On June 26, 1959, Shaoshan, Xiangtan, Hunan Province, was filled with joy. The great people's leader, Chairman Mao, returned to his hometown he had been thinking about day and night, and met his fellow villagers he had been dreaming of.
Chairman Mao shook hands and greeted the villagers excitedly. Unexpectedly, after so many years, these faces still looked so familiar and so friendly. The Chairman's passionate eyes swept through the crowd one by one, but found that the person he wanted to meet was not at the scene.
Chairman Mao asked in confusion: "Why didn't the fifth brother Mao Bizhu come?"
Local staff immediately became scared and sweated. No one expected that the Chairman would call for Mao Bizhu. The few of them refused to stand up and answer Chairman Mao's questions. Seeing this, Chairman
asked unhappily: "Didn't he agree to invite my relatives and friends? Why didn't Bizhu come?"
"Chairman, he can't come!" A young cadre mustered up the courage and said.
Hearing this, Chairman Mao was stunned.
As Chairman Mao’s fifth brother, why can’t Mao Bizhu come? Did Chairman Mao finally meet his fifth brother Mao Bizhu as he wished?
Picture | Chairman Mao returned to Shaoshan
1. Chairman Mao returned to Shaoshan
Since 1927, Chairman Mao has not returned to his hometown for 32 years. After thirty-two years of separation, all of them are piled up in his heart. He made a vow that the revolution would not return to Shaoshan Chong . Unexpectedly, the revolution won the victory and did not have the time and opportunity to go back to his hometown to see it.
One day in June 1959, the night was low and the stars were shining. On the railway tracks from Wuhan to Changsha, Mao Zedong's special train roared past and drove straight towards the mountains. In the huge carriage of the
special train, there was only a dim desk lamp lit up, and the spacious desk was filled with documents. Chairman Mao lay tiredly on the desk and fell asleep deeply. Luo Ruiqing walked in lightly and pulled the curtains for the chairman.
"Ruiqing, where have you been?"
Unexpectedly, the slight footsteps could wake up Chairman Mao. Luo Ruiqing opened the curtains again and said with a smile: "Chairman, it's almost time to Changsha!"
Chairman Mao picked up the match, lit a cigarette, got up and came to the window, and said with great emotion: "Come back!"
"Chairman, you can rest, you can only arrive in Changsha at dawn." Luo Ruiqing held the blanket and persuaded.
Chairman Mao smoked a cigarette hard and said, "Ruiqing, if conditions permit, I want to go back to Shaoshan to see it."
Luo Ruiqing agreed and quickly turned around and went out to make arrangements. Chairman Mao grabbed his arm and instructed, "Don't make a big fuss, let alone hold a welcome ceremony."
Picture|Luo Ruiqing
After saying that, Chairman Mao took the blanket and fell asleep.
After dawn, Chairman Mao and his party arrived in Changsha successfully and started work. After a few days of busyness, Chairman Mao suddenly said to Luo Ruiqing: "Ruiqing, when will we go back to Shaoshan?"
Luo Ruiqing replied: "All arrangements are made. After handling the matter here, set off."
On June 25, Chairman Mao sat in a car back to Shaoshan. In the continuous mountain road, a gray Jim car slowly drove up with several small cars. The afterglow of the sunset enveloped the fields on both sides of the road. The villagers of Shaoshan worked on the ridges of the field, and the cow-herding boy rode on the back of the cow and waved to the car excitedly.
Through the thin gauze curtain, Chairman Mao observed the familiar rural scene and unknowingly smiled and crawled up to the corner of his mouth.
In a trance, Chairman Mao saw himself wearing a blue cloth gown and an oil-paper umbrella, traveling around to visit other families, spreading revolutionary truths everywhere.
In the dilapidated small attic, kerosene lights flashed, and the members of the Shaoshan Branch of the Communist Party of China held their fists and firmly swore to the party in the silent night.
Torch, lights, and starlight melted into Red Rhododendron all over the mountains, in full swing, burning the flames of revolution throughout Shaoshan...
Picture|Beautiful Shaoshan Chong
"Chairman, here."
Zhou's voice interrupted Chairman Mao's thoughts. The Chairman came back to his senses, couldn't wait to get off the car, and walked straight into Songshan Guesthouse. Suddenly, a melodious mountain song came.
"The sun sets and the mountains are yellow, and the cow woman takes her cubs through the deserted pond..."
Chairman Mao suddenly stopped, looked into the village, stopped for a while, and then said, "My mother can sing this song..."
"Ruiqing, please come and have a meeting."
Soon, Shaoshan cadres came to Mao Zedong's room. Many people present saw Chairman Mao for the first time, and they couldn't help but feel a little restrained and didn't dare to look up at the Chairman for a long time.
Seeing that everyone was so nervous, Chairman Mao deliberately leaned on the sofa and greeted in dialect: "The gods descended to earth, ask about the land first, you are all land Bodhisattvas of all sizes!"
Hearing this, everyone immediately laughed, and suddenly narrowed the distance between the chairman and the local cadres.
Chairman Mao arranged in detail the schedule for his return to Shaoshan. On the 26th, he went to worship his parents first, then went to the Mao Family Ancestral Hall, and then inspected the local grain fields. It is best to squeeze out time to swim in the reservoir and have a casual meal with the villagers in his hometown in the evening.
"I have been away from Shaoshan for more than 30 years. Most people in their 50s here know me. I want to meet them and invite some people to dinner. You can make a list for me." Chairman Mao instructed.
Commune cadres immediately stood up and replied loudly: "Don't worry, Chairman, we will do this as soon as possible."
Chairman Mao nodded with satisfaction and let everyone leave.
After coming out of Songshan Guesthouse, several cadres instantly pulled their faces. This list is not easy to deal with!
According to Zhou Xiaozhou's suggestion, local cadres first wrote about the families of martyrs, old party members and progressive people of the revolution, then Chairman Mao's relatives, grandmother's relatives, and finally old friends, old classmates and village cadres.
But among many relatives and friends, there is one person who makes everyone difficult, that is Chairman Mao’s fifth brother Mao Bizhu.
Mao Bizhu is Chairman Mao's cousin, whose real name is Mao Zetian. The two are about the same age. They have been playing together since they were naked and go to Mao Bizhu's brother Mao Yuju's private school together.
Mao Bizhu affectionately called Chairman Mao the "third brother". The chairman said he called him "five brother". The two brothers had a very good relationship, which is well known to everyone in the village.
Later, Mao Bizhu was divided into "rich peasants" and the fields were all distributed to the poor.
Local cadres thought that it was not a good effect to let Mao Bizhu go to see Chairman Mao at this time. Everyone was struggling and finally cut Mao Bizhu off the reception list.
Unexpectedly, before the notice was released, Mao Bizhu came to Songshan Guesthouse without permission...
Picture|Chairman Mao and Shaoshan villagers were together
Second and fifth brother Mao Bizhu did not come
26 Early in the morning, Chairman Mao got up early, climbed the mountain to his parents' cemetery with his memory, stayed on the mountain for a while, then went down the mountain to inspect work. After lunch at noon, Chairman Mao came to Shaoshan School to visit teachers and students.
While Chairman Mao was taking a photo with the students at school, Mao Bizhu hurried to Songshan Guesthouse, shouting to meet the "Chairman Third Brother". The guards did not know his identity, and did not let him in for safety reasons, nor did they reveal to him that Chairman Mao was not in the guesthouse.
Didn’t see the third brother, Mao Bizhu returned home in dismay, sighing, "The third brother is back, why don’t he want to see me? Did he forget me?"
Mao Bizhu didn’t know that his third brother not only remembered him, but also called him to see him.
In the evening, Chairman Mao returned to the guesthouse from Shaoshan School. The elders and villagers gathered together to meet Chairman Mao. Everyone shook hands and said hello with the Chairman.
I didn’t expect that so many years have passed, Chairman Mao could still recognize these former friends and elders at a glance. The Chairman said hello to everyone one by one, but he never saw the person he wanted to see the most.
Chairman turned his head and asked in confusion: "Why didn't the fifth brother Mao Bizhu come?"
Hearing this, the local cadres immediately became scared and sweated. They shook each other and were unwilling to answer this question.
Chairman Mao noticed something was wrong and asked unhappily: "Didn't you agree to invite my relatives and friends? Why didn't Bizhu come?"
"Chairman, he can't come!" A younger cadre mustered up the courage and stood up and said.
Chairman Mao frowned and asked back, "Why can't he come?"
"He is a rich farmer now, and he can't come to see you..."
"So what about a rich farmer? He is my younger brother, can he still harm me?" Chairman Mao said angrily.
Seeing that Chairman Mao was angry, the local cadres quickly turned to find Mao Bizhu. After a while, Mao Bizhu hurried over with the help of his family.
Mao Bizhu shouted excitedly from a distance: "Third brother, third brother!"
Hearing the shout, Chairman Mao quickly walked out of the crowd, and the vicissitudes of the old man in front of him made the chairman unrecognized for a while.
"You are...you are the fifth brother?"
"Third brother, it's me, I am Bizhu!" Mao Bizhu held Chairman Mao's hand excitedly, and choked with tears in his eyes.
"Third brother, I thought you forgot me..."
"How could it be? I can't recognize it. I'm old, you're much thinner." Chairman Mao also held Mao Bizhu's hand tightly and said emotionally.
Seeing that Mao Bizhu was in poor health, Chairman Mao quickly helped him and returned to the room.
Photo | Chairman Mao talked to everyone
After everyone sat down, the chairman asked with concern: "Bizhu, how are your life now?"
Mao Bizhu sighed helplessly and replied: "Just live alone!"
"Don't you marry again?"
Mao Bizhu shook his head and said: "Later he married one, and died of illness in 1933."
"How many children do you have now?"
"There is a son who is dead. A grandson is only in his teenage years old, named Mao Shijie, and a daughter who has already started working." Mao Bizhu replied.
"Oh, Bizhu, we are all old." Chairman Mao said with great emotion.
Mao Bizhu also nodded and replied: "Yes, I had a revolution with you before!"
Mao Bizhu's father Mao Fusheng and Mao Zedong's father Mao Shunsheng are cousins. After his mother Wen Qimei passed away, Mao Zedong was worried that his father was alone at home, so he took him to his home in Changsha. He was worried that his father was too lonely, so he found his cousin Mao Fusheng to live with him.
In Changsha, Mao Zedong, Mao Zetan, Mao Shunsheng and Mao Fusheng took a group photo together. The person sitting next to Mao Zedong was Mao Fusheng.
pic | Mao Zetan, Mao Shunsheng, Mao Fusheng and Mao Zedong took a photo
Mao Fusheng has three sons, the eldest son Mao Yuju, who is Mao Zedong's private school teacher highly respected. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, he became Mao Zedong's "image ambassador" in Shaoshan and was deeply trusted by Chairman Mao.
Mao Bizhu is Mao Fusheng's third son. In 1920, when Mao Zedong took Mao Zetan and Mao Zejian to Changsha to participate in the revolution, Mao Bizhu also went with him to assist Mao Zetan, who was engaged in underground work, in the revolution.
Although Mao Bizhu held a low position, he was Mao Zedong's most loyal supporter. At that time, there were many voices questioning Mao Zedong. Even the villagers in their hometown did not believe that the revolution could succeed. Only Mao Bizhu firmly believed that the third brother could lead everyone out of poverty and towards the day when the revolution was victorious!
In 1925, Mao Zedong returned to Shaoshan to carry out the peasant movement, and Mao Bizhu also returned to Shaoshan to participate in the peasant association.
After the failure of the "Great Revolution", countless revolutionary patriots were brutally persecuted. The earliest group of Communist Party members in Shaoshan, Mao Xinmei, Zhong Zhishen, etc. were all brutally killed, and relatives such as Mao Zedong's cousin Mao Zelian and Mao Zerong were also forced to wander around.
"White may be" shrouded in this small village with beautiful mountains and rivers. Mao Bizhu couldn't withstand the pressure and finally chose to surrender with her brother Mao Yuju, completely severing relations with our party.
After exiting the revolution, Mao Bizhu picked up the hoe and became a farmer with peace of mind.
Compared with his brother Mao Yuju, Mao Bizhu is flexible and smart. He has accumulated some savings by farming, bought several acres of land, and lived a life of abundant food and clothing.
I lived a good life by myself, and Mao Bizhu never forgot the poor brothers who suffered. At that time, the Kuomintang government was arresting strong men in the village. Mao Yuju used his former revolutionary relationship to oppose the shameless behavior of the Kuomintang with Li Shuqing, which was supported by the local people.
After the founding of New China, Mao Bizhu, who owns the land and real estate, was divided into "rich peasants", and all the land he purchased was distributed to the poor.
In 1952, when Mao Yuju went to Beijing to express his homesickness, Mao Zedong asked about Mao Bizhu's situation.
Mao Bizhu's original wife died early, and later married Yang's . She died of illness in 1933. Mao Bizhu, who is nearly 60 years old, has weak health and no strong labor at home. She has a hard time living with her daughter-in-law and two children. Life is very difficult.
Chairman Mao was very worried and specially bought a batch of fabrics and asked Mao Yuju to take them back and give them to Mao Bizhu.
In 1956, Mao Bizhu's cousin Mao Chunzhu came to Beijing to visit relatives and proposed to go and meet Chairman Mao.
Chairman Mao was very happy when he found out, so he immediately sent someone to take Mao Chunzhu to Zhongnanhai . From Mao Chunzhu, the Chairman not only learned about the hometown feelings of Shaoshan, but also heard about his fifth brother Mao Bizhu.
Mao Chunzhu happily said to the chairman: "Mao Bizhu is almost sixty and has joined the rural cooperative."
Hearing this news, Chairman Mao was very happy and immediately wrote a letter and entrusted Mao Chunzhu to pass it to Mao Bizhu.
Chairman html wrote in the letter: "Fifth brother Bizhu, Chunzhu said you have joined the cooperative. I am very happy. You must work hard in the future. I wish you all the best!"
Mao Bizhu, who is far away in Shaoshan, was so excited that she couldn't sleep for several nights after receiving this letter. What a glorious and beautiful thing that can get the affirmation and wishes of the third brother of the Chairman!
As the third brother of the country, it is really touching that he, the former "rich peasant", can still care so much about him.
This time I went back to Shaoshan, Chairman Mao had already thought of meeting Mao Bizhu and providing some help to the best of his ability.
I didn’t expect that the local cadres would not let Mao Bizhu come to see him because he was once a “rich peasant”, which made Chairman Mao very angry.
Yu, Mao Bizhu participated in the revolution and was a democratic progressive person, and was qualified to meet him; for private reasons, Mao Bizhu was his fifth brother, and he was also a playmate who grew up together, and was more qualified to meet him!
Picture | Chairman Mao chats with fellow villagers
After learning about Mao Bizhu's living conditions, Chairman Mao's face was covered with sorrow, and he sucked cigarettes one after another, and after a while of silence, he asked, "Fifth brother, how are they doing to you?"
Mao Bizhu is a smart person, so he quickly stood up and replied, "Don't worry, third brother! They didn't treat me as a rich farmer!"
Seeing Mao Bizhu say this, Chairman Mao didn't ask again.
Anyone with discerning eyes knows that if he is not treated as a rich peasant, how could he not let him see the chairman?
Chairman Mao saw through but didn't say it out loud, deliberately thrusting his voice, "I see, you rich peasant can do it or not."
Mao Bizhu didn't dare to say anything, and Chairman Mao asked again, "Do you have any opinions?"
Mao Bizhu shook his head and said, "Third brother, I have no opinions, I'm pretty good now."
Chairman Mao nodded, stood up on his own initiative, held Mao Bizhu's hand, and asked him to He ordered, "Fifth brother, you are in poor health, don't work anymore. Tell your descendants to obey the arrangements of the party."
Mao Bizhu also stood up and replied with tears in his eyes, "Three brother, don't worry."
There was an old saying in ancient times that one person can achieve enlightenment, but as a relative of Chairman Mao, he not only does not enjoy any special treatment, but also must be strict with himself, be cautious in his words and actions, and always set an example for his fellow villagers.
Chairman Mao also understood that Mao Bizhu must have suffered a lot, but as the leader of the people, he was unwilling and unable to provide Mao Bizhu with any special help.
Picture | Chairman Mao and Shaoshan villagers were together
That night, Mao Bizhu and the villagers had a meal with Chairman's third brother.
Songshan Guesthouse prepared eight tables of banquets, and the dishes on the table were all simple home-cooked dishes, plus a bottle of white wine.
Chairman Mao raised his wine glass and said to the villagers in Shaoshan: "I'm away all year round. It's not easy to come back once. Please have a good drink for the fellow villagers."
Listening to Chairman Mao's familiar local accent, Mao Bizhu burst into tears, raised the wine glass in her hand and drank it all in one go.
He knew that there would be fewer and fewer opportunities to meet the Chairman's Third Brother in the future. Everyone is older and they will meet less and less.
"Today, all the fellow villagers, younger brothers and sisters have arrived, and only my godmother has not come." Chairman Mao said loudly.
Everyone, including Mao Bizhu, frowned. When did Chairman Mao appear with a godmother?
Chairman pretended to be mysterious and walked to Mao Zelian and said, "Only Brother Zelian knows about this!"
Mao Zelian suddenly reacted and explained to everyone with a smile: "The godmother Chairman Mao is the stone godmother from the north slope, right?"
Hearing this, everyone burst into laughter.
Chairman Mao continued, "The weather is hot today, my godmother is old, I can't come and I can't lift it. Don't wait, move the chopsticks!"
It turned out that the chairman was embarrassed to move the chopsticks when he saw everyone, so he deliberately talked about this to adjust the atmosphere. Mao Ze took the lead and picked up the chopsticks and said to everyone, "When I was a child, I had a horoscope for him. He said he was not easy to take, so Aunt Qi asked the third brother to worship a stone godmother."
Then, Chairman Mao raised his wine glass and walked to the two brothers Mao Bizhu and Mao Yuju to toast. The two of them stood up quickly. Mao Yuju was favored. He said in surprise, "Chairman toast, how dare you!"
"Haha, I am a playful student, and I have committed your rebellion!"
The old man shook his head helplessly and said, "Remember, at that time, I was in the private school in the South Bank, and you took the students to the pond to take a bath."
Chairman Mao turned to Mao Bizhu and others and explained, "Sir, criticized us for not being allowed to play in the water. We said that we can exercise and improve our practice. What's wrong?"
Hearing Chairman Mao's witty words, Mao Yuju and Mao Bizhu both laughed loudly.
Although the meal is simple, the homesickness is deep and the atmosphere of the meal is very warm. Chairman Mao kept shuttled between the banquet and chatting with everyone to reminisce about the past. Chairman Mao, who doesn't like to drink on weekdays, also drank one cup after another because he was in a good mood.
Seeing that the chairman was blushing with his face, Zhou Xiaozhou hurriedly walked up to persuade, "Chairman, you can't drink any more."
Chairman Mao smiled helplessly and said to everyone, "Look at me, as the chairman, I can't even drink more wine. Secretary Zhou doesn't let me drink, so I'll pick up food for everyone!"
pic | The villagers followed Mao Zedong
27 On the afternoon of the 27th, Shaoshan was shining with rays of pine waves, and the Songshan Guesthouse was crowded with villagers coming to see him off.
Chairman Mao walked out of the guesthouse under the protection of Luo Ruiqing and Zhou Xiaozhou and came to Jim's car. The villagers shouted reluctantly: "Chairman Mao! Chairman Mao is coming again!"
Chairman Mao reluctantly said to everyone: "Don't worry, fellow villagers, I will definitely come again!"
"Ruiqing, look, can I walk a few minutes before getting on the car?" Chairman Mao turned to Luo Ruiqing and said.
Luo Ruiqing replied: "Chairman, as soon as possible, it is difficult to walk on the road in Tianheishan."
Chairman Mao nodded happily and turned around and walked into the crowd. The villagers squeezed the chairman in the middle like stars holding the moon. Mao Yuju and Mao Bizhu followed behind the chairman one left and right.
Looking at the tall and burly third brother in front of him, Mao Bizhu's eyes were full of respect and reluctance. Everyone rushed to shake hands with the chairman, bid farewell, and sent the chairman to the entrance of the village.
At Luo Ruiqing's urging, Chairman Mao reluctantly got into the car, and rode the afterglow of the sunset, leaving his hometown Shaoshan...
Seeing Chairman Mao walking away, the villagers gradually dispersed, only Mao Bizhu and Mao Yuju were still standing in place, looking at the direction of the Chairman's departure, and refused to leave.
Mao Bizhu asked in a low voice: "Brother, when do you think the Chairman will come back?"
Mao Yuju shook his head and said: "Runzhizhi, the people of a country depend on him!"
After saying that, the two old men supported each other and walked towards the house.
Picture | Chairman Mao
"Don't dream of vaguely cursing the passing river, my hometown thirty-two years ago." No matter where I am, Chairman Mao always misses the mountains of Shaoshan, the water of Shaoshan, the people of Shaoshan, and cares about Shaoshan's elders and fellow villagers, and the brothers and sisters of Shaoshan...
