In 1935, in a wealthy family's home in Zhoushan, Zhejiang, a woman with bright eyes and white teeth opened the door angrily and shouted: "Father, I don't want to marry that rich man Li!"
The woman's father was reading documents at the table in the study room. He raised his eyes and looked at her: "What are you yelling about? Why don't you want to marry him? His family is one of the richest families within a hundred miles. If you marry, you will live a lifetime of prosperity and happiness." I will happily be your rich wife.
The woman clenched her fists and argued: "I don't care, I want to marry the person I like." "
's father asked: "Oh? So do you have someone you like now? Parents' orders, matchmaker's words. Dad won't hurt you.
The woman shed tears quickly: "Although I haven't met her yet, I will find her in the future. Anyway, I won't marry. If you want to marry, you can marry yourself." "
After saying that, the woman ran out crying.
"You...are really spoiled." The father sighed helplessly.
Transnational Marriage
In March 1940, a romantic wedding was being held in a cave dwelling in Yan'an, Shaanxi Province. In a relaxed atmosphere, a group of people toasted to celebrate the newlyweds.
There are many familiar faces gathered here: Chairman Mao, Premier Zhou, Wang Jiaxiang and other Communist Party members.
There are also a few strange foreigners.
What is even more surprising is that the groom who is walking towards me is also a foreigner.
The bride is a little girl who rebelled against her father and did not want to get married. She is known as "the most beautiful woman in Yan'an".
The little girl's name is Zhou Suzhen, born on May 19, 1919.
She was born in a family of Zhongmingdingshi. Her ancestors were engaged in shipbuilding. She has been lively and smart since she was a child. She is the little pearl that is placed on the top of everyone's mind at home.
Her father studied abroad, so he was very strict with her education. She has received elite education since she was a child.
With a good upbringing, a distinguished family background and outstanding appearance, her life could have been stable and smooth without doing anything.
But Zhou Suzhen is a woman with unique insights. She does not want an arranged marriage, a plain life, and a husband who has nothing in common, so she chooses to escape.
So she let herself go and embarked on an unknown journey, becoming an Eighth Route Army soldier and marrying a foreigner.
Zhou Suzhen's husband is an American named Ma Haide . His original name is George Haide . He was born in 1910 in "Buffalo " - Buffalo, New York.
Ma Haide came to Shanghai in 1933 after graduating from the Medical College of Geneva, Switzerland, where he studied oriental tropical diseases. At the same time, he also witnessed how the Kuomintang massacred communists and revolutionary youths. He offered to serve the Chinese revolution .
In 1936, Ma Haide met Chairman Mao in northern Shaanxi and visited many Red Army soldiers on the front line of the Western Expedition. This changed his understanding of China and joined the revolution as a military doctor.
He also gave himself a Chinese name, Ma Haide.
His name Hedem means horse in Arabic . China has many people with the surname horse. He wanted to fully integrate into China, so he came up with this name that combined Chinese and Western elements.
Zhou Suzhen came to Yan'an in 1939 and suddenly fainted one day. It happened that Ma Haider was the one who treated her. He fell in love with this little girl like a lark at first sight and quickly carefully prepared medicine for her treatment.
When Zhou Suzhen woke up, she felt a little excited when she saw this foreigner with an exotic appearance.
She has heard of Ma Haide's name a long time ago. He has superb medical skills. Many people call him the "Doctor All-Purpose" , but the two have never had any intersection.
Two young men and women chatted about dreams, revolution and the past together.
Ma Haide wants to know everything about this beautiful woman.
Zhou Suzhen began to talk about it. It was only a few years since she left home, but it seemed like a long, long time.
Become famous in one battle
Zhou Suzhen talks about the past and thinks about her time in the past few years. It is not an exaggeration to say that it has been wonderful.
She talked about her experience of being forced into marriage by her father. Although she was just a girl in a boudoir, she read a lot of poetry and longed for the freedom in books.
Especially in the summer of 1934, when she was traveling in Dinghai , she met a group of revolutionary young men and women.
They were passionate and talked loudly about the power that revolution brings to people.
The moment she and her father broke down and ran out of the house, she thought of those enthusiastic young people.
She also yearns for being so unrestrained and working hard for a common dream.
She hurriedly returned home and dug out the address hidden in the book. It was given to her by a revolutionary sister and said to her: "If you are interested in revolution one day when you grow up, you are welcome to come to us."
She wrote a letter non-stop, in which she elaborated on her grievances of being forced into marriage and her yearning for a new life. She wanted to escape from her father's control and pursue her dreams.
Not long after, she received a reply asking her to come to Shanghai.
After she packed her luggage, she left a letter to her father and embarked on a journey to Shanghai.
Shanghai and Zhejiang are two different places. Zhou Suzhen is like a strange child, very unfamiliar with everything and very yearning for it.
The revolutionary young people who responded to her letter received Zhou Suzhen and asked her if she had any ideas at present. Zhou Suzhen shook her head. She only thought about escaping and had not thought about what she would do after leaving home.
What Zhou Suzhen did not know was that these young people were members of the China Left-Wing Theater Alliance. In order to break through the destruction and obstruction of the Kuomintang authorities, they promoted student drama and worker drama activities through various methods.
Zhou Suzhen naturally joined the drama art supply club.
Zhou Suzhen was only fifteen years old at the time and was still in school age. Although she did not need to get married, she still had to read books.
She is a smart girl, and with enough hard work, she was admitted to the liberal arts class of Shanghai Zhengfeng Middle School. From then on, she began her life of studying and acting in dramas.
Once Zhou Suzhen is immersed in something, she will work hard to do it well. She follows the members of the troupe to perform everywhere, and she tries her best to learn everything from lines to movements.
Her hard work and talent were quickly discovered. On this day, Zhou Suzhen was performing "Put Down Your Whip" on the street and was seen by Wang Bin who happened to be passing by.
You may ask who is Wang Bin?
Wang Bin was the screenwriter and director of of Tianyi Film Company at that time. The feature film " White Haired Girl " he co-directed won the Special Honor Award at the 6th Czechoslovakia Lovi Vary International Film Festival.
At that time, Wang Bin was looking for a heroine for his script "Burial at Sea". The moment he saw Zhou Suzhen, he felt that this role must be hers.
Director Wang once recalled Zhou Suzhen's performance in "Burial at Sea". She had a strong ability to empathize and carefully studied the joys and sorrows of the characters in the script. Her immersive performance made her completely become the character.
Wang Bin guided Zhou Suzhen step by step to hone her acting skills and lines. This film also has many powerful actors joining the cast. Under the guidance of many seniors, 16-year-old Zhou Suzhen stepped onto the big screen.
Her pretty and graceful girl image and polished and delicate acting skills made her famous in the Shanghai film and television industry.
She also has a stage name called Zhou Sophie .
Zhou Suzhen, who became a movie star, had a smooth career in acting, and even acted on the same stage as the smash hit Blue Ping.
Revolutionary Fighter
But Zhou Suzhen never forgot her patriotism, and the figure of a generous and elegiac person in the left-wing cultural circle always guided her from the front.
Especially after the " July 7th Incident", the Japanese's inhumane aggression in China made Zhou Suzhen begin to participate in anti-Japanese propaganda.
Although she is still participating in movies, promoting the anti-Japanese war and the cry of youth are still the main theme of her life.
After she came to Shanghai, she took the initiative to contact her father, not wanting him to worry about her.
Her father told her that after the Japanese occupied Zhoushan , they threatened him to work for the Japanese. Her father did not want to become an accomplice and traitor, and would rather die than surrender.
Zhou Suzhen was moved by her father's integrity, and her father's example made Zhou Suzhen more determined to resist Japan.
She traveled around with the troupe to promote, and soon after, she was targeted.
It was none other than the Kuomintang people who were eyeing her.
Zhou Suzhen is a star and not an ordinary person. Many of her actions will have an impact on ordinary people. She is influenced by new ideas. In addition to showing how the Japanese harmed the Chinese people, anti-Japanese propaganda also promotes new ideas.
This angered the Kuomintang people.
When she knew nothing about it, the Communists saw the value of this girl and thought she was a good prospect, so they kindly reminded her.
In the early autumn of 1939, the propaganda team of the Anti-Enemy Support Association, where Zhou Suzhen was a member, was about to go out for activities. A little sister came and quietly told her that a Mr. Yu was waiting for her outside.
Mr. Yu took her to the home of Mr. Jiang.
Mr. Jiang has Pushkin-style long hair and is very enthusiastic.
He showed Zhou Suzhen some information about Yan'an, and then suddenly asked: "Do you want to go to Yan'an?"
Zhou Suzhen yearned for it, it was the holy land of revolution. She nodded fiercely, her heart pounding with excitement.
Two days later, they disguised themselves and boarded a long-distance bus bound for Guiyang. From Guiyang to Chengdu, they came to Xi'an, and finally arrived at Qixianzhuang. This year she is 20 years old.
After arriving in northern Shaanxi, Zhou Suzhen was arranged to continue her studies at Lu Xun Art Institute. She chose her favorite drama department to continue her studies.
then met Ma Haide. After hearing the experience of the girl in front of him, Ma Haide couldn't calm down for a long time.
The next day, Ma Haide wrote a letter to Zhou Suzhen in crooked Chinese on pink paper: "Beautiful lady, I sincerely hope that you can take your medicine on time, recover soon, and show your beautiful smile!"
In this way, the flower of love sprouted in the hearts of the two. On a beautiful day, Ma Haide expressed his love to Zhou Suzhen, knelt down and proposed: "Dear Sophie , will you marry me? I will love you forever."
Zhou Suzhen was moved and happy, and nodded.
Ma Haide was overwhelmed with joy and turned around and rushed to the General Political Department . He rushed into the home of Wang Jiaxiang, director of the Political Department at that time, and couldn't wait to tell him: "I am getting married, I am going to marry Sophie, and I am going to marry Sophie."
Wang Jiaxiang was very happy for the two of them.
The government promoted the new marriage law among the people and encouraged marriage registration. The two responded to the government's call and went to the government to register, so that their marriage would have legal effect.
So there was this small but romantic wedding.
Their wedding can be regarded as "an early achievement of Sino-US cooperation." Chairman Mao also called Ma Haide his son-in-law.
Married life
In 1943, their child Zhou Youma was born.
Ma Haide must have missed his overseas parents while living in China. He asked the US military stationed in Yan'an to bring a message to his parents: "Mom and Dad, I am married, my wife is a very beautiful girl, and we have a child."
Ma Haide's parents sent back many things to the family of three, some for the children and some for Zhou Suzhen.
What is ridiculous is that in order to see his son, Mahaide's father bought a plane ticket and ran to Damascus, Syria. Because China and the United States had not established diplomatic relations at that time, he could only go to a third country.
Ma Haide's father went to the Chinese Embassy in Damascus and said he wanted to see Ma Haide.
The ambassador quickly reported to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs via telegram. The minister at the time was still Chen Yi.
Chen Yi immediately notified Ma Haide and Zhou Suzhen after seeing the news. Chen Yi applied for the visa within a week, and they took their son to Syria .
Ma Haide's father beamed with joy when he saw Zhou Suzhen and Zhou Youma, praising his son for being so lucky to have such a beautiful wife and lovely children.
During the Yan'an rectification campaign , Ma Haide was questioned for his impure purpose in coming to China. He was even slandered as an "international spy" . They believed that he gave up his comfortable life and went to Yan'an to endure hardships because he had an international political background.
He was in great pain during this period, and Zhou Suzhen stayed with him every day to comfort him.
"I will always believe in you, and your heart will always be towards the Communist Party of China.
I understand your heart, and I know that as long as it is the need of the revolution, you will be willing to endure any misunderstanding.
Besides, Chairman Mao and Premier Zhou will definitely clear your name."
Sure enough, Chairman Mao and Premier Zhou immediately made a phone call after hearing this: "Ma Haide is innocent, don't try to take his ideas."
After the founding of New China in 1949, Zhou Suzhen was even more moved. Ma Haide became the first foreigner with new Chinese nationality after approval.
After her family of three came to Beijing from Yan'an, Zhou Suzhen continued to work in movies and dramas.
In 1960, she began to participate in the production of movies, such as "Spring Thunder", "Peacock Princess", etc.
No matter what difficulties they face, the couple will overcome them together.
After the founding of New China, the government began to formulate policies to prevent leprosy. After the Third Plenary Session of the Eleventh Central Committee of the Communist Party of China , he stepped up the work of eradicating leprosy and made outstanding contributions to the eradication of leprosy in China.
Influenced by her husband, Zhou Suzhen has also been paying attention to leprosy.
Even after her husband passed away, she used her pension to establish a foundation to reward workers who made outstanding contributions in the prevention and treatment of leprosy - Ma Haide Foundation .
During the Spring Festival, she would go to the leprosy hospital to express condolences to the patients and workers. She also established a Hope Primary School for sick children to attend.
Today, this elderly woman is 102 years old and lives alone in Beijing. She occasionally lies on a recliner in the courtyard and misses the glorious years with her husband.
In November 2022, old man Zhou Suzhen urged her son Zhou Youma to bring her great-grandson back to her to see. Zhou Youma did not dare to neglect. After school, he went to visit his old mother after receiving his grandson.
Zhou Suzhen specially asked the nanny to prepare a large table of dishes, waiting for the arrival of Zhou Youma and her great-grandson.
Seeing the blood of the new generation, Zhou Suzhen's eyes seemed to sparkle with tears. She may have recalled her own glory days.
In her life, it was enough for her to break through the barriers of the old times, move toward freedom, live alone, and fulfill her husband's unfinished dream.
-End-
editor | Zhang Ah Zhang, Shu Shu
text | Wang Jingwen
