As we all know, the great Premier Zhou devoted his life to his life, but after his death, he did not build a cemetery. Premier Zhou's ashes were scattered in four places on the land of the motherland. However, there was a vice prime minister. After his death, the cemetery built for him was comparable to that of Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum . Who was he?
He is Chen Yonggui, a peasant vice premier in a special period. He is a representative figure of "Dazhai". Chairman Mao shouted "Yonggui, Yonggui!" From then on, "Chen Yonggui" became a well-known name.
So why could Chen Yonggui walk up to the Tiananmen Gate Tower? Can it still be welcomed by Chairman Mao? This has to start with his special experience. Chen Yonggui is from Xiyang County, Shanxi Province. He was born in a poor peasant family and was a good farmer. He had a high level of ideological awareness.
In 1948, 34-year-old Chen Yonggui also joined the party. After the founding of New China, Chen Yonggui responded to the call to lead the villagers to implement agricultural collectivization. He and everyone worked hard to transform layers of terraced fields on Hutoushan , and the grain output increased significantly, from the previous yield per mu of 200 kilograms to more than 700 kilograms per mu.
Under the leadership of Chen Yonggui, the "Dazhai Spirit" flourished on Hutou Mountain. The then Shanxi Secretary specially reported to Chairman Mao the "Dazhai Spirit" on Hutou Mountain. Chairman Mao was very happy after reading it and also gave the eight words "Good articles in the poor mountain valley".
With Chairman Mao’s encouragement, everyone became more motivated. Chen Yonggui also became a representative figure. At that time, he was invited to the city and the province to give experience reports. Later, he was invited by Chairman Mao to attend Chairman Mao’s birthday party.
At that time, Chairman Mao invited outstanding representatives from all fields of New China, such as Qian Xuesen , Wang Jinxi and others, and Chen Yonggui was one of them. On May 1, 1967, when celebrating Labor Day, Chen Yonggui was invited to the Tiananmen Gate Tower. Chairman Mao shook hands with Chen Yonggui and said, "Yonggui is good, Yonggui is good!"
Then the three words "Yonggui is good" became the front page of the news and spread throughout the country for a time. Later, Chen Yonggui was transferred to Beijing to work and entered the central study class in 1973. On January 13, 1975, Chen Yonggui was elected as Vice Premier, and ranked 7th in charge of agricultural work.
It is worth mentioning that Chen Yonggui became the vice premier, but he did not receive the salary of the cadre. He still received food according to the work points of Dazhai. His household registration is also in his hometown in the countryside. Every time he eats, he will exchange work points for food coupons before using it. Chen Yonggui does not make any special treatment.
During his tenure as Vice Premier, he participated in visits and receptions. He handed over every gift he received to the public and always maintained the simple nature of a farmer. He served as Vice Premier for 5 years and voluntarily proposed to resign as Vice Premier in August 1980, and was approved in September.
After resigning, in 1983, Chen Yonggui worked as a consultant at the Dongjiao Farm in Beijing. Unfortunately, three years later, on March 26, 1986, Chen Yonggui died of illness in Beijing at the age of 72. According to Chen Yonggui's instructions during his lifetime, his ashes were taken back to Dazhai, Xiyang County for burial.
However, since his cemetery was not built at that time, the ashes were temporarily stored in his former residence. Soon after, a cemetery was built for him in Hutou Mountain, Dazhai. In 1993, his cemetery was repaired and 28-story stone stairs were built in the style of the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum.
steps are divided into three parts and five groups, one group of 8 ladders, symbolizing Chen Yonggui worked in the central government for 8 years, two groups of 72 ladders, symbolizing him at the age of 72, and two groups of 38 ladders, symbolizing his 38 years of party membership. The entire cemetery is grand in scale and has now become a beautiful landscape.
