In 1989, an old man in Guang'an County, Sichuan Province died of illness.
After hearing the news, the local county party committee staff rushed to the old man's home non-stop and discussed the funeral arrangements with his family.
The reason why the staff of the Guang'an County Party Committee paid so much attention to this is because this old man is Dan Yixing, Deng Xiaoping's uncle! During the
period, some people proposed to hold a memorial service for the elderly Dan Yixing, but some people thought that doing so would not meet the funeral standards.
The two sides were still arguing, so they had no choice but to report the situation to Deng Xiaoping and ask him to make a decision himself.
At that time, Deng Xiaoping was already 85 years old. After hearing the news of his uncle's death, the gray-haired Deng was in a trance for a while, and the affectionate past between the two people also emerged before his eyes.
When he learned that the local county committee asked for instructions on the specifications for his funeral, Deng Xiaoping replied: Just do it simply, the specifications are high enough!
So, what is the story between Dan Yixing and Deng Xiaoping?
Let's go through them one by one:
Deng Xiaoping's uncle Dan Yixing
Dan Yixing was born on September 26, 1900. He was only 4 years older than his nephew Deng Xiaoping. Since they were about the same age, the two were nominally nephews, but in fact they were playmates.
Deng Xiaoping was often brought home by his mother Danshi when he was a child. This uncle took him to play with him since he was a child.
At that time, his name was not Deng Xiaoping, and his parents named him Deng Xiansheng. Later, he and his uncle Dan Yixing were sent to a private school to study. The private school teacher thought that the name was too big and the word "Xiansheng" was insulting to the saint, so he changed his name to Deng Xixian.
However, after all, the two families had different concepts of studying. Dan Yixing returned home within a few years of studying to help his father take care of the family business, while Deng Xixian continued to study.
When Deng Xixian was 12 years old, his mother passed away due to illness, but this did not affect his relationship with the Dan family. Instead, it made his uncle Dan Yixing closer to him.
Later, his father Deng Shaochang found his stepmother Xiao, who did not regard Deng Xixian as an outsider. She treated the previous children as her own and loved them very much.
Deng Xiaoping later recalled that he said: My father was away from home all year round, and my mother had to take care of all the small affairs at home. She had to take care of our children and grandmother, and also do farm work and housework. Raising silkworms, reeling silk, feeding pigs, cooking, sewing, and starching are all managed by one person.
The love of his parents gave Deng Xixian enough time to study, and also gave him the ideal of saving the country and the people by studying!
During that period, Wu Yuzhang, the revolutionary pioneer in Sichuan, and Cai Yuanpei, the president of Peking University, were advocating the work-study movement in studying in France, attracting a large number of educated young people.
For example, Zhou Enlai, Cai Hesen and others, and even Mao Zedong also joined the craze vigorously at that time.
In August 1919, with the support of Wang Yunsong, President of the Chongqing General Chamber of Commerce, and other celebrities, the Chongqing Work-Study Preparatory School for Studying in France was established. There were more than 100 students from all over Sichuan, including Deng Xixian.
14-year-old Deng Xixian left his hometown of Guang'an . From this departure until his death in 1997, he never came back.
The preparatory school that Deng Xixian attended not only learned French, but also had many cultural courses. However, the school was small and did not even have dormitories. The students had to pay for their own food and accommodation. However, the difficult conditions inspired the students' patriotic enthusiasm and motivation to learn.
On July 4 of the following year, the students of the Chongqing Preparatory School for Studying in France ended their intense study life for nearly a year. 83 students including Deng Xiaoping and others were allowed to go to France, 46 of them were eligible for loans, and the remaining 37 were self-funded students.
At three o'clock in the afternoon on the 27th of the following month, the students boarded the French merchant's "Jiqing" passenger ship at Taipingmen Pier, bid farewell to the mountain city, and rushed on the journey to France.
The day before boarding the ship was the twelfth day of the seventh lunar month, which was also Deng Xiaoping’s birthday. His father, Deng Shaochang, came specially from Guang’an to Chongqing to see his son off.
The father and son had a "birthday banquet" at a small restaurant near Taipingmen.
In order to allow Deng Xiaoping to study abroad, his father had already emptied all the family's money, but even this was still not enough, so he could only shamelessly ask the Dan family. The Dan family sold their land without hesitation and used the money to support Deng Xiaoping's education.
My father went to the pier to see off Deng Xiaoping. The father and son were on the boat and the other under the boat, waving to each other and looking into the distance.
But this farewell was an eternal farewell. Until Deng Shaochang's death in 1936, father and son never met again.
In 1939, the War of Resistance Against Japan was at a fierce moment. Countless passionate young people joined the revolution one after another under the call of the Anti-Japanese National United Front .
At this time, Deng Xiaoping's younger brother Deng Xianxiu (Deng Ken), who was a teacher in his hometown, wanted to go to Yan'an to join his elder brother, but the family had little money and no travel expenses.
Deng Ken found his uncle Dan Yixing for help. Dan Yixing immediately sold a lot of family property and land in exchange for money and gave it to Deng Ken. Not long after, another cousin of Deng Xiaoping, Deng Zili, also wanted to go to Yan'an. Dan Yixing once again donated generously!
The Kuomintang authorities in the Guang'an area learned that Dan Yixing actually funded two nephews to "join the Communist Party"? There is also a nephew who is a high-ranking official in the Communist Party! He ordered his arrest.
The reactionary government sealed his home again, and his wife Yang Mingfeng worked as a servant for others. The four young sons could not support themselves, so two were given away and the other two became beggars.
It was not until the end of 1949 that Dan Yixing returned home and found his wife and children.
Deng Xiaoping's relatives
In August 1949, Liu and Deng's armies began to advance into the southwest. After half a year of hard work, the officers and soldiers of the two fields liberated Chengdu on November 27.
After the liberation of the entire southwest, Deng Xiaoping became the first secretary of the Southwest Bureau, Liu Bocheng became the second secretary, and He Long became the third secretary.
Deng Xiaoping began to sit in Chongqing and take charge of the southwest. It can be said that the food, clothing, housing, transportation, production and development of 70 million people in the southwest rested on his shoulders. Of course, he also became the actual person in charge of the entire southwest, and his younger brother Deng Ken also came back and served as the deputy mayor of Chongqing.
Dan Yixing's neighbors all told him with envy that the hardships he suffered back then were not in vain, and now his nephews are all prosperous. The virtuous boy he was back then is now still a prince. Back then, you sold your real estate to support them when they went to school. Now you should ask him to become an official!
was indifferent but shook his head: What kind of official do you want? Now that the world is better, we have three meals a day, so we can't trouble them!
However, in the spring of 1950, Dan Yixing came to Chongqing from Guang'an to find Deng Xiaoping. But this time, he did not come to seek an official position for himself, but brought Deng Xiaoping's stepmother Xia Bogen with him.
Deng Xiaoping was in a meeting at that time. When the police officer came to report, Deng Xiaoping was stunned. He did not expect that his uncle would come to him.
The guard asked: "Do you want to inform Principal Zhuo Lin to come back?"
Deng Xiaoping's wife Zhuo Lin served as the principal of the Southwest Bureau People's Primary School. In addition to taking care of her own four children, she also had to take care of the orphans of martyrs from the 129th Division to the middle and second fields.
So Deng Xiaoping shook his head at the guard: "Don't worry about it for now. Arrange them to the guest house."
In this way, Dan Yixing was placed in the guest house. He waited for a long time. Deng Xiaoping held meetings endlessly. Dan Yixing got impatient with waiting, so he called the guard to complain.
Guard Cui Lairu had to come to Deng Xiaoping again and said to him: "Your uncle is impatient with waiting. He said that he came all the way, and he didn't even give him a bite to eat."
Deng Xiaoping said, "Then take them to eat first."
Cui Lairu said helplessly: "Your uncle said that he finally came here and asked for a meal." You drink with him and eat sausages and bacon."
Deng Xiaoping shook his head helplessly and did not answer. Cui Lairu quickly advised: "Political commissar, there is an old man coming from my hometown. If you don't go to accompany him, I'm afraid there will be gossip."
Deng Xiaoping still waved his hands without saying anything and continued to go to the meeting. Cui Lairu could only arrange Dan Yixing by himself.
That night at Deng Xiaoping's house, Dan Yixing, under the influence of alcohol, got angry at him: "Xian Wazi, when you become a high official, you will no longer recognize your relatives!"
Deng Xiaoping had no choice but to apologize to his uncle with a wry smile.
Fortunately, Dan Yixing was not an ignorant person, and he also understood that Deng Xiaoping had everything on his mind, and what he just said was just out of anger.
He pulled Xia Bogen next to him and said to Deng Xiaoping: "This is your stepmother. When your father died, she was the one who gave it to your father.
After your father died, your family was supported by him alone. Farming, weaving, etc. She had to do all the work of cloth and cooking by herself, and it was not easy for an orphan and a widowed mother. "
In fact, Deng Xiaoping also knew about Xia Bogen. After marrying his father, this boatman's daughter not only took care of the housework, but also wholeheartedly supported the Communist Party.
's daughter Deng Xianfu, also Deng Xiaoping's half-sister, took members of the Huayingshan Guerrilla home to recuperate when she joined the underground party. Xia Bergen hid them at home without saying a word.
This time I came to see Deng Xiaoping. It was Xia Bogen who heard that Deng Xiaoping was back, so he found Dan Yixing and wanted to come and see this "child" whom he had never met before.
After hearing Dan Yixing's introduction, Deng Xiaoping held Xia Bergen's hand excitedly: "Mom, please stay. You are the mother of my younger brothers and sisters, and that is my Deng Xiaoping's mother. Stay here and I will provide for you in old age."
In this way, Xia Bergen was left in the Deng family, and Deng Xiaoping and Zhuo Lin treated her like their biological mother.
Dan Yixing, on the other hand, did not want to take advantage of his nephew. He just wanted to go home and farm honestly and live his own small life.
However, in the following years, Deng Xiaoping was secretly protected by Chairman Mao. Few people knew where he lived. Dan Yixing wanted to write to him but did not have an address, so he could only write to Premier Zhou secretly.
The letter arrived in the hands of Premier Zhou. Premier Zhou was very moved when he saw this letter. Dan Yixing encouraged Deng Xiaoping to persevere in the letter. It was full of uncle's concern for his nephew.
Premier Zhou found a way to give the letter to Deng Xiaoping. Deng Xiaoping was very emotional after seeing the letter, and he and his wife Zhuo Lin wrote back the letter.
Deng Xiaoping returned to Sichuan
January 1986, Jinniuba Hotel in the western suburbs of Chengdu.
At 7 o'clock in the evening, Deng Xiaoping's car entered the gate of Jinniuba Hotel. After getting out of the car, Deng Xiaoping said to the heads of the Sichuan Provincial Party Committee and Chengdu Military Region who greeted him: "I'm home."
Many people asked him if he wanted to go back to his hometown in Guang'an, but Deng Xiaoping shook his head and said nothing.
Deng Xiaoping returned to Sichuan nine times. This was his last return, but he never returned to his hometown in Guang'an. Not only did Deng Xiaoping himself not go back, but even his younger brothers, sisters and daughter were not allowed to go back.
His sister Deng Xianfu asked him why he didn't go back. Deng Xiaoping replied: "Why don't you go back to your hometown? I am the son of the Chinese people. Chengdu is my hometown and Sichuan is also my hometown. I am a Communist Party and cannot learn from Yang Sen!"
The Yang Sen in Deng Xiaoping's words refers to the great warlord of Sichuan. Yang Sen is also a Guang'an native. He once said: Guang'an Guang'an means to resettle one's people extensively. So all Yang Sen's relatives must be taken care of and enjoy privileges!
The third sister Deng Xianqun also said: "One time, people from Guang'an proposed to rebuild the Deng family's yard. My eldest brother said why repair it? If you have money to repair that, why not build a school!"
Finally, it was Deng Xiaoping's daughter Maomao who told the real reason why her father was unwilling to return to her hometown - "When we go back, we will mobilize people and it will not do any good to the Guang'an family."
Because of this, Deng Xiaoping never returned to his hometown in Guang'an.
The time goes back to February 8, 1986. This day is the Lunar New Year's Eve. At the Jinniuba Hotel, Deng Xiaoping and more than 600 local party, government and military cadres and mass representatives spent a joyful Spring Festival group visit.
The Dan Yixing family in Guang'an was also preparing for a New Year's reunion dinner. A staff member of the Guang'an County Party Committee came to their home and said that Deng Xiaoping was in Chengdu now and wanted to meet his uncle and aunt.
So on February 10, the morning of the second day of the Lunar New Year, Dan Yixing and his family set out for the Jinniuba Hotel in Chengdu.
Dan Yixing is 86 years old this year. His eyesight is usually not very good, but now he recognized Deng Xiaoping from a distance.
The two nephews and uncles sat together, recalling every bit of their childhood like two children. Accompanied by his family and children, Deng Xiaoping had a very happy Spring Festival.
But even so, before leaving, Deng Xiaoping specifically told his uncle not to rely on him to become a special citizen, and not to let the government take care of him alone.
In order to support his uncle and aunt, Deng Xiaoping asked his wife Zhuo Lin to take out a sum of money from his salary every month and send it to Dan Yixing.
From then on, the two old people lived an ordinary life like ordinary farmers, but this was also the last time the nephew and uncle met.
In 1989, Dan Yixing passed away. The local county government wanted to hold a large memorial service for him. When the news reached Deng Xiaoping's ears, Deng Xiaoping said that it should be simple and the specifications were sufficient.
Tan Wenquan, Dan Yixing’s son, went to the Shenyang Military Region to serve as a soldier at the end of 1949. Almost all the leaders of his army were Deng Xiaoping’s old subordinates, but no one knew his identity.
Dan Wenquan relied on his own efforts. He served in the army for three years and was a good soldier for two years.
After he returned to his hometown in 1961, he followed his father in farming at home and never mentioned his cousin at all. In 1986, when his parents went to Chengdu to celebrate the New Year, the staff in Guang'an asked Tam Wenquan to go with him. But he said: "My parents have gone, so I won't go, so as not to cause trouble to the government."
In June 1993, when Qiao Shi, Chairman of the National People's Congress, came to Guang'an for inspection, he made a special trip to Deng Xiaoping's former residence. He made a special trip to the Tambun family and asked him what he wanted.
Tan Wenquan said calmly: "Now that life is getting better and better, my children have grown up and made money, and I have nothing to trouble the party and the government."
In this way, the Dan family has always been like Dan Yixing, never relying on Deng Xiaoping and living their own lives.
Tan Wenquan’s four children all went out to work after graduating from college. The old couple rented a shop in the county town and started a farmhouse business. Today, the family lives a harmonious and beautiful life, and is getting further and further on the road to prosperity.
But few people nearby knew that this kind old man was actually Deng Xiaoping's cousin.
References:
Deng Xiaoping’s family ties Ai Xinquan; Tian Shu Hongyan Chunqiu 2006-09-20
Deng Xiaoping’s civilian relatives Wang Chengzhi Style of the Times 1994-08-02
“I’m home!” Wu Qiquan Party Building in Sichuan (rural version) 2004-09-01
The story of Deng Xiaoping and his uncle People's Daily Online Deng Xiaoping Memorial Network February 13, 2018
Comrade Xiaoping's nephew-uncle relationship Yu Yeda People's Daily Online Deng Xiaoping Memorial Network February 26, 2016
Editor: Zhang Mo
Editor: Lin Hua
