Premier Zhou Enlai once said to his niece Zhou Bingde: "When I was studying in France, I met a girl who was prettier than your aunt. People who studied with us thought that I would be with her."

Foreword

Prime Minister Zhou Enlai once said to his niece Zhou Bingde:

"When I was studying in France, I met a girl who was prettier than your aunt. People who studied with us thought that I would be with her. "

Even Deng Yingchao said:

"I once thought that if your uncle did not adhere to the concept of celibacy, he might be more suitable for her. People around him felt that the two of them were a match made in heaven. "

In that war. In the turbulent era, Zhou Enlai and his first girlfriend Zhang Ruoming came together because of their common revolutionary ideals, but why couldn't they keep going?

Zhang Ruoming

With the ambition to serve the country, he embarked on the road of revolution

The fate of Zhou Enlai and Zhang Ruoming can be traced back to the May Fourth Movement in 1919.

Zhang Ruoming was born in Baoding Prefecture, Hebei Province in 1902. His father, Zhang Shaowen, once served as the director of the Guangxi Ordnance Survey Bureau, and his family had a deep feudal imprint. When Zhang Ruoming was young, her father married a second wife. From then on, her mother's status in the family plummeted.

All this deeply hurt Zhang Ruoming's heart. She swore to her mother that when she grew up, even if she never married, she would never be attached to a man and would never tolerate bullying from a man.

The student movement in the early 20th century

In 1916, Zhang Ruoming was admitted to Tianjin No. 1 Women's Normal School. Shortly after enrolling, she emerged because of her outstanding writing talent and was unanimously praised by everyone. At the same time, she also met a special classmate-Deng Yingchao.

After the May Fourth Movement broke out in 1919, Zhang Ruoming actively participated in the student movement. Driven by Zhang Ruoming and others, Tianjin First Women's Normal University joined several other schools in the city to jointly establish the "Women's Patriotic Comrades Association". The core figures include Zhang Ruoming, Deng Yingchao, Guo Longzhen and others.

Because of his outstanding ability, Zhang Ruoming had the opportunity to get to know more revolutionary leaders. In this way, she met Zhou Enlai, the main person in charge of the "Tianjin Student Union".

At that time, Zhou Enlai was suave and full of revolutionary fighting spirit. When he stood on the podium and publicized revolutionary ideas, Zhang Ruoming in the audience had already been deeply impressed by his talent.

Zhou Enlai in his youth

Later, Zhou Enlai, together with Zhang Ruoming and other progressive students, established the Tianjin " Awakening Society " has 21 members including Deng Yingchao. A group of progressive young people completely got rid of the traditional concept of "men and women are not related to each other" and spread the idea of ​​"gender equality" on the land of Tianjin.

Zhou Enlai and Zhang Ruoming often got together to discuss the current situation, and their relationship became better and better. In the eyes of others, Zhou Enlai and Zhang Ruoming were a match made in heaven. Not only did they share the same revolutionary ideals, they were even equally talented and beautiful.

Under the influence of new ideas, club members often teased the two in private. In the face of the crowd's booing, they responded firmly: "We are only thinking about the country and the people, and we have no time to think about other things. If there is affection between us, it must be a deep revolutionary friendship."

saw The two of them were so determined that it was hard for others to say anything.

Soon, Japanese living in Fuzhou shot and killed patriotic students. In order to protest against the atrocities of the Japanese, the Awakening Society held meetings for three consecutive days and decided to launch a large-scale demonstration to awaken more people.

Zhang Ruoming in his youth

On January 29, 1920, Zhou Enlai led thousands of people to Beijing to petition for the release of the arrested representatives. When the petition team confronted the military police, four representatives, including Zhou Enlai, Zhang Ruoming, Guo Longzhen, and Yu Fangzhou, stepped forward. As a result, they were arrested by the military police before they could see the officials in charge.

In prison, they would rather die than surrender. On the first day, Zhang Ruoming wrote in his diary:

"...very happy."

Although Zhou Enlai and Zhang Ruoming could not meet, they still cared about each other.In prison, Zhou Enlai also wrote in his diary:

"Zhang Ruoming has been ill for a few days. I only found out today. I wrote to ask about Yi's condition and received Yi's reply to find out that he is better."

In order to prevent possible accidents. In response to the situation, Zhou Enlai handed Zhang Ruoming his manuscripts "My Confession" and "Celibacy", and Zhang Ruoming also handed his notes to Zhou Enlai. In prison, the two people shared weal and woe and developed feelings. Because they insisted on the idea that "revolution requires celibacy", the two people did not reveal their true inner feelings.

Zhou Enlai in his youth

In order to protest against the authorities' illegal detention of them, Zhang Ruoming launched a hunger strike with the arrested students. At the same time, members of the Enlightenment Society also launched active rescue operations outside the prison. As public opinion became louder and louder, the authorities had to release all the students in prison after persisting for a period of time.

Because of this demonstration incident, the school authorities expelled them from school. Zhang Ruoming's parents were very disappointed when they found out about this. They decided to find a marriage for her and banned her from participating in any student movements.

Zhang Ruoming, who was deeply baptized by revolutionary ideas, was deeply disgusted. After careful consideration, she came to Baoding Yude Middle School to study in France without her parents to register, and severed all ties with her family.

Becoming lovers in a foreign country

One day in November 1920, Zhang Ruoming, Zhou Enlai, Guo Longzhen and other more than 100 aspiring young people embarked on a cruise ship to France, looking for a way to save the country and the people.

After Zhou Enlai came to France in his youth

, Zhou Enlai and other work-study students in France gradually became disappointed with European democratic politics. After a series of attacks, Zhou Enlai began to believe in communism and established the "Young Communist Party of China in Europe" with Cai Chang and others.

Zhang Ruoming also joined the organization under the introduction of Zhou Enlai. She was extremely smart and made rapid progress. It didn't take long for her to be able to read Marxist French books fluently, so she often served as a keynote speaker.

Not only that, she also wrote important documents on Marxism such as "Surplus Value", "Class Struggle" and "A Brief Introduction to Imperialism", becoming the first Chinese woman to promote Marxist works.

During the communication and exchange between Zhou Enlai and Zhang Ruoming, their hearts became closer and closer to each other. At this time, Zhou Enlai realized that revolution and love were not contradictory, so he found a suitable opportunity to express his love to Zhang Ruoming.

Zhang Ruoming was very excited when she heard the man she had admired for a long time confessing to him. In the past, under the influence of the idea of ​​"revolutionary celibacy", Zhang Ruoming never revealed his feelings, and he was even less clear about what Zhou Enlai thought. Now that he knew Zhou Enlai's intentions, he immediately agreed.

Zhang Ruoming (previous one)

The news of their relationship spread back to China, and members of the Enlightenment Society sent them sincere blessings, including Deng Yingchao. At this time, she thought like most people, believing that Zhou Enlai and Zhang Ruoming were a match made in heaven.

When two people come together, they will be of great help to each other, both in study and in life. Their hearts are full of revolutionary fighting spirit and they grow very quickly.

The memories of first love are beautiful. Later, when Zhou Enlai recalled his interaction with Zhang Ruoming, he once said to his niece Zhou Bingde:

"At the beginning, our relationship was very good. We were studying together in Paris at that time. , and successively joined the Chinese Youth Communist Party, learning Marxism through mutual teaching. Zhang Ruoming’s French was very good, and because of her identity as a woman, the organization assigned her the task of secretly liaising with the French Communist Party.”

Due to various reasons, they parted ways and embarked on different paths of life.

Just when the lovers were preparing to continue fighting side by side for the revolutionary cause, fate played a joke on them.

A group photo of Zhou Enlai when he was studying in France

In early 1924, Lenin passed away.In order to commemorate this great communist fighter, the Lyon branch of the French Communist Party held a memorial meeting for Lenin. They sent an invitation to the Chinese Communist Party in France, hoping to send representatives to attend the memorial meeting.

A few days later, the French government clearly stated that foreign communist parties were not allowed to participate in the memorial meeting held in Lyon, , so they informed the Young Communist Party that they did not need to attend the meeting.

The new secretary of the Communist Party of China, Ren Zhuoxuan, was radical and blind. He decided to take a risk and sent Zhang Ruoming, who was familiar with French, to attend the meeting and speak.

Zhang Ruoming's behavior at the memorial service attracted the attention of the French police. After the memorial service, she was questioned by the local police and even almost deported. Since then, she has been under the secret surveillance of the French police and is in a very difficult situation.

Soon, under the arrangement of the organization, Zhou Enlai, Guo Longzhen and others left France one after another and returned to China to lead the revolutionary cause. However, Zhang Ruoming was censored by the Young Communist Party organization, and she had great differences of opinion with Ren Zhuoxuan, the head of the organization. She was often made things difficult and attacked, and the revolutionary work did not go smoothly.

Zhang Ruoming (front row, first from left) takes a photo with some members of the Young Communist Party.

Police surveillance, organizational censorship, and the departure of her friends made 22-year-old Zhang Ruoming unable to bear such a blow. She decided to quit the Young Communist Party and concentrate on her career. I am studying in France and will no longer participate in any political activities.

Zhou Enlai was shocked when he learned of Zhang Ruoming's idea. In his eyes, Zhang Ruoming's revolutionary will was very firm, and he never expected that she would have such thoughts. Therefore, Zhou Enlai wrote to Zhang Ruoming many times, hoping that she would not make hasty decisions.

Zhang Ruoming felt deeply aggrieved. He had done so much for the revolutionary cause and still had to undergo various interrogations. Moreover, she was in a foreign country and had no true friends to talk to. Faced with her boyfriend's attempts to stay, Zhang Ruoming did not look back. She quit the "Young Communist Party" and decided to stay in France to continue her studies.

Zhou Enlai and Zhang Ruoming's relationship did not go very far due to various reasons. In the end, Zhou Enlai made up his mind to end the relationship. Later, when Zhou Enlai talked about the reasons for the breakup with his niece Zhou Bingde, he said:

"First love is always beautiful, and it was very difficult for me to make the decision to break up. I made a lot of efforts and persuaded her many times, hoping that she would be strong. One thing, don’t quit the party because you feel wronged, but she couldn’t listen. She said that she was tired and wanted to continue studying literature and no longer participate in any political work.”

Zhou Enlai and Deng Yingchao

After returning to China, Zhou Enlai continued to work on the revolution. Career, at this time Deng Yingchao came closer to his sight. Zhou Enlai admired this girl who had always been fighting on the front line of the revolution.

When he was working at the "Awakening Society" before, Zhou Enlai admired Deng Yingchao very much, but Deng Yingchao was still young at the time, and Zhou Enlai never thought about the things between the two people. And in Deng Yingchao's heart, she always felt that Zhou Enlai and Zhang Ruoming were a match made in heaven, so she didn't think too much about it.

After returning to China, Zhou Enlai had more and more contact with Deng Yingchao, and the relationship between the two gradually heated up. When Zhou Enlai learned that Deng Yingchao had decided to devote the rest of his life to the revolutionary cause, he decided to confess his love to him. Deng Yingchao was attracted by Zhou Enlai's personal charm and immediately agreed. In this way, the two people sublimated from pure friendship to firm love.

Soon after, they got married in Guangzhou in August 1925 and became a revolutionary couple envied by everyone. Although they got together less and separated more in the days after their marriage, they always missed each other in their hearts.

At the same time, Zhang Ruoming and Zhou Enlai took completely different life paths. After Zhang Ruoming left the organization, he went to the University of Lyon to study. Four years later, he obtained certificates in four subjects: psychology, general philosophy and logic, ethics and sociology, and obtained the certificate in 1930. Obtained a bachelor's degree.

Wedding photos of Zhang Ruoming and her husband Yang Kun

While studying in France, Zhang Ruoming met his life partner Yang Kun through the introduction of a good friend.Soon, the two established a relationship.

From then on, Zhou Enlai and Zhang Ruoming lived happily in their own worlds.

In 1928, after attending the Sixth National Congress of the Communist Party of China, Zhou Enlai passed through Lyon, France, and went to a small cafe in the suburbs to meet Zhang Ruoming.

Zhou Enlai wore a pair of sunglasses for safety reasons, but Zhang Ruoming still recognized him at a glance. The two chatted for a long time in the cafe. Zhou Enlai told Zhang Ruoming that he had married Deng Yingchao. At the same time, he conveyed Deng Yingchao's greetings to her and analyzed the situation of the Chinese revolution and the world revolution . When

left, Zhou Enlai stated that he was willing to sacrifice for the Chinese revolution. I am afraid there will be fewer opportunities for them to meet in the future. Zhang Ruoming assured Zhou Enlai that no matter what circumstances he encountered, he would never reveal the secrets of the Communist Party and wished their revolutionary cause an early success.

A photo of Zhang Ruoming with his children

In 1931, Zhang Ruoming followed her husband Yang Kun to live in China and began his teaching career. His life was peaceful and comfortable. In 1948, Zhang Ruoming came to Kunming to teach at the invitation of Xiong Qinglai, the president of Yunnan University.

Soon after, New China was founded, and the people became the masters of the country. Zhang Ruoming became a citizen of New China, and his work and life entered a new era.

After many years, Premier Zhou visited Zhang Ruoming: This is Xiaochao’s opinion

On the evening of April 7, 1955, Zhang Ruoming and his wife, who were working, suddenly received a notification from the organization that the Provincial Committee’s United Front was the next morning Minister Chen Fang wants to meet with them.

The next morning, Zhang Ruoming and his wife came to Chen Fang's residence as agreed. Chen Fang said to Zhang Ruoming and his wife: "Prime Minister Zhou Enlai arrived in Kunming yesterday. He will meet with you two today. The time is set at eight o'clock. Premier Zhou Enlai's visit to Kunming this time is completely confidential. During the conversation, Don't take notes, it's almost half past seven, let's get ready to leave."

Premier Zhou and foreign guests

It turned out that Zhou Enlai, Chen Yi and other people arrived in Kunming by plane, and they were going to Indonesia. , went to attend the first Asian-African conference on . The Kuomintang agents at the time tried every means to assassinate Zhou Enlai, but Zhou Enlai decided to risk his life to meet Zhang Ruoming and his wife.

At eight o'clock in the morning, Zhang Ruoming and his wife met Zhou Enlai after 25 years of absence in the guest house of the Yunnan Provincial Party Committee. Zhou Enlai held Yang Kun's hand and said, "We met once. Not long after you two got married, I got the news. You are now a famous professor."

Then, Zhou Enlai turned to shake hands with Zhang Ruoming. She said with emotion: "We haven't seen each other for more than 20 years. How are you? It's Xiaochao's opinion that I came here this time. Xiaochao repeatedly told me to say hello to Sister Ruoming on her behalf. Of course I will comply with her advice." Premier Zhou's words made the whole atmosphere much more relaxed.

Zhang Ruoming and his wife reported to Premier Zhou Enlai their learning achievements in the past few years, and said that they were working hard to join the Communist Party of China. Premier Zhou was very happy after hearing this. He kept urging Zhang Ruoming and his wife to read more Marxism-Leninism and Chairman Mao's works, and constantly improve themselves in the process of work.

Before Zhang Ruoming and his wife

left, Premier Zhou specifically asked: "Are you willing to come to Beijing to work?"

Zhang Ruoming thanked Premier Zhou for his kindness, but she politely rejected the proposal: "Now the school still has There is a lot of work to do. I can’t leave these students for the time being. It’s better to stay in school and work.”

This meeting was the last meeting between the lovers and comrades. After the meeting, Premier Zhou went to Indonesia to attend the Asia-Africa Conference as planned.

After Premier Zhou returned home, Deng Yingchao couldn't wait to inquire about Zhang Ruoming's situation. Premier Zhou looked at his wife and replied gently: "She is doing very well now."

Zhou Enlai and Deng Yingchao

Deng Yingchao seemed to be complaining about Premier Zhou. She said in a coquettish tone: "Why don't you take a photo and let me see her?"

Premier Zhou Enlai once said: "The relationship between men and women in the world, In addition to lovers, there is also friendship.” For Premier Zhou, Zhang Ruoming could not be his wife, but he was still his revolutionary comrade-in-arms. They fought side by side and did a lot of useful work for the country and the people. And this sentence from Premier Zhou happens to be the best explanation of their relationship.