Premier Zhou Enlai
Foreword
In 1997, during an internal audit conducted by the Bank of China, the staff discovered that there was a huge deposit of GBP in the name of Premier Zhou. Calculating the interest and converting it into renminbi, this amount of money was as high as 467,000 yuan at that time! Even now, more than 400,000 yuan is a huge sum of money. One can imagine the shock of the staff.
However, after Premier Zhou passed away that year, all of his and his wife’s deposits amounted to more than 5,000 yuan, and in the end they were all given to the state as party dues. Why will there be more than 400,000 yuan more in 21 years? Is this money the personal funds of Premier Zhou, or is it something else? This starts with the income of Premier Zhou and his wife Deng Yingchao.
The income and expenses of Premier Zhou and his wife
The income of Premier Zhou only includes two parts, one part is salary, and the other part is the interest generated by depositing the wage balance into the bank.
At the Second Plenary Session of the Eighth Central Committee, after Chairman Mao criticized grade wages, senior party and government cadres implemented a comprehensive pay cut. The salary of Premier Zhou and others is 454 yuan. Later, during a difficult period of three years in the country, Chairman Mao, Premier Zhou and others took the initiative to cut their salaries again, and their salaries were adjusted to 404.8 yuan, which remained unchanged until their deaths.
Premier Zhou Enlai and his wife Deng Yingchao
Deng Yingchao's salary was originally level five, but in consideration of reducing the burden on the country, Premier Zhou took the initiative to propose Deng Yingchao down to level 6. He said: "Xiaochao, you are not in good health these days, and work is not normal. I think it is enough to get a salary of six." . She is also a sensible person who takes care of the overall situation. Like Premier Zhou, she never cares about personal gains or losses.Therefore, Deng Yingchao's salary was adjusted to 342.7 yuan, which has not changed.
According to the income and expenditure accounts of Premier Zhou and Deng Yingchao compiled by the staff, their expenditures mainly include party fees, rent, water and electricity, food, newspapers, daily necessities, and subsidies to family members and nearby staff, and donations. . Among them, the cost of subsidizing relatives, friends and staff accounted for one-third of their total income in the years recorded!
Zhou Enlai took a group photo with his family
Regarding relatives in his hometown, Premier Zhou always adhered to his principles and never let them take advantage of the country. To this end, he specially formulated ten family rules:
younger generations are not allowed to leave their work to visit him, they can only visit him when they are on a business trip; all visitors stay in the State Council Guest House; they all go to the cafeteria to line up to buy food. Those who have a job buy the meal tickets themselves, and the prime minister who is not working pays for the food on their behalf; for the theater to buy tickets as a family member, no invitation tickets are allowed; no treats or gifts are allowed; no public car is allowed; everything that can be done in personal life , Don’t do it by others; on any occasion, don’t talk about your relationship with the prime minister, don’t show off yourself; don’t seek self-interest, don’t engage in specialization...
Of course, he will do everything for relatives in difficulties. Do your best to help, and will not be partial to anyone. Zhou Enshou is the third younger brother of Premier Zhou. When he came from Tianjin and was assigned to the Bureau of Iron and Steel Industry, Premier Zhou specially ordered the relevant leaders to give him a lower position and a lower salary.
Zhou Enshou
He resolutely resisted the practice of "one person gains the morals, chickens and dogs ascend to heaven", preferring to subsidize his younger brother with his own wages,It does not take advantage of the country, and kills all the sprouts of favoritism in the cradle in advance.
Because of the low wages, Zhou Enshou’s wages are often not enough, and Premier Zhou subsidizes his younger brother with one-third of his wages. Later, Zhou Enshou had a severe gastric ulcer and needed to take frequent leave. Premier Zhou suggested that he retire early, because Zhou Enshou could not work the whole day, but he was paid for the whole day. Doing so will not only affect the atmosphere, but also not be good for the development of the country.
After Zhou Enshou was hospitalized, as the expenses increased, the amount of subsidy that Premier Zhou gave him increased to one-half of his salary! None of Zhou Enshou's family knew about these. They thought that Premier Zhou was the leader of the central government and his salary was very high.
Later, after Zhou Enshou's family learned the truth, they said in an interview: This made them feel very guilty. Premier Zhou himself didn't have much money left, and they used so much. If I had known it a long time ago, I would not ask for his money.
Zhou Enlai's niece Zhou Bingde
Since Premier Zhou adheres to principles to all his relatives, he has formed a clean and upright family style. As Deng Yingchao said: "If you have difficulties, we can use wages to help you, but we will never use the power granted by the state for personal gain, and you should not have any idea of enjoying privileges."
for your side The staff, Premier Zhou is also dedicated to help.
In April 1955, Kuomintang agents targeted the Kashmir Princess murder case planned by Premier Zhou. Zhong Buyun, the driver who had followed Premier Zhou for many years, was unfortunately killed. At that time, Premier Zhou had just finished the operation and temporarily changed his schedule and survived.
After the incident,Premier Zhou has always taken great care of his family. When his daughter got married, Premier Zhou gave him 300 yuan to congratulate him, which was almost equal to Deng Yingchao's one-month salary. There are many similar examples.
In addition, Premier Zhou and Deng Yingchao have had a rule for many years. Except for helping others and other expenses, their salary balance will be deposited in the bank. Every time the deposit is 5,000 yuan, they will hand in the money as party dues. The development of the country is exhausting. It is precisely because of this that Premier Zhou is regarded by the Chinese as "the good prime minister of the people", and everyone trusts him unconditionally.
Zhong Buyun
In view of the above, they have worked hard for decades, which can be said to be zero savings. So, where did this huge pound deposit come from? What is the identity of the sender?
The story behind the huge deposit
Due to the huge amount of money, after the Bank of China reported it, the relevant leaders ordered an immediate investigation. During the investigation, they discovered that the money was deposited in 1967.
After repeated verification, investigators finally determined that the money came from Liu Benkun, the former deputy general manager of the International Department of Bank of China headquarters, and his British wife Liu Daorui . So, for what reason did they want to donate such a large sum of money? How is this money deposited in the name of Premier Zhou?
Want to figure out the whole incident, it has to go back several decades. Liu Daorui, formerly known as Dolly Smith, is an Englishman. In 1940, World War II was in full swing, and London, England was frequently bombed by German forces. Dolly, 22, lost his job in the bombing. In order to live on, she came to work in the London branch of the Bank of China. During
, she worked as a counter teller.At the same time, she is also responsible for paying the salaries of Chinese seafarers. Dolly is very popular among his colleagues due to his meticulous work, conscientiousness and responsibility, and a very enthusiastic person.
Liu Daorui and his wife after retirement
It is precisely because of this character that Dolly feels for them after seeing Chinese seamen squander their hard-earned wages in the club managed by the Kuomintang pity. He tried his best to persuade them to send their wages to their relatives in China. She knows how difficult it is for ordinary people to survive in the flames of war.
Thanks to her efforts, many Chinese seafarers are no longer squandering. At the same time, Dolly is still doing its utmost to reduce or exempt the handling fees required for remittances for them within its own terms of reference. Therefore, Chinese seafarers are very grateful to her.
As the Anti-Japanese War progressed to the final stage, in order to help the people injured in the war, the National Government and the Red Cross both set up fundraising offices in London branches. It was a good thing, but some people used their power to steal donations. Dolly's enthusiasm, justice and kindness quickly caused a big trouble for herself, but it also made her meet the most important person in her life.
In 1944, Dolly discovered that the officials who managed the donation boxes of the National Government often stole donations from it. Whenever he thinks of the people whose families are destroyed, displaced or even seriously injured because of the war, Dolly can't just sit back and watch.
In order to prevent relevant personnel from filling their pockets, she secretly hid the donation box of the National Government under the counter. After the fundraiser found that Dolly was "nostalgic", he put pressure on the bank and asked Dolly to expel Dolly on the grounds that Dolly had privately collected the donation box from the government.
The London branch at that time
Although the bank is very clear about the virtues of Dolly, they have nothing to do with this framing.Seeing that Dolly was about to lose his job and his life might be in trouble, Liu Benkun, a Chinese who was also with this bank, stepped forward in time.
Liu Benkun graduated from Tsinghua University . He originally worked in the Shanghai branch and was later assigned to the London branch by the headquarters. He was moved by Dolly's justice and kindness, and decided to help her with all his strength. With Liu Benkun's efforts, Dolly finally stayed in the bank smoothly.
After more and more contact, the two became more attracted to each other and eventually fell in love. In 1949, they entered the palace of marriage amid the blessings of friends and colleagues. Dolly also gave himself a Chinese name-Liu Daorui
It was also in this year that New China was founded! After Liu Benkun heard the news, he was extremely excited. But they are also facing a major task at this time, which is to protect the assets of the Bank of China in London.
Group photo of Liu Daorui with bank colleagues
When New China was just established, there were many different voices in the world. To stabilize the financial market and protect national assets. Premier Zhou presided over the establishment of the General Management Office of the Bank of China, and at the same time notified all branches to freeze assets. However, the manager of the London branch who received the order did not intend to execute the order. Instead, he planned to transfer national assets to Taiwan.
At a critical juncture, Liu Benkun and others decided to revolt. They wrote to the Chinese government to express their position and attitude. But at this time, the bank employees have almost been dismissed, leaving only more than 10 people. Liu Benkun has only 5 people on their side. But they still have no hesitation in fighting with the bank manager. In the end, they succeeded in protecting the country's assets in London, and Liu Benkun himself was appointed as the assistant manager.
In the following years, Benkun Liu and Dolly continued to work in the UK. Although life in the UK is very good,Their salaries are relatively generous, and they have bought houses and cars one after another in the UK. Compared with other people in the country, they have gone very well. But Liu Benkun has always wanted to return to work in China. Therefore, they have been saving money consciously over the years.
The young Liu Daorui and his wife
At the same time, after the London branch was taken over by the new government, Dolly clearly felt that it was different from what it used to be under the management of the Kuomintang. The purpose of the Communist Party of China is to "serve the people." Therefore, no matter what problems are encountered here, everyone can find an organization to solve them. Dolly admired the Communist Party from the bottom of her heart. She said: "After comparing the two, I feel the greatness of the Communist Party!"
In addition, after learning that her husband wanted to return to China, Dolly decided to give up the superior life in the UK and at the same time. British nationality. The British immigration officer who helped her go through the relevant formalities was shocked. After all, China was poor and white at the time, and he didn't understand what Dolly did. After many efforts, Dolly finally succeeded in taking off his British nationality and becoming a Chinese citizen in 1957.
At the same time, Liu Benkun is still struggling to return to work in China. After many persistent applications, the bank finally agreed to transfer Liu Benkun back to China in 1967.
Liu Benkun (fifth from left) and Liu Daorui (fourth from left) in 1949
Mysterious anonymous letter
After being approved, Liu Benkun, who has been waiting for many years, can’t wait to step this time. Entry gate. As a result, Liu Benkun and Dolly quickly became sellers in a very short period of time. In order to return to China as soon as possible, many things are sold and given away. Even the high-end apartments that have lived for not many years are finally processed at a low price of 12,000 pounds.
Soon, Liu Benkun and Dolly returned to China with their 8-year-old son as they wished. Later,Liu Benkun works in the International Department of the Bank of China Headquarters, while Dolly is in the European and American Section of the Import Department, responsible for document production.
At that time, the whole country seized the revolution and promoted production, and the whole country was waiting to be revived. Also this year, after the successful explosion of the atomic bomb, our first hydrogen bomb was successfully lifted off and exploded on June 17. Foreign forces watched closely and sent spies to investigate China's atomic bomb intelligence. In addition, the country is in a special period, and Premier Zhou is very busy.
At this time, Liu Benkun and his wife felt that they should do something. So, in the third month of their return, they wrote an unsigned letter to Premier Zhou. The basic content of the letter is as follows:
Dear Premier Zhou, I sent you 12,000 pounds through the bank. The 12,000 pounds is what we have saved over the years, frugal, and hope to use this money for the construction of the motherland. Since we don't know who is the safest to give it to, we can only send it to you. You are our most trusted person.
12,000 pounds deposit
At the same time, along with the letter, there is a money order for 12,000 pounds. Looking at this letter and this huge bill of exchange, there was a rush of heat in Premier Zhou's heart.
When the country is poor and weak, the people try their best to contribute to the construction of the motherland. With such patriotic people, why not worry about the country's failure to develop. The patriotism of the Chinese people and the strength of unity cannot be underestimated! Just like after the battle of Shangganling , the U.S. military finally realized: In order to win the victory, for the sake of the peace and strength of the motherland, the Chinese will not retreat and are willing to make major sacrifices, even if it is life, what is money?
However,Premier Zhou did not accept the draft. According to the exchange rate at that time, 12,000 pounds was as much as 80,000 yuan. At the end of the 1970s, 10,000-yuan households were already very powerful. One can imagine the huge amount of this donation.
On the other hand, Premier Zhou is a very principled person. He believes that this is a personal deposit and the state cannot accept it. Since the founding of the Communist Party, our principle has always been that if we don’t take the people one by one, the difficult period of war has been overcome, not to mention that we have established a country and our conditions have improved. Therefore, he immediately ordered someone to investigate the donor, intending to return the money.
Premier Zhou Enlai who participated in the meeting
However, due to the influence of some things, the investigation failed to proceed, and Liu Benkun and his wife thought that the money had been used for the construction of the motherland. In 1986, Dolly joined the Communist Party smoothly, fulfilling his wish many years ago. But the fact is that, for safety reasons, the investigators at the time deposited the money in the bank in the name of Premier Zhou.
Unexpectedly, after that special period, the money would be forgotten. Until 21 years after the death of Premier Zhou, no donors were found. It was not until 1997 that investigators found out the truth.
After the report, the relevant leaders ordered to continue to implement the instructions of Premier Zhou that year and return the money to Liu Benkun and Dolly. But when the staff found them, they refused to accept it. In their view, the money has been donated and will never be recovered.
It is worth noting that after Liu Benkun returned to China, although he was later appointed as the deputy general manager of the International Department of Bank of China, they still maintained a frugal style. After retirement, Liu Benkun suffered from illness and required long-term hospitalization, and their lives were not well-off. As long as they accept more than 400,000 yuan, the quality of life can be greatly improved.But Dolly decided to set up a foundation in the name of Liu Benkun to commend the outstanding employees of the bank.
In 2007, young volunteers from the head office celebrated the birthday of Liu Daorui
The following year, Liu Benkun died of illness and his son developed in Hong Kong. Dolly chose to live alone in Beijing. At this time, she was 80 years old. She truly regards China as her home, and since she came here, she has never returned.
She often said: "I love China, I love the Communist Party!" She also said mischievously: "I am a Chinese, an old Chinese lady! Just a foreign face, my heart is Heart of China."
In 2003, Dolly moved into an apartment for the elderly. At first, she was always unhappy, often sitting alone in a corner frowning and thinking. The son who is far away is very worried about her, and he flies back to visit him almost every week. Later, Dolly gradually adapted to life in an apartment for the elderly. After getting up and watering his own flowers and plants every morning, he began to watch "CHINADAILY" and sang with other people.
Of course, the Chinese have never forgotten their family's contribution to the country. In 2007, Bank of China employees also held a 89th birthday party for Dolly, and the elderly were very happy. She also said at the time that she wanted to celebrate her 99th birthday in Beijing. Unfortunately, she passed away in 2013.
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