Moutai is a famous Chinese liquor with a history of more than 800 years. It is deeply loved by many leaders and founding generals of New China. For example, Xu Shiyou and Xiong Botao especially like to drink Moutai.

Maotai liquor is a famous Chinese liquor with a history of more than 800 years. It is deeply loved by many leaders and founding generals of New China. For example, Xu Shiyou and Xiong Botao especially like to drink Maotai.

In the development process of the revolution, the Red Army also had a romantic relationship with Maotai liquor. Therefore, there was a rumor that "Red Army soldiers used Maotai to wash their feet." The Kuomintang even used this to make a big fuss and slander the Red Army. Rude, domineering, and violent waste of natural resources."

So, is this really the case?

The rumor that "Red Army soldiers washed their feet with Maotai" first appeared in "The Twenty-Five Thousand Mile Long March" written by Zhu Lifu, which was published in 1937. There is such a paragraph in it: The soldiers who first discovered this winery thought that 'the water of the Canglang can wash my feet'... Unfortunately, several tanks of fine wine have become foot soup... and the last one When they passed by, not a drop of the several vats of foot soup was left.

Later, some mouthpiece newspapers of the Kuomintang added fuel to the fire based on this, and derived many incredible stories. The names and locations were all clearly stated. For example, Red Army consultant Li De not only washed his feet in the brewing pool, but also took the lead to take a bath.

In 1985, American journalist Harrison published "The Long March - Unheard Stories", which wrote: According to legend, those childish Red Army soldiers at that time did not know what Moutai was. They poured into the brewing workshops on both sides of the street, washing their tired and soaked feet with Maotai liquor until the liquor formed a river, flowing out of the workshops and into the mud ditch.

The statements circulating on the Internet today basically come from these three periods. We will analyze them one by one next.

Zhu Lifu, who first reported this incident, is very mysterious. He is not a member of the Red Army, nor is he a local in Guizhou. There is even no information about his experience and ending. To a certain extent, his words are isolated evidence. . Moreover, he was not in the Red Army and had not participated in the Long March with the army, so what he said was not so accurate. It was possible that he had polished and added a lot after listening to it.

As for the Kuomintang’s ridiculous words, General Zhang Aiping later told people: When our Red Army passed through Tianquan on its Long March, Comrade Peng Xuefeng and I found the Kuomintang’s " Declaration" in the Tianquan Library. ", the newspaper carried the anecdote that Li De, a Soviet adviser to the Red Army, jumped into a Maotai wine pool to take a bath. This kind of rumors and slander is both annoying and ridiculous.

Wu Xiuquan, who once translated for Li De, also expressed his views on this matter: The fact that Li De was drunk for seven days and bathed in a brewing pool is just a legend. The fact is that Li De likes smoking and not drinking.

As for the words of the American reporter, the credibility is even less high. He, a person who came to China decades later, also used the word "supposedly". So instead of believing this, it’s better to see what those who have experienced it say.

From September 1934 to April 1935, the Red Army moved to Guizhou to avoid being pursued and intercepted by the Kuomintang. On March 16, 1935, the Red Army captured the town of Maotai. Our army also attached great importance to this famous wine town. Wang Jiaxiang, director of the General Political Department, and Li Fuchun, deputy director, issued the "On the Protection of the General Political Department of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army" Notice of Maotai Liquor》:

National industry and commerce should be encouraged to develop and fall under the protection scope of our military. The Maotai liquor brewed by private enterprises is of good quality and won the international gold medal in one fell swoop. The factory sells to the public, and all equipment such as wine stoves, wine cellars, wine jars, wine bottles, etc. must be protected and must not be damaged. We hope that all officers and men of our army will comply with it.

Red Army soldiers attach great importance to discipline and have always abided by the principle of not taking advantage of the masses. The organization has given orders, and it is even less possible to wantonly destroy Maotai Distillery .

As for the truth of the matter, we can find the answer in the memoirs of the generals.

Geng Biao, then chief of staff of the 1st Division of the 1st Red Army, wrote in his memoirs: This is the origin of the world-famous Maotai liquor. There are Shaoguo distilleries everywhere, and the air is filled with bursts of the aroma of mellow wine. Although the war was urgent, the officers and soldiers still bought Maotai liquor from fellow villagers. Those who knew how to drink drank it carefully, and those who couldn't drink it put it in a kettle. They used it to rub their legs and feet during the march to relax their muscles and activate blood circulation.

Xiao Jinguang, then the chief of staff of the Red Army, also said: We were stationed in Maotai for three days, and some comrades and I visited a winery. There was a large wine pool and rows of wine barrels... Some comrades also bought some and put them in water bottles, keeping them for wiping their feet on the road to relieve their fatigue.

and the memoirs of Yang Chengwu, Cheng Fangwu and others all related to some experiences while stationed in Maotai Town, but they did not mention the fact that "the Red Army used Maotai to soak their feet."

Wiping your feet is possible, but this is to eliminate swelling and fatigue in your legs. During the Long March, every commander's legs and feet were seriously damaged, and some of them were still injured. There were no other medical supplies at the time, so they could only wipe them with spirits, which at least had some effect.

And it should be noted that the Red Army commanders and soldiers bought it with money. Geng Biao and Xiao Jinguang made this clear. Since they bought it for themselves, no one else cares whether it is used to drink or to heal their legs. Not.

If someone insists on fighting, it is considered a waste. Then I would like to ask, is the life of the soldier or the wine more important? Wiping your feet with wine can relieve physical discomfort, and you will not fall behind in the subsequent march. This way you can break through the reactionary encirclement faster. One more person following the team will save more seeds of revolution. No matter how you think about it, it is cost-effective!

In short, the Red Army did not use its feet to destroy the brewing place of Moutai. It also provided policy protection to the Moutai distillery, and all the commanders and soldiers who wanted to buy wine gave money.

What is more interesting is that the Kuomintang used "Red Army soldiers wash their feet with Maotai" as propaganda, and it also led to two poems.

Huang Yanpei, then the National Senator, read the report written by the Kuomintang mouthpiece and immediately wrote a poem to ridicule it: Propaganda: When a visitor comes to Maotai, he washes his feet in the brewing pool. It doesn’t matter whether it is true or not. It’s cold. I’ll go first. Have two drinks.

Later, the painter Shen Shuyang made a painting on which there was a Maotai wine bottle and several cups, with Huang Yanpei's satirical poems next to it. After Premier Zhou saw it once, he asked the staff to buy the painting.

In July 1945, Huang Yanpei, Zhang Bojun, Fu Sinian and other national senators visited Yan'an. When Huang Yanpei saw the paintings of Shen Shuyang during the reception, he immediately felt a sense of confidant in his heart and had in-depth conversations with Chairman Mao and other leaders.

That night, Chairman Mao, who was still unsatisfied, hosted a banquet for Huang Yanpei and others, accompanied by Premier Zhou and Chen Yi. During the dinner, Chen Yi expressed his gratitude to Huang Yanpei for writing a poem to refute the rumors, and then suggested that everyone drink a couplet. Naturally, no one would refuse such an elegant thing.

Chairman Mao’s first sentence: We meet again in Yan’an to drink Moutai . Premier Zhou responded: There are guests from northern Shaanxi. , while Huang Yanpei’s third sentence and Chen Yi’s fourth sentence are still “It doesn’t matter whether it is false or true, God I'll drink two cups first." The chairman smiled and said no, and then started from the beginning: Clear spring water by the Chishui River, Chen Yi immediately answered: Only Maotai is happy to accompany it. This incident became a favorite story in Yan'an.

The people's army has always had strict disciplines and policies. On the Long March, it was a fair trade with the people, and no mistakes were made. This is the fundamental reason why the party and the Red Army can win the trust and support of the people and achieve revolutionary victory!