Mao’s only granddaughter, his grandmother is He Zizhen, and his father is Kong Linghua, the son of General Kong Congzhou. Kong Dongmei is also the only woman in the third generation of the Mao family. What is unbelievable is that Kong Dongmei resembles grandpa.
"Someone told you that you look like your grandpa?"
"Yes."
"Where did you say it looks like?" Pointed to the mole with Mao Zedong's characteristic on his chin.
finished speaking, she smiled and said, "In fact, my mother is more like it. Every time she goes for a haircut, someone will say how does this woman look like the big head on a hundred dollars?"
Faced with the interview, Kong Dongmei was a little wary, but she spoke very kindly and her eyes were firm. It seemed that when she mentioned her grandfather, she had a lot to say. In addition, she also frankly said: "Her pressure is everywhere."
has such an identity, and it also adds a bit of mystery to Kong Dongmei. Everyone wants to see the demeanor of this great man's descendant. So, as Mao Zedong's granddaughter, what kind of "troubles" does Kong Dongmei have? How is her life now?
Kong Dongmei
"I don't want to live under the aura of grandpa"
Kong Dongmei was born in Shanghai in 1972,In 1976, Chairman Mao passed away in Beijing. At that time, she lived in Shanghai's overseas husband's house. For four years, Kong Dongmei could not see her grandfather. If you want to tell the story of her and grandfather, it might be her name.
learned that his granddaughter was born. Mao Zedong was very happy in his later years. His mother Li Min sent the pictures of her daughter to Mao Zedong. After seeing the photos, Mao Zedong said happily: "This girl is really very close to me. Looks like it! Look at her eyes, look at her face, how similar!"
Li Min said to Mao Zedong: "Dad, you come and give your child a name!"
Mao Zedong thought for a moment and said "Let’s call it'Dongmei'! Take the word'dong' from my name, and the word'mei' is also my favorite word!" Judging from the name, it is enough to see Mao Zedong's love for his granddaughter .
When she was a child, Kong Dongmei usually imagined her grandpa through the description of her relatives. At that time, she only knew that her grandpa was very powerful and famous. It seemed that many people knew her grandpa. On this point, she is quite similar to her mother. When Li Min was a child, she had no impression of her father's appearance.
For example, Mao Anqing suddenly pointed to a picture on the wall and asked Li Min: "Do you know who he is?"
"I know! He is our Chairman Mao!" Li Min confidently Speaking of.
Mao Anqing smiled and said, "No, you think about who he is?"
This can be difficult for Li Min, she wondered: "Is he not Chairman Mao?"
"You are wrong, he is our father." Mao Anqing said with a smile.
Li Min smiled and said, "Don’t talk nonsense,How could Chairman Mao be our father? Don't lie to me!
Ever since Mao Anqing said that Chairman Mao was their father, Li Min was even more suspicious, because not only his brother Mao Anqing had said it alone. Soon, Li Min wrote a letter to Chairman Mao in Russian, The letter said: "Dear Chairman Mao, many people say that I am your biological daughter. Is this true? Please tell me! "
Mao Zedong received the letter. When he saw that it was written by his daughter, he was very happy. He wanted to tell his daughter the truth quickly, so he hurriedly sent a telegram: "Jiaojiao, you are my biological daughter. You must now It's taller again! I hope you come back to Dad as soon as possible. "
In fact, Mao Zedong also loved his other daughter Li Ne very much, and called her a "big baby", and Mao Zedong was also called "little dad" by her daughter.
Li Min_ on the right p3p
In the eyes of younger generations, Mao Zedong is not only a great leader of the people, but also a stern and loving father, which Kong Dongmei knew from her mother.
In the eyes of others, as chairman For future generations, Kong Dongmei’s life and work should be taken care of to a certain extent, but Kong Dongmei disagrees, saying: “It’s not about taking care of it. Passed on to our generation.
"But there are still many people who know my identity. It is true that I am respected by others. After all, everyone's feelings for the chairman are still there. "Kong Dongmei went on to say.
"But now it's a market economy, everyone will pay more attention to your products, and you won't always think about whose descendants you are!" That’s good, you can pay less attention, because as a descendant of Chairman Mao, everyone has a lot of expectations.I am also worried about not doing well, but I am more willing to be myself, and I don't want to live under my grandfather's aura.
Of course, these expectations have also brought a lot of pressure to Kong Dongmei. She once said that pressure is everywhere, but these pressures have also made her stricter on herself, and her mother still said that she did not meet the requirements of a party member.
In Kong Dongmei’s memory, when she was under the least stress, she was studying abroad, because at that time, apart from Ambassador Li Zhaoxing, almost no one knew who she was, let alone classmates, and Americans didn’t care about others.
In the United States, Kong Dongmei heard many people's praise of Mao Zedong, but it is inevitable to hear some negative statements. She readily accepted it, because she knew it was caused by many reasons.
First of all, is caused by the different ideologies of the two countries. Secondly, they don’t really understand China and Mao Zedong! We don’t understand others, so why let people understand us. But sometimes she will be angry with us. They argued that because Kong Dongmei has always been proud of having such a grandfather, she does not allow others to profanity too much.
Kong Dongmei
The days when she was alone with her grandma He Zizhen
and Kong Dongmei since childhood Grandma He Zizhen lives in Shanghai, at 262 Hunan Road. Here is the most unforgettable memory of Kong Dongmei’s childhood, because it was the place where she lived with her grandma since she was a child. She was taken to elementary school in Beijing by her parents when she was 6 years old. Leave there.
In Kong Dongmei’s childhood memories, she is always inseparable from her grandmother and No. 262 Hunan Road, the big but quiet yard.
In Kong Dongmei’s memory, she lived in the deep house courtyard. A little girl in here,She was not free at all. Even if she crossed the road to buy a popsicle to eat, she had to negotiate with the staff around her. They didn't let her run around, but she just wanted to go out and play casually like other children.
Because her grandmother is not in good health, Kong Dongmei's parents are working in Beijing, and all the things that take care of Kong Dongmei are given to the staff. In order to take good care of Xiao Dongmei, the staff also disciplined her strictly. For this reason, she basically spent time in the yard. She knew that although her grandmother was not talking, she loved her very much. No one talked to her, no one played with her. The rockery and garden in the yard became her children. Time's playmate.
Later, Kong Dongmei learned that the grandmother had 6 children, but they were in a difficult environment when they gave birth. Some children died, and some were given to others during the Long March. Not found, only her mother survived.
It is often said that her grandmother has a strong personality and a weird temper. If you understand the experience of her grandmother He Zizhen, you can understand it!
He Zizhen
"Have your grandma complained about your grandpa?" Kong Dongmei was asked this way in an interview.
"Never."
"Does she love him?"
"Yes, all my life." The female soldiers of the Red Army later met Mao Zedong. They married in 1927 and broke up in 1937. These ten years are also the most difficult ten years for our party.
Before and during the Long March,He Zizhen gave birth to 6 children for Mao Zedong, but because the environment was too bad at that time, it was impossible to meet the basic conditions for a baby to survive. He Zizhen could only reluctantly cut love, and gave birth to every child to be raised by the local people.
Once, they were walking through the snow, but He Zizhen was about to give birth. She had to endure the severe pain and insisted on walking on the icy and snowy road without daring to slow down, because the enemy army behind was very close and slow. At one point, it may be overtaken.
He Zizhen had to walk forward desperately and came to the Baimiao area, and found a thatched house with water still burning in it, but no one. It is estimated that the owner has just left. They took this thatched cottage and hot water, risking the enemy to catch up, and He Zizhen gave birth to a daughter here.
hadn’t had time to take a serious look, so she wrote a note: “This kid is at your house. When he grows up, he can help you do some work.” She put 30 silver dollars and followed The troops left, and the baby girl was never found again.
Among the 6 children, only Li Min survived. The other children were either lost or died. Every time I think of this, the hardships of grandpa and grandma make Kong Dongmei's eyes filled with tears.
After the Long March arrived in northern Shaanxi, Mao Zedong and He Zizhen
But just when their hardship was about to end, He Zizhen left. In 1937, He Zizhen left with 11 pieces of shrapnel. In Yan'an, Mao Zedong also sent police soldiers to persuade him, but He Zizhen wrote "Farewell from now on".
Actually soon, He Zizhen regretted it. She realized that she should not hurt her husband because of some contradictions. Later, when Zhou Enlai went to the Soviet Union to treat his arm injury, Mao Zedong asked him to bring a letter to He Zizhen. The letter stated: "Comrade Zizhen..." He Zizhen, who is a strong character, did not want others to see his pain.They could only secretly swallow the tears into the stomach.
Not long after arriving in the Soviet Union, the Great Patriotic War broke out in the Soviet Union , pregnant He Zizhen rushed around, and her life was unstable. In the chaos of war, He Zizhen gave birth to a baby boy, but the conditions were really bad, the nutrition was insufficient, and He Zizhen’s health was not good. The baby boy died when he was 10 months old, and repeated blows made He Zizhen’s body. Not as good as before.
In the Soviet Union, it is not easy for He Zizhen to live with a few children, because they don't have enough food, they often endure cold and starve. Sometimes I can only eat a small slice of bread throughout the day, and I have to take water to satisfy my hunger, but the weather in the Soviet Union is extremely cold, and the water in the glass freezes at night. At that time, the brothers Mao Anying and Mao Anying also lived with He Zizhen's mother and daughter. In order to feed a few children and prevent them from interrupting their studies, He Zizhen washes clothes during the day and knits woolen socks at night. She has also cut wood.
At that time, He Zizhen mentioned in a letter to his relatives in China: "Life in the Soviet Union is simply harder than during the Long March." The two have also established a deep relationship between mother and child. Mao Anqing has said many times: "I like Mama He very much. At that time, Mama He would rather be hungry and leave food for us. She is so kind to us!"
It was not until 1959 that He Zizhen, who lived idle in Nanchang, saw Mao Zedong, who had been gone for a long time, in Lushan, and this became their last side.
The rightmost is He Zizhen
The person I am most grateful for is my mother Li Min
Talking about mother Li Min, Kong Dongmei is also a face of admiration and love, mother is the only grandfather and grandmother He Zizhen Surviving children,But when the mother was born, she didn't stay with her parents. Instead, she stayed at Yan'an Nursery Center for 4 years. In the past four years, my mother was lonely.
until later moved to the Soviet Union, the mother was able to reunite with her grandmother He Zizhen, the mother and daughter spent a happy and leisure time.
In 1947, although the mother who returned to China could be with her grandpa, she had to be separated from her grandma, and the mother was always worried about her body. His mother Li Min traveled back and forth between Beijing and Shanghai and became a bridge between the two elderly people. The grandparents in their later years missed each other and often gave gifts to each other in return for safety.
Once, a foreign friend knew that Mao Zedong likes to smoke, so he gave Mao Zedong a foreign cigarette. Mao Zedong was very happy, opened a pack, and just smoked half of it. He thought it was good, so he thought about giving it to He Zizhen to smoke. Because in his memory, his wife He Zizhen also likes to smoke, he said to Li Min: "Send this to your mother!" Mao Zedong gave He Zizhen the remaining 9 and a half packs.
In addition to these, sometimes they also give some delicious ones, and they also gave He Zizhen an old silk bandanna. In fact, they don't care how high the price is, only the preciousness of the gift. He Zizhen would often ask his daughter Li Min to give Mao Zedong some small vegetables that he grew, saying that the vegetables he grew were healthy and fresh. She was always worried about Mao Zedong’s "oily ears" and wanted to get him a better tool for digging, so that it would be more comfortable. She made an ear pick out of bones and asked Li Min to bring it to Mao Zedong. .
In this way, Li Min was "responsible" to pass on the friendship and love that belonged to the two elderly people. I remember that one of the important expenses in Mao Zedong's manuscript fee was to buy medicine for He Zizhen.
In Kong Dongmei’s memory, she was not very healthy when she was a child. One time she fell ill and her mother Li Min insisted on holding her for three days and three nights.My illness recovered, my mother was sore all over, and her chest was flushed with sweat, and it took a long time to recover slowly.
It was only when Kong Dongmei was in elementary school that she returned to her parents in Beijing from her grandmother, but Li Min had a great influence on Kong Dongmei's life, including her outlook on life, values, and world outlook.
Li Min, like his father Mao Zedong, also likes literature very much. She bought a lot of Chinese and foreign literature books for Kong Dongmei to read. As long as her daughter likes to read it, she will quickly buy it back for her daughter. Kong Dongmei once said: "If I have some literary talent now, it is largely due to the extensive reading in my youth." Li Min often told his daughters about the rules his father had set for them, such as "being with your tail clipped", "don't use his name to bluff people", "not to tell anyone that you are a descendant of Mao Zedong" and so on. Mother seems to have given Kong Dongmei these "commands."
In fact, Mao Zedong’s descendants have been following Chairman Mao’s instructions, behaved in a low-key manner, and act steadily.
Li Min didn’t ask for money from his father anymore from the beginning of work. Instead, he made a living by making money and cooking by himself. There was also a case where the fire made him cry, but the steamed buns became . Gnocchi and so on. Li Min's low profile also affects his son and daughter invisibly.
Li Min (first from left) Mao Zedong (second from left)
Writing the story of grandparents
In 1999, Kong Dongmei wanted to go abroad to study like other young people, so she went to the United States and went to the University of Pennsylvania. is studying for a master's degree in international politics.
that day,She just got off the plane, everything was unfamiliar and at a loss. For her, everything had to start again. When she was in China, she still had her parents to rely on. This was the first time she left home for a long distance. She has to rely on herself.
She pulled her heavy luggage, with a total of four suitcases, left the airport, went to find a house, and started her study abroad career.
In 2000, Kong Dongmei, who was still studying in the United States, received a book from her mother called "My Father Mao Zedong". There seemed to be pictures of grandpa constantly appearing in front of him. Her mother's book moved her. Through her mother's book, she had a deeper understanding of the life of her grandparents and mother.
Actually, after not seeing her mother's book, Kong Dongmei is about the same as other peers. She likes to read books, watch movies, and occasionally travel when she is fine. After reading her mother's book, she felt that she should do something as a descendant of the Mao family. During the period when she went abroad, Kong Dongmei became more mature and stable, which also gave her a different perspective and vision.
In the United States, she doesn't have much thought baggage. She can think about what she can do to inherit the red classics like an outsider, so she wants to tell the story of her grandparents from her own perspective. Soon, Kong Dongmei went to Hunan, Jiangxi, Yan'an and other places in a planned way, to the places where her grandparents lived and fought before, looking for their footprints.
When Kong Dongmei walked to these places, she could still feel the breath of grandpa. She couldn't imagine how grandpa fought in such a difficult environment.
In this way, after returning to China, Kong Dongmei set out to establish Dongrun Juxiang Bookstore Co., Ltd. while walking in her grandfather's footsteps, creating a real red classic literature step by step. On the 110th anniversary of Mao Zedong's birth, she also organized a large-scale exhibition-"Leader's Family Style" photo exhibition.
At the same time, she was also invited by Hunan Satellite TV to cooperate with a series of 6 episodes, and the film is about her grandfather from her perspective.
Li Min and Kong Dongmei
As early as when studying abroad, Kong Dongmei once said that she studied international politics because she was interested in international relations, but she did not want to go into politics because she was interested in media. Today, Kong Dongmei has not only obtained Peking University PhD in International Communication and Media Studies, she has also started her own business, has her own company, and has become a representative figure in the study of Mao’s family and China’s “red culture”. Has been passing on this "red classic" in its own way.
In the company, colleagues all know her identity, but she has a normal working relationship with colleagues. Some people are accustomed to calling her chairman, some like to call her Dongmei, and some colleagues think she She is a lovely and lovely girl.
