Li Xiannian resigned as a general and recommended Wang Shusheng to represent the Fourth Front Army
In 1955, the central government decided to implement a military rank system in our army. According to the initial plan, Chairman Mao was nominated as the grand marshal with 13 marshals. , 14 generals.
In these 14 generals, in addition to the 10 generals we know well, there are Li Xiannian, Tan Zhenlin, Zhang Dingcheng and Deng Zihui .
After this initial plan was launched, Chairman Mao met with Li Xiannian alone. The chairman asked him: "Our army wants to implement a military rank system. What rank is appropriate for you?"
Li Xiannian replied: " Chairman, I don't want any military rank. , it would be good to be a sergeant and squad leader under your leadership."
Chairman Mao laughed after hearing this: "I don't want any titles either! We thought of going together." After thinking for a while, the chairman continued: "But the Fourth Front Army wants to send a general, who do you think is suitable?"
Li Xiannian replied: "From the perspective of qualifications and conditions, Comrade Wang Shusheng is more suitable..."
Chairman Mao and Li Xiannian
The man doesn't cry when he has tears, but it's just before he is awarded the title. Not all comrades can understand the work of awarding titles this time. Many people feel that their titles are low, and some people can't understand why the chairman does not award the title to the chairman. , but also awarded three first-class medals.
The central government patiently explained it to them: "This is the result of the central government's repeated deliberation. If there are special circumstances in the future, such as a large-scale war, then Chairman Mao can still serve as the grand marshal and lead the entire army. Military operations."
On September 16 of this year, Chen Yun explained to the comrades again at a meeting:
"Now some comrades,They have served in our military for a long time and have now changed careers. Many of them have no military rank, such as Comrade Li Xiannian, who served as the political commissar of the 30th Army of the Fourth Front Army during Red Army , and was the commander of the 5th Division during the New Fourth Army. It's not that he can't teach, it's because he has changed careers. "
Under the leadership and demonstration of a group of central leaders including Li Xiannian headed by Chairman Mao, this title evaluation work went very smoothly.
Li Xiannian sculpture
This is not For the first time, Li Xiannian took the initiative to let the sages. On May 7, 1942, the Central China Bureau telegraphed the Henan-Hubei Advancement Team (later the 5th Division of the New Fourth Army) to set up the Central Hubei Party, Government and Military Committee, and proposed Li Xiannian to be the secretary. Li Xiannian repeatedly refused, Chen Yi called him back and asked him to "do his part".
A few months later, the central government appointed him as secretary of the Party Committee of the Hubei-Henan Border Region. The central government appointed him concurrently as the commander of the 5th division, and Li Xiannian resigned again. Li Xiannian was included in the candidate list for Politburo members.
Li Xiannian wrote to the Central Committee that night: "After the announcement of this list, is like a bolt from the blue, and I feel extremely heavy. No matter from which point of view, ability and qualifications should not be mentioned. There are many comrades who are more qualified than me (Editor's note: referring to Xu Xiangqian, Nie Rongzhen, Ye Jianying, etc.), and writing me on it is not good for the party or me personally... I sincerely recommend removing my name..."
But the central government did not accept his suggestion, and the 47-year-old Li Xiannian became the youngest member of the Eighth Politburo.
Li Xiannian divided the land of Lin Biao's cousin, Eastern Hubei People Qi applaud
as a leader among the younger generation in the party at that time,Li Xiannian's achievements over the years are obvious to all. Among them, the most talked about by the people of Hubei is the story of Li Xiannian's land division in Huanggang County in 1950.
At that time, in order to carry out the land reform work, Li Xiannian personally went to the counties, districts and townships in Hubei to inspect. When the working group entered Linjiawan, Huanggang, they encountered a big problem: This is the hometown of Lin Biao, and Lin Biao was at that time. Secretary of the Central South Bureau and commander of the Central South Military Region.
After the working group found out that they had entered Linjiawan, the people's reaction was very cold, they seemed to have something to say but they did not dare to say it. After investigation, the working group found that a cousin of Lin owns a large piece of land and many houses in Linjiawan, and his behavior is also dissatisfied by the local people. The people are very worried because of his identity, and the work of the work team is very difficult. good development.
Liu Zihou made a detailed report on this situation to Li Xiannian. Li Xiannian is well aware of the fact that the whole body can be affected by one stroke. Whether the Linjiawan problem can be handled well may affect the work process of the entire Huanggang and even larger areas.
He personally went to Lin Biao, conveyed to him the situation of Lin Jiawan, and hoped that he would support his work and help deal with his cousin's problems. Lin Biao accepted Li Xiannian's suggestion after the conversation, took his cousin to him, and handed over his land and house to the working group for disposal.
This incident caused great repercussions in eastern Hubei and even Hubei at that time. The people said that the Communist Party did not show favoritism, and other landlords could only actively cooperate when they saw it. After all, Li Xiannian even divided the land of Lin Biao's brother.
By 1952, the land reform work in Hubei Province was basically over, and it can be said that Li Xiannian's correct leadership was crucial.
Li Xiannian: If any of you dare to do business,I'll break anyone's leg!
Li Xiannian is clean and honest in his work. He is very disciplined and principled. He is not only strict with others, but also strict with himself.
According to Li Xiannian's second daughter, Li Ziyang, at that time Li Xiannian was in control of the country's economic power. At that time, some people said that your father was in charge of the economy.
At that time, Li Ziyang's family situation was not very good, so he proposed to his father that he wanted to do business, but Li Xiannian firmly disagreed, saying that their life is now very good, and they should know how to cherish it.
Li Xiaolin, the youngest daughter, was even more impressed by the father's prohibition of their children from doing business than the second sister. She recalled that once the father and the children had dinner together, and at the dinner table, the father sternly warned them: "Who are you? If you dare to do business, I will break anyone's legs!"
To this day, none of Li Xiannian's four children have been in business. This is Li Xiannian's family tradition.
Li Xiannian and Deng Yingchao
Li Xiannian's son Li Ping recalled that his father was strict and never let them get his own way. Li Ping has been working in the Academy of Military Sciences since 1977. When he entered the Academy of Sciences, he was a company-level cadre. When he left eight years later, he was a battalion-level cadre.
After he went to work in the Beijing Military Region, Li Xiannian was worried about him. He was afraid that he would not be able to work.
Despite his busy schedule, Li Xiannian never forgets to educate his children about revolution and patriotism.
In 1983, after Li Xiaolin returned from studying in the United States, his father called her to watch " Burning Yuanmingyuan " with her that night. Li Xiaolin was exhausted from the journey and was so sleepy that he wanted to sleep, but Li Xiannian said that he had to watch it today.
Only later did Li Xiaolin understand his father's painstaking efforts: he was afraid that after two years in the United States, his feelings for the motherland and the nation would fade.
Li Xiannian and his relatives
Li Xiannian was very happy even though his children were not high in official positions, he proudly said to his friend Xiao Jianzhang: "We don't have a high official in our family, but a staff member. , a clerk, a doctor, and a translator. Very good!"
His three children still lived in his house after they got married, and Li Xiannian told them: "My house is enough, you stay with me. That's fine. But remember, you are not allowed to ask for a house from the unit, and leave the house to those who need it more!"
Li Xiannian's will to his children is: "After I leave, you can't organize the house for me. I have to move out..."
Li Xiannian: People in Hubei say I don't help my hometown, and others say I am partial to Hubei
Li Xiannian's hometown, Hong'an, Hubei, Hong'an is well-known in the country " General County", a total of 223 Republic generals have emerged from this small county, including Chen Xilian, Han Xianchu, Qin Jiwei and so on.
Li Xiannian loves the hometown where he was born and raised, but he has never violated his principles.
In 1960, when Li Xiannian returned to his hometown to investigate, it coincided with the severe food shortage in Hong'an. His sister Li Delqin said to him in a reproachful tone: "Xiannian, your official is so big and your hometown is so short of food, why don't you care What about you?"
Li Xiannian said: "Sister, don't be rude, Hong'an people want to eat, but Hei'an people don't? The whole country is short of food, can I only think about Hong'an? I belong to the country. Deputy Prime Minister, not Hong'an's Deputy Prime Minister,The shortage of food in Hong'an should be distributed by the comrades in the province. What right do I have to distribute food for Hong'an? "
Li Xiannian's letter to his hometown
In 1970, the villagers entrusted Li Xiannian's nephew to go to Beijing to find Li Xiannian for a tractor. Li Xiannian repeated his words again: "I am the vice premier of the country, not Deputy Prime Minister of Hong An. He asked his nephew to bring the message back. In the future, all people from his hometown will be prohibited from coming to Beijing to ask for something from me, otherwise I will not be seen.
In response to the incomprehension of some fellow villagers, Li Xiannian said helplessly:
"It's hard to be a human being, The folks in Hubei said that I didn't help Hubei with the project, which made Hubei suffer a loss. I said that I am not the vice premier of Hubei, I have to consider the overall situation of the whole country!
Some people say that I am biased, and good projects such as Gezhouba , Second Automobile, Three Gorges , etc. are all released to Hubei... It makes me neither inside nor outside. Which items are my decisions? That was decided by experts after repeated argumentation and research. "
Although he cannot favor his hometown in his work, Li Xiannian pays close attention to the development of his hometown as much as possible.
In May 1992, he met comrades from the Foundation for Poverty Alleviation in the hospital. He said:
"During the war, we worked and fought in northern Shaanxi and Hubei, Henan and Anhui areas. The people there helped us a lot. They were already very hard at that time, and they even gave us the last thing. Some parts of them are still very poor, which really makes me uneasy! If the old district is not built well, we are sorry for the people of the old district! "
May 27th,Li Xiannian talked with the representatives of Hong'an County under the condition of oxygen plugged in. He asked with concern about the recent situation in his hometown: How is the greening of barren hills? Beijing-Kowloon Railway How about the connection line? Is the food situation of the people good?
At this time, Li Xiannian's condition was very serious, and he passed away after more than 20 days. This is his last concern for his hometown.
Li Xiannian is famous for his hard work and simplicity!
Li Xiannian lives a frugal and simple life.
After he fell ill in his later years, the doctor suggested that he drink a glass of orange juice every day to supplement vitamin C. At first, Li Xiannian still drank it, but when he learned that a glass of orange juice would "waste" 5 oranges, he decided not to drink it.
He said: " eats 2 oranges a day and saves 3..."
When he was hospitalized, his family made soup for him at 25 yuan. Don't drink.
Li Xiannian is from a poor family, and he never pays attention to his diet. He doesn't like big fish and meat. Instead, he likes the stinky dried seeds in his hometown and fried mung bean cakes. Once at home, his family made a serving. Roasted sweet potatoes, he was happier than eating delicacies from the mountains and seas.
Li Xiannian condolences to the people of the old district
The staff said that Li Xiannian's diet has been very simple for a long time, breakfast is steamed bread, fermented bean curd, pickles and porridge, lunch and dinner are all meat and one vegetarian. Also just add an egg and a plate of braised pork for my birthday.
Someone once gave him an opinion that he ate too badly, but Li Xiannian said:
"This is not good? There is rice, vegetables and soup. Compared with the past, this is a big meal. What about eating red glutinous rice (that is, sweet potatoes) and bran vegetables. Personal life should not be too extravagant,That will lose the feelings of the people. "
Li Xiannian's children did not understand why their father wanted to eat the rice grains they dropped on the table, and asked them to take the leftovers to school and work to eat.
Li Xiannian later told them his story in the Central Plains breakout , when the troops marched in a hurry, there was not enough food and no cooking utensils. A soldier did not know where to get a crock pot, and everyone used it I ate the stewed potatoes, but it didn't taste right after stewing. When I looked closely, the clay pot turned out to be a urinal.
Li Xiannian said with a smile, "There is no soy sauce, no vinegar, just a smell of urine. "Eating a meal is not easy, he comforted everyone and said, "It's a pity, but I can't control that much, and it will be tasteless when I eat it.
Li Xiannian ordered to slaughter his mule and his horse, and distributed the meat to everyone, but the guards refused to pick it up, Li Xiannian got angry: "You don't eat, you starve to death." Now, can I succeed alone in the revolution? "
These stories let the children understand the hardships of the past years, and let them really know and understand their father.
Li Xiannian has never been particular about dressing. Yang Chunying, a health care worker who served him, once I recalled that I worked with Li Xiannian for 4 years, and I never saw the chief add a single piece of clothing.
Li Xiannian received foreign guests
Li Xiannian wore very few clothes, and the few without patches were the ones he attended. He wears it for important domestic and international events, and the patched one is what he wears when he doesn’t go out. He has a quilt he sewed himself, which he has built for more than ten years and is reluctant to throw it away. He takes it with him wherever he goes.
Li Xiannian is firmly against himself His house was being renovated, for which he also got angry and criticized the relevant staff. The staff who stayed by his side for a long time recalled that when he was transferred from Hubei to work in the central government in 1954,Zeng specifically ordered to pull up his furniture in Hubei, and if he didn't get to Beijing, he had to ask the organization to pay for it. He has been using these furniture for many years, and he continued to use it until the sofa was opened.
In Li Xiannian's house, people can always see a yellow pen holder, which is made of shells from the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea, and has been used for decades.
Li Xiannian: Marshal Xu Xiangqian taught me to fight, Comrade Chen Yun taught me to manage the economy
Most people are familiar with the story of Li Xiannian in the war years. The general of the Western Route Army , the division commander of the New Fourth Army, and a great hero in breaking through the Central Plains... In contrast, not many people know about Li Xiannian's economic and financial contributions after the founding of the country.
After the founding of the People's Republic of China, he worked for 26 years in the post of Deputy Prime Minister, and was highly involved in and led the Gezhouba Project, Huolinhe Coal Mine, Jiaozhi Railway, Wuhan Iron and Steel One meter seven rolling mill introduction, He has promoted a series of major economic projects such as Shanghai Baoshan Iron and Steel Plant and the Three Gorges Project. At the same time, he is also the main leader and decision-maker of reform and opening up.
The staff briefed him on the progress of the Three Gorges Project
Yuan Geng, the founder of the exploration of the "Shekou Model", recalled something like this in his later years:
January 1979, Linxia Nian and Gu Mu and others met him in Zhongnanhai. During this meeting, Li Xiannian encouraged him to combine Hong Kong's foreign exchange with domestic, not only Guangdong, but also Fujian and Shanghai.
Yuan Geng talked about his plan to set up a China Merchants Industrial Zone in Shekou. Li Xiannian said that he could hand over the entire peninsula south of Shekou to him.As he spoke, he drew an arc on the map with a pen. It was a full 50 square kilometers. Yuan Geng didn't react for a while, only 9 square kilometers.
This incident made Yuan Geng regret for a long time. He said afterwards that he was timid and worried, and made an "unforgivable mistake that was "wise and confused for a while", and he didn't catch it. Comrade Nian gave him this piece of "king land" and missed a bigger opportunity.
Later, the Shekou model went down in history and became a pioneering model for my country to explore and create special economic zones. Li Xiannian has contributed greatly.
On June 21, 1992, Li Xiannian died at the age of 83 due to ineffective medical treatment. The people of Sri Lanka have passed away, but his demeanor lives on. Li Xiannian's name and story will surely inspire future generations to persevere and forge ahead.
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