Hongmen "big guy" Situ Meitang is a famous overseas Chinese leader in the Americas and one of the founders of the Chinese Zhi Gong Party. His life is full of legends. He has received Sun Yat-sen and Mao Zedong. The lofty courtesy of and Zhou Enlai , and the leader of the overseas Chinese in Southeast Asia, Tan Kah Kee are also known as the "gemini constellation" of the overseas Chinese community in China.
Situ Meitang
In 1868, Situ Meitang was born in a bankrupt peasant family in Kaiping County, Guangdong Province. He lost his father at a young age, and his widow worked hard to raise him. He was often bullied when he was a child. Began to take the initiative to practice military defense. In 1880, the 12-year-old Situ Meitang took a steamer to the United States San Francisco to make a living, and joined the Hongmen Zhigongtang at the age of 17.
At that time, Zhi Gongtang in the Americas was mostly a gang organization that extended from the Hongmen Triad of China to overseas. It was originally developed in San Francisco and gradually expanded to many large cities in the western United States in the late 1860s.
After Situ Meitang joined Zhigongtang, dozens of people could not get close due to his martial arts, and gradually established his own prestige. He felt that the internal organization of Zhi Gongtang was fragmented, complicated, and lacking a unified command, so he gathered a group of his own brothers and formed the "Anliang Chamber of Commerce and Industry" , referred to as "Anliang Hall" .
Group photo of "Anliangtang" members
Under the leadership of Situ Meitang,An Liangtang gradually grew stronger. He was named "big guy" . He has more than 20,000 members and has branches in more than 20 cities in the eastern United States. This has also established his supreme status in Hongmen. .
In 1904, Sun Yat-sen left Honolulu and went to the United States. He had already joined Zhi Gong Tang in Honolulu, so he carried out revolutionary activities in the Americas as the "big brother" of Hongmen. After he arrived in Boston, Situ Meitang welcomed him warmly. Not only arranged for him to stay in a hotel, but also invited him to dinner every day.
But a few days later, Sun Yat-sen said to Situ Meitang: “It’s too expensive to live here. It’s better to find another place to save money and keep the money to pay.”
Sun Yat-sen
Situ After hearing this, Meitang was deeply moved. He said: "Mr. ran for the revolution and bankrupted his family. We Boston Hongmen brothers, even if they are poor, they can still afford to entertain."
Sun Yat-sen insisted: "Your mind I understand that no matter how much money should be spent, you should spend more money that shouldn’t be spent. If you save one, you should support the revolution more.”
So Situ Meitang asked Sun Yat-sen to live in his home. I personally acted as a guard and cook for him. The two lived together for 5 months and often talked about national affairs. Situ Meitang learned a lot of revolutionary principles from Sun Yat-sen's teachings, and the Hongmen organization has since become revolutionary.
After the failure of the Huanghuagang Uprising in Guangzhou in 1911 , the domestic revolutionary party called Sun Yat-sen in the United States, saying that he needed 150,000 US dollars to regroup. Sun Yat-sen was unable to raise so much money, so he had to discuss countermeasures with Situ Meitang.
Situ Meitang thought, if the brothers donate 5 yuan and 10 yuan,That was a drop in the bucket and couldn't solve the problem. So proposed to escort the four court buildings in Toronto, Vancouver, and Victoria, Canada, to raise a total of 150,000 US dollars, which was unanimously approved by everyone and relieved Sun Yat-sen’s urgent need. .
Situ Meitang
After the success of the Xinhai Revolution, Sun Yat-sen was anxious to return to China, and it was Situ Meitang who raised him 450 dollars in travel expenses. This moved him deeply. He held Situ Mei tightly. Tang's hand said: "Thank you overseas Chinese in America for your support to the revolution. When the revolution is successful, please Hongmen brothers return to China to take power and share the fruits of the revolution." Meitang sent a telegram, inviting him to return to China to become the "monitoring officer" of the presidential palace, but Situ Meitang declined politely on the grounds that "will not be an official" .
Situ Meitang not only has a deep relationship with Sun Yat-sen, but also has friendship with the President of the United States Franklin Roosevelt . Roosevelt served as legal counsel for Anliangtang for 10 years before he was elected, and his fees were very reasonable. , Never speak loudly, won the respect of Situ Meitang.
Roosevelt in his youth
In 1932, "Monday 28th" Shanghai Songhu Anti-Japanese War After the start, the patriotic enthusiasm of overseas Chinese in the United States was unprecedentedly high, and rally demands Chiang Kai-shek _ Chiang Kai-shek Situ Meitang also immediately participated in the patriotic movement to resist Japan and save the nation. He organized and established "New York Overseas Chinese Anti-Japanese Salvation Congress" , and launched a fundraiser to save the country.
After the ceasefire of the Songhu War of Resistance, Situ Meitang led a delegation of condolences to Shanghai with donated materials from overseas Chinese and took a boat to Shanghai to personally condole the 19th Route Army in combat. He was warmly welcomed by the commander-in-chief Cai Tingkai , Cai Tingkai also invited him to live in the military headquarters for a few days.
In 1933, under Chiang Kai-shek's suppression, Cai Tingkai had to go into exile in the United States. The KMT agents bought the killers in the United States and prepared to wait for opportunities to assassinate Cai Tingkai while traveling around the country. After learning about this, Situ Meitang immediately assigned a defense mission to Zhi Gong Tang in major cities in the United States, and issued a statement in the newspaper: "Whoever dares to touch General Cai with a vellus hair will pound the murderer into meat sauce on the spot!"
Cai Tingkai
Since then, Situ Meitang personally accompanied Cai Tingkai to more than 10 cities in the United States. Under his protection, Cai Tingkai was unscathed in the United States.
In November 1936, one of the protagonists of Xi'an Incident Yang Hucheng , after releasing Chiang Kai-shek, he was forced to leave the country. After he came to the United States, he was also warmly received by Situ Meitang, Yang Hucheng told Situ Meitang that Chiang Kai-shek sent a large number of murder agents to follow him in order to kill him, and he was not safe in the United States.
Situ Meitang immediately arranged for his brothers to protect Yang Hucheng, and did not solemnly say goodbye until sending him aboard to London.
Yang Hucheng
Winter of 1941,Situ Meitang was selected by the National Government as a national politician, so he decided to return to China from the United States to attend the national politician meeting, but while passing through Hong Kong, the Pacific War broke out. Hong Kong was captured by the Japanese army, and the Japanese wanted to use Situ Meitang's reputation forced him to become "maintain the chairman" , but he was firmly rejected.
Later, with the help of Brother Hongmen, Situ Meitang escaped from Hong Kong with makeup, and moved to Chongqing in 1942. On the second day of his arrival in Chongqing, Zhou Enlai , the then representative of the CCP in Chongqing, went to the hotel where he was staying with his wife Deng Yingchao to visit him and brought him a copy of . " Xinhua Daily" .
A few days later, Zhou Enlai sent a car to take him to Hongyan Village , and held a grand welcome party for him. Zhou Enlai spoke highly of Situ Meitang’s patriotic enthusiasm and outstanding contributions to overseas Chinese. He also introduced the anti-Japanese situation of the CCP and its army and the truth about the "Southern Anhui Incident" that happened before, which enabled Situ Meitang to have a deeper understanding of the Chinese Communist Party.
Situ Meitang (third from left) and Zhou Enlai (fourth from left)
Situ Meitang said with emotion after the meeting: "I received Zhou Enlai's hospitality this time, and I felt it so deep that I saw The light of victory in the Anti-Japanese War."
After Situ Meitang returned to the United States,Continuing to mobilize overseas Chinese to raise funds for the War of Resistance Against Japan, he also remitted large amounts of donations to the Eighth Route Army and the New Fourth Army in Hong Kong on many occasions, giving them great financial support.
In March 1945, in order to better concentrate the overseas Chinese, support the motherland’s war of resistance, and promote the development of domestic democratic politics, Situ Meitang decided to reorganize the American Hongmen Zhi Gongtang into "China Hongmen Zhi Gong Party" , He himself was elected as the chairman of the party's headquarters in the Americas.
After the victory of the Anti-Japanese War, the Chinese people unanimously hoped for peace, so that they can recuperate, develop production, and build the country. Situ Meitang also returned to China again in April 1946, ready to actively participate in the democratic politics and construction of the motherland, but his illusions were quickly shattered by Chiang Kai-shek’s reactionary civil war. He was witnessing the inflation and the cold and starvation of the people in the Kuomintang-ruled area. After the situation, I was disappointed.
Situ Meitang
On June 23, Zhou Enlai again invited Situ Meitang to the resident of Nanjing Meiyuan New Village to talk. He briefed him on the post-war domestic situation and the construction of the liberated areas, and exposed Chiang Kai-shek’s attempt to monopolize. The fruits of victory in the Anti-Japanese War and the conspiracy to deploy a civil war gave Situ Meitang a more sober understanding of the domestic situation and promoted a change in his thinking.
In May 1948, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China issued the "May 1 slogan" , calling for a new political consultation meeting without the participation of reactionaries to discuss the establishment of a democratic coalition government.
Situ Meitang was in Hong Kong at the time. He was very happy when he heard the news. He immediately held a press conference and said: "Although I am old, I am still alive, and my patriotism cannot be slackened. I am about to return to the United States to participate in the Hongmen Conference. Discuss the domestic situation and put forward political proposals in order to implement the Hongmen revolutionary goals."
Situ Meitang
Soon after, Situ Meitang wrote the "Salute to Chairman Mao" ,He expressed his heartfelt acceptance of the leadership of the Communist Party of China, and he also stated: "When will the New Political Consultative Conference open and receive the call, I will return to China today to participate." It was January 1949, and Mao Zedong immediately called Situ Meitang back, inviting him to return to China to jointly establish a democratic coalition government. After receiving the telegram, Situ Meitang began to prepare to return to China.
Mao Zedong’s letter to Situ Meitang
But the news reached Kong Xiangxi in the United States. He specifically persuaded him not to be used by Situ Meitang. "When I get older, it's better to stay in the United States, and you don't have to worry about life.
But Situ Meitang resolutely refused to say: "I returned to China because of my patriotism. I must go back. All I volunteered, and no one took advantage of it."
On September 4, Situ Meitang finally arrived in Beiping. , Was greeted warmly, and stayed at Beijing Hotel. Soon after, Mao Zedong asked Situ Meitang to meet at Xiangshan Shuangqing Villa. Because of the steep slope there, the car could not get up. Mao Zedong considered that Situ Meitang was old and could not stand the bumps of jeep. Ask the guards to prepare a stretcher and bring him up at that time.
But the guards could not find a ready-made stretcher for a while, so Mao Zedong asked the guards to use his rattan lounge chair to make a sedan chair, and lifted Situ Meitang up. This moved Situ Meitang very much. He called this rattan chair. "Specially gifted Jinluang Temple Chengyu", also specially took pictures.
The guard lifted Situ Meitang uphill
After meeting,Mao Zedong said to Situ Meitang: "You have helped and contributed to the cause of the Chinese People's Revolution in the past, and contributed to the people. Now that the People's Revolution has won, we will never forget our friends."
Situ Mei Tang said with emotion: "We people came to carry the sedan chair for the Communist Party and hold the Communist Party to power. I did not expect Chairman Mao to be approachable and the spirit of democratic consultation deeply educated me."
Mao Zedong said: "We will have a long-term future. Working together, we are both sedan chairers and sedan chairers.”
Mao Zedong and Situ Meitang
On the evening of September 17, the New Political Consultative Conference held a banquet at Yingtai, Mao Zedong And Situ Meitang was arranged at the first table, and also He Xiangning, Tan Kah Kee, Chen Shutong, Guo Moruo and Li Lisan and others. Toasting, he also said humorously:
"Well, we have everyone here, including the proletariat Li Lisan, whether there is a party democrat and writer Guo Moruo, the democracy professor Xu Deheng, and the industrial and commercial representative Chen Shutong. There are also Mrs. Liao, Mr. Situ and Mr. Chen from the women’s world. This is the united front!"
Situ Meitang knew that Mao Zedong loved to smoke, so he handed him a cigar in an iron box, but Mao Zedong held the box. Look left and sway right, pull forward and press back, but you can’t peel it off, so the staff has to do it for you.He said humorously: "This is an American-style cigarette, so difficult to open!"
Mao Zedong smokes a cigar
On the morning of September 26, Zhou Enlai invited two people including Situ Meitang. Thirty elderly people went to the Six Nations Hotel for a banquet and discussed important issues. After everyone arrived, Zhou En said:
"There is an old saying in our country called "Ask the elders". This is the case for today's meeting. When discussing the document, you saw that under the country name "People's Republic of China", there is a The brackets for the abbreviation of the Republic of China. There are two different opinions on this abbreviation, some say it is good, and some say it is unnecessary. The Standing Committee specially asked me to consult the older generations to see if I have any ideas."
Situ Meitang first stood up and spoke:
"I respect Mr. Sun Yat-sen, but I have no liking for the four words'Republic of China'. The reason is that the Republic of China has nothing to do with the people. Is the second revolution different from the Revolution of 1911? If everyone thinks it is different, then our country name should be called "People's Republic of China", and throw away the rotten signboard of "Republic of China". It is an extremely solemn thing to set a national title. It has to be changed. As the saying goes: "If your name is not right, you will be unsatisfactory, and if you don't follow your words, you won't work." It is still called the "Republic of China".
Situ Meitang (right)
After Situ Meitang's words were finished, he won warm applause from everyone. Everyone agreed that the abbreviation of "Republic of China" should not be used, and the presidium of the conference finally adopted everyone's opinion.
After the founding of New China, Situ Meitang was elected as "Member of the Central People’s Government" ,But he did not intend to become an official, and he was ready to retire. He said to the people around him: "After the Revolution of 1911, Sun Yat-sen asked me to be an official. I didn't do it. Now that the conference is over, I have to go back to Hong Kong and the United States.
After Zhou Enlai learned of Situ Meitang’s ideas, he tried his best to save him and said sincerely: "Now is just the first step in the long march to build our young republic prosperous and strong. There are a lot of things to do, please stay and let us build a new China together, okay?”
Situ Meitang was moved by Zhou Enlai’s sincerity and decided to stay in Beijing. Zhou Enlai also specially found him a quiet courtyard house , Let him make a home there, and since then Situ Meitang ended his 69-year wandering career in the United States.
Situ Meitang's speech
From February to May 1950, Situ Meitang, 84 years old, went south to Guangdong to investigate the situation of land reform. In these months, he used an old overseas Chinese He explained the central government’s policy on land reform in the hometown of overseas Chinese to overseas Chinese, and called on overseas Chinese and their relatives to work together to support land reform. His speech had a great impact on the advancement of land reform.
When Situ Meitang was in Guangdong, he also discovered that some places did not follow the central policies and violated the interests of overseas Chinese. So he wrote "Some Opinions on Overseas Chinese Land Issues" and forwarded it to Mao Zedong. Mao Zedong gave an instruction after reading it: published this article in the CPPCC document, and the central responsible person and the Central Land Work Committee attached great importance to this.
On May 8, 1955, Situ Meitang passed away from a cerebral hemorrhage. He passed his legendary and glorious life at the age of 89.
The Tomb of Situ Meitang
At that time, Zhou Enlai had just attended the Bandung Conference from Indonesia and returned to Beijing.After he got off the plane and heard the news, he hurried to the residence of Situ Meitang to say his final goodbye to his body. He also arranged detailed arrangements for the funeral of Situ Meitang.
On May 9, the central government held a grand ceremony for Situ Meitang in Zhongshan Hall, Zhongshan Park. Zhou Enlai presided over the ceremony and Liao Chengzhi delivered a eulogy. At 1 pm, the body of Situ Meitang was buried in the Babaoshan Martyrs Cemetery. The serial number is Tianzi No. 3.
Statue of Situ Meitang
Throughout China’s modern history, like Situ Meitang, there is no one who can have such legendary associations with Sun Yat-sen, Roosevelt, Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai and others. He is legendary. His life and patriotic innocence are enough to be remembered by every Chinese forever!
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