In the winter of 1974, in Changsha, where the outdoor temperature was only one or two degrees, in the warm but arrogant winter breeze, along the Xiangjiang River, everything was still like the "waves holding back flying boats" in the past. The river still flows endlessly.
At this time, the peaceful Hunan Provincial Swimming Pool seemed particularly "uncalm".
The swimming pool welcomed an elderly man who attracted worldwide attention - Mao Zedong .
Chairman Mao, who loved swimming all his life, had an indissoluble bond with water very early. When the young Mao Zedong faced the turbulent water in the Xiangjiang River, the waves stopped his boat, and he hit the water in the middle of the current. The water hits three thousand miles" 's heroic words.
In the blink of an eye, 58 years have passed, and this young man is no longer the same as he used to be. Dragging his swollen legs in the water, the waves hit him again, just like the spark that set off a prairie fire for thousands of miles. Now we are looking at New China with joy and calmness, and we are swimming in countless waves as much as we want, enjoying the late beauty of life.
- The autumn and winter of that year
On October 13, 1974, Mao Zedong, who had been a soldier all his life, fell ill. He suffered from emphysema, heart disease and cataracts. His legs were swollen and his vision was blurred. His body was no longer what it used to be. Take the bus to the hotel and return to Changsha for recuperation.
When the bus to the hotel first arrived in Changsha, the scene outside the bus window brought back memories of Chairman Mao's life.
"Help me get out of the car and take a look at the water of the Xiangjiang River"
Mao Zedong whispered to the head of the guard regiment Zhang Yao Temple and the accompanying doctors and nurses. With faltering steps, he walked to the bank of the Xiangjiang River. The roaring water of the Xiangjiang River was still flowing beside him, and Chairman Mao felt that he was already late as a hero.
Chairman Mao
After a short rest, Chairman Mao followed the bus and slowly drove into the hotel. He chose a relatively quiet living environment, firstly, to avoid disturbing the masses and affecting people's normal lives, so this return to his hometown for recuperation can be regarded as a semi-secret activity. The second is that I am sick and want to find a comfortable environment to recuperate so that my body, which has been working hard for half a life, can stretch and relax.
"In the cold autumn of independence, heading north to the Xiangjiang River, the mountains are red and the forests are dyed." The time half his life ago is still vivid in his mind, as if he has returned to the cold autumn of 1925, but that time it was a heroic expedition. But this time it is the hero returning to his hometown, and the term "fallen leaves returning to their roots" is perfectly appropriate to use here.
In his later years, Chairman Mao was often "deceived" by the medical staff around him to exercise to maintain his health. Table tennis, dancing, etc. became Mao Zedong's regular sports , but he was not particularly willing in his heart.
There is only one exception. Mao Zedong, who has been associated with water for a lifetime, still has an obsession with swimming. During his recuperation, Chairman Mao repeatedly proposed to go swimming in the Xiangjiang River, which caused great "trouble" to the guards and medical staff around him. In view of Chairman Mao’s physical condition, it is necessary to maintain appropriate exercise to ensure good physical condition and to ensure Mao Zedong’s safety.
Liu Shaoqi, Premier Zhou and other national leaders raised objections to Chairman Mao swimming in the cold, turbulent waters of the Xiangjiang River in late autumn. After unanimous discussion, everyone decided to accompany Mao Zedong to the Hunan Provincial Swimming Pool to get over his "addiction."
- An "addicted" gentleman's trip to the Hunan swimming pool
Speaking of the word "addiction", Chairman Mao's life can be said to be full of "addiction" - smoking, reading, eating fish, swimming, etc.
However, these four hobbies cannot be ignored. The image of holding a cigarette and talking eloquently is deeply rooted in the hearts of the public. Whenever faced with key decisions or commanding major battles, cigarettes can also be regarded as Chairman Mao's commanding banner and the "gun" to kill his opponents.
reads, half of the bed is given to his books, all kinds of books, and he never tires of reading. Especially in a noisy environment, Chairman Mao could indulge in a sea of books without any distractions.
Mao Zedong, who ate fish, swam, and stayed with water all year round, these two hobbies accompanied him throughout his life...
Such an "addict" continued to practice his lifelong hobbies when he was recuperating in old age. Continue to live the "addiction".
On November 19, Chairman Mao, accompanied by Wang Dongxing, Zhang Pinghua and others, came to the Hunan Provincial Swimming Pool.
As soon as he saw the water, Mao Zedong's "addiction" broke out again. Chairman Mao, who originally had inconvenience in his legs and feet and was stumbling, his tired eyes and bloated feet seemed to be rejuvenated the moment they touched the water. His eyes were sparkling, his body was like a fish in water, and his legs, which were originally swollen after recuperation, were like flexible fish tails swimming in the water. Everything came back, as if he was back when he first learned to swim...
- Mao Zedong's swimming career
Chairman Mao’s swimming career started in a small pond in Shaoshan, but you might as well listen to other people’s comments about him first.
Guo Moruo once said: "Chairman Mao traveled to Xiaotang when he was young, to the Xiangjiang River when he was young, and to the Yangtze River when he was old."
When Li Rui traced Mao Zedong's private school days from 1902 to 1906, he wrote:
"Mao Zedong has been there since he was a child. I like to swim. When the teacher is out, the children go to the pond to play in the water. Once the teacher came back and saw them, and asked them to punish the children. To 'cultivate one's self'. Dual verses are the basic skill of writing rhymed poetry and parallel prose. This is the earliest talent shown by the poet Mao Zedong as we know it now."
Liu Yuan, Liu Shaoqi's son, once said when recalling Chairman Yu:
"Mao Zedong can still do it. Standing upright in the water, motionless. None of us can stand like him. This is also Mao Zedong's unique skill in the water. Li Ziyang, Li Xiannian's daughter, also recalled:
"He can lie flat with his arms behind his head." On the water, he looked up at the sky, closed his eyes and rested, or crossed one leg over the other, and I also saw him lying on the water smoking, putting the ashtray on his chest. "
Time goes back to the late 19th century. At the beginning of the 20th century, Mao Zedong, who had lived in a "humble" woodshed surrounded by the beautiful mountains and clear waters of Shaoshan since childhood, could be said to be a child born and raised in the mountains. The South Bank Pond in front of the door naturally became the place where young Mao Zedong had fun. "The place. A pool of clear water mixed with water plants and moss is the place where Mao Zedong swam and became enlightened.
In 1902, the young Mao Zedong, who was only 9 years old, was studying in a private school in Shaoshan, Xiangtan. His literary talent was not inferior to that of his teenage classmates, and his "wild" nature was not inferior to that of his classmates. Once he had the opportunity to sneak out of school, he would play with his brain in the pond, and his swimming skills would become more proficient and familiar with the water properties.
Until 1910, Mao Zedong’s childhood in private school and swimming in the South Bank pond made his swimming skills more perfect.
In 1913, Mao Zedong studied at Changsha First Normal School, and the wide and deep Xiangjiang River naturally became Mao Zedong’s natural swimming pool. He often invites two or three friends to come here to splash in the water. He also organized a swimming team with nearly a hundred people in the school to take a dip in the Xiangjiang River after dinner.
Mao Zedong's classmate Luo Xuezan recalled: "One day when I went to Shuilu Island to swim, the north wind was too strong and the weather was too cold. Everyone ignored it and went straight into the water without feeling cool, and they did not get sick after landing. It is enough to show that swimming can strengthen the body. "
Mao Zedong also wrote "Swimming Enlightenment": "Beside the railway, the water is vast; if the depth and depth are equal, life will not matter. After dinner, let's go for a swim." Using swimming to recruit gay friends is enough to illustrate the importance of swimming to Mao Zedong.
Then, the vigorous revolution began, and Mao Zedong also participated in it. In the past few decades, many people did not even know that Mao Zedong was a master swimmer.After the founding of the People's Republic of China, Chairman Mao was "deceived" by medical staff many times. As soon as Chairman Mao's body touched the water in the indoor swimming pool of Tsinghua University, he splashed the water with great interest and got out of hand.
In 1954, Chairman Mao was recuperating in Beidaihe. It not only has fresh air and vast sea environment, but also has the historical pride and heritage of facing Jieshi to the east to view the sea.
When the heavy rain first subsided, Chairman Mao went out to watch the sea tide. The wind did not stop but the tide surged. Suddenly a strong wind came and the tide hit the rocks. Mao Zedong became interested in swimming and said: "Go to the sea!"
Mao Zedong was with him. The guard beside him was at a loss and swam to the deep sea with the tide. After "fighting" with the waves of the sea, he wrote a poem about "Viewing the Sea" that belongs to New China: "The bleak autumn wind is here again, and the world has changed!"
After that , Chairman Mao's interest in swimming was out of control.
In May 1956, he visited Guangzhou to the south and went to the Pearl River .
On May 30, 1956, he flew to Changsha and took a tour of the Xiangjiang River.
arrived in Wuhan on May 31, 1956. In just a few days, he sailed into the Yangtze River three times and crossed the Yangtze River many times.
In July 1957, took a leisurely trip to Qingdao Bathing Beach. In September, watched the tide in the Qiantang River and "struggled" with the ebbing water.
During the Nanning Conference in January 1958, Mao Zedong went for a winter swim in Yongjiang.
swam the Yangtze River 18 times in the past ten years!
’s past swimming experiences are vivid in his mind, and his swimming skills have already been internalized in his bone marrow, body and soul. In these four experiences at the Hunan Provincial Swimming Pool, everything has been released, including the love of my life.
Finally, on December 5, 1974, Mao Zedong ushered in the last swimming of his life...
- Chairman Mao's last swimming
The scene turned back to the beginning. On December 5, the winter in Changsha was particularly calm.
Everyone supported and supported Chairman Mao as he walked into the Hunan Provincial Swimming Pool for the last time. The guards and medical staff beside him clearly saw that the Chairman's steps were heavier and he was no longer as good as before. Although I had rested for some time, the swelling in my legs had not subsided, but when I walked into the swimming pool, I was still as calm and peaceful as ever.
The severe physical fatigue did not dissuade Chairman Mao from swimming in the water. The moment his feet touched the water, he could still backstroke and sometimes stop floating as before, but his movements were slow and reluctant, and he could no longer swim as freely as before. . The medical staff nearby were always paying attention to Chairman Mao's physical condition, and the guards beside him were also "supporting" Mao Zedong in the water.
When a person reaches his twilight years, he can only sigh in his heart: will never be the same as a young man.
Chairman Mao was in the Hunan Provincial Swimming Pool
with a face full of exhaustion and a lack of energy all over. In just twenty minutes, his arms could not lift the water, his legs could not step on the water, and his heart seemed to be full of unwillingness and loneliness. . Chairman Mao gently said to Chen Changjiang, the guard captain who accompanied him in swimming: "Yangtze River, I feel weak all over, and my hands and legs are weak. It seems that swimming is also difficult." Chairman Mao let out a long sigh , said sadly: "I have been dealing with water for decades, but it seems that I will no longer be connected with water."
Chen Changjiang knew that the chairman's health had not been very good in recent years, and old illnesses were often not cured and new ones were added, making life very difficult. Faced with Chairman Mao's sadness, Chen Changjiang had no choice but to comfort the Chairman with a smile.
At this moment, everyone felt very sad. After that, Chairman Mao was forced to give up swimming due to physical reasons, and finally ended his lifelong relationship with water.
Swimming is a sport that looks back on Chairman Mao's life, from the time when "will swim three thousand miles into the water" "became attached to" the water , to "crossing the dangerous Yangtze River for thousands of miles, looking up to the sky and looking at Chu Tianshu" 's "The relationship continues" , and the sentence when I was swimming for the last time "It seems that I will no longer have a relationship with water" .
"Yuan" rises and "Yuan" falls. This is not only a personal sport of Chairman Mao, but also contains Mao Zedong's lifelong yearning and love, the worship of all natural things in the rivers and rivers, and the personal strengthening of the body. Determination to get fit.
Chairman Mao’s life experience with water is not just a personal meaning. His experience laid a solid foundation for China’s swimming industry and even sports industry. His self-confidence, will and unremitting spirit also created the athletes of New China. The sportsmanship of never giving up. His sad words when he was old contained his hopes for future generations as a guide to carry forward the past and open up the future.
- Carrying forward the past and forging ahead into the future
Chairman Mao’s experience with water has inspired generations of sports people.
htmlIn the 1980s, Xu Haifeng inherited the chairman's will and shot his first gold medal in Los Angeles, which kicked off the vigorous development of China's sports industry.
htmlIn the 1990s, China's swimming industry also developed rapidly under the influence of Chairman Mao's spirit. Lin Li's 400-meter medley gold medal won in Pace also opened up a new world for China's swimming industry.
Since then, China's swimming industry has developed in full swing under this encouragement.
html In the 200s, Liu Zige won gold in butterfly swimming.
0s, Sun Yang repeatedly broke various records and won gold medals, Ye Shiwen and others also carried the banner of women's swimming, repeatedly winning glory and gold and silver for the country.
Nowadays, with the development of national sports, gold medals are no longer supreme. However, the vigorous development of China's swimming industry led by Mao Zedong's spirit has set off a "tide" of gold medals from generation to generation, and also inspired more and more young people to join in the sport. in swimming career.
I hope that under the premise of safety, China's young people can inherit more Mao Zedong's spirit in China's swimming industry and even sports industry, and can say like the young Mao Zedong: I will swim three thousand miles into the water, and I will be confident in my life for two hundred years!
I hope Chinese youth will get rid of air conditioning and just walk upward!
