Chapter 3 〇2 Deeply miss the beloved Comrade Zhou Enlai

During the Great Revolution, I heard the name of Comrade Zhou Enlai, and knew that after he returned from Europe in 1924, he was sent to Guangzhou by the Party Central Committee to participate in the great revolution.It was not until the outbreak of the Anti-Japanese War that I met this outstanding leader of the party for the first time in Taiyuan. That was in 1937, when the Eighth Route Army marched from Yan'an to the front line of the Anti-Japanese War.Comrade Zhou Enlai led senior military and political cadres of the Eighth Route Army Xu Xiangqian, Xiao Ke, Peng Xuefeng and other comrades to Taiyuan.At that time, the party assigned me to do united front work with Yan Xishan, and I was active in Shanxi in the name of an anti-Japanese worker.Although Yan Xishan has a united front relationship with our party, it is still very unlikely that the leader of the Communist Party will speak publicly at a mass meeting in Taiyuan.Therefore, the party organization decided that I would come forward and organize about 4,000 students from the Shanxi military and political training class and the mass movement training group to hold a meeting in the Great Hall of the National Normal University and invite Comrade Zhou Enlai to give a political report.This auditorium can only hold 1,500 people at most, but there are 4,000 students, and thousands of people also came to hear the news.There were huge crowds of people, and the auditorium and the courtyard were packed to the brim.That morning, Comrade Zhou Enlai came, and Comrades Xu Xiangqian and others also came.Comrade Zhou Enlai stepped onto the podium amidst stormy applause.At that time, Comrade Zhou Enlai was only in his 30s, in his prime and in his prime.In order for the audience to hear the speech well, we prepared a loudspeaker in advance and placed it on the podium table.However, he pushed the loudspeaker aside and began to make a political speech.His voice was high, loud and clear, not only the audience in the auditorium could hear clearly, but also the audience in the courtyard.Comrade Zhou Enlai talked about the importance of establishing the anti-Japanese national united front, how the Chinese people can win the anti-Japanese war, and said that it is the beginning stage of the war. The enemy is strong and we are weak, and it is inevitable to lose every city and land. , our war of resistance against Japan is not determined by the gains and losses of a city or a place, but by whether we can last long, whether we can persevere in the war of resistance to the end, as long as we can persist, we will be able to change the balance of power between the enemy and ourselves. In the end, the enemy must be weak I am strong until we counterattack and achieve the final victory.He also called on everyone to take off their long gowns and put on short ones, go to the front line, go to work, fight, and fight against the enemy.Comrade Zhou Enlai spoke for a full three hours.People were conquered by his inspiring and persuasive speech, the audience was silent, and bursts of applause broke out from time to time, like the sound of the sea, stirring in the hearts of more than 5,000 listeners.

In order to strengthen the united front relationship between the party and Yan Xishan, Comrade Zhou Enlai, on behalf of the Communist Party of China and the Eighth Route Army, negotiated with him at the headquarters of Yan Xishan at Taihelingkou.At that time, the thirteen counties of Yanbei had fallen, and only the Eighth Route Army remained behind the enemy.During the negotiations, Comrade Zhou Enlai had a long talk with Yan Xishan, analyzing the situation for him, explaining that Japanese imperialism can be defeated. We are getting stronger day by day, encouraging Yan Xishan to persevere in the war of resistance.Yan Xishan was obviously convinced. After the negotiation, Yan Xishan said to me: "Mr. Zhou sees the future of the war of resistance very clearly." Yan Xishan also asked Comrade Zhou Enlai to write him a battle plan for the second theater.Comrade Zhou Enlai wrote the battle plan in only one day and sent it to Yan Xishan.Yan Xishan was surprised when he saw it, and even said: "It is so well written and so fast! If it can fight like this, China will surely win." He lamented, "Mr. Zhou is indeed a great talent. The Kuomintang has no such talent!" At that time, Comrade Zhou Enlai also proposed a regulation for the establishment of a "Field Mobilization Committee" in the occupied areas.This regulation stipulates that the committee is composed of the Chinese Communist Party, the Sacrifice League and other mass organizations, and is led by the Communist Party and the Eighth Route Army.Yan Xishan was not very happy when he saw that the Communist Party and the Eighth Route Army were leading the army. He believed that there would be no concessions on this issue.Regarding the issue of the leadership of the "Field Mobilization Committee", Comrade Zhou Enlai estimated that Yan Xishan might disagree, so he asked us to do research in advance, and if Yan Xishan disagreed, let me persuade him.According to the instructions of Comrade Zhou Enlai, I said to Yan Xishan: "It is the greatest favor to hand over the enemy-occupied areas to the leadership of the Communist Party and the Eighth Route Army. At the same time, it can also strengthen the anti-Japanese national united front. If not, the Communist Party and the Eighth Route Army must persist and also There was nothing I could do, because those places were taken back from the Japanese by the Communist Party and the Eighth Route Army, how could they not let them go? If they didn’t let them, they wouldn’t even lose their favor.” Yan Xishan thought about it, and he had no choice but to do so.Comrade Zhou Enlai was considerate, meticulous, good at analyzing problems and persuading the other party in this negotiation, which made the negotiation very successful and strengthened the united front relationship with Yan Xishan.

Comrade Zhou Enlai's thoughtful and meticulous work style left a deep impression on me during his short stay in Taiyuan. Later, when I was studying in Yan'an, this impression was even more profound. In 1944, the Political Department of the Left Behind Corps of the Eighth Route Army presented a report on "About the Political Work of the Army" at a meeting of senior cadres of the Northwest Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China.This report was written under the chairmanship of Chairman Mao himself, with the participation of Zhou Enlai and other comrades, and most of it was written by Chairman Mao himself.This is another important historical document of the PLA's political work following the resolution of the Gutian Conference, and it has far-reaching historical and practical significance.At that time, Chairman Mao entrusted Comrade Zhou Enlai to seek opinions, and I also participated.Unexpectedly, Comrade Zhou Enlai came to me and asked me in detail about the situation and experience of organizing a new army in Shanxi.

He asked kindly: "What experience do you have in recruiting new troops in Shanxi?" I said: I can't.I don't know how to fight, so I can't talk about the experience of starting a new army.I just got rid of the old officers of Yan Xishan in the new army and replaced them with ours, making this army a new anti-Japanese army.When the new army was started, we had heard of the divisions, brigades, regiments, battalions, companies, and platoons of the old army.I became a political commissar, and I couldn't even figure out what names to give to political workers at all levels.The regiment is called the director of the political department; the company is called the company instructor; the platoon is called the political worker; the squad is called the political fighter; what about the battalion?Just call the big instructor!

Hearing this, Comrade Zhou Enlai laughed and said repeatedly: "That's right, that's good, it's a little more than the Eighth Route Army!" He encouraged me and said, "When doing political work, you must control the army and don't let it fall into the hands of Yan Xishan. " I also reported to Comrade Zhou Enlai: "We also raised a slogan to achieve three 'unities': the unity of the army and the people, the unity of the military and the government, and the unity of the officers and soldiers." After finishing speaking, I added another sentence: "Not necessarily true."

Comrade Zhou Enlai still encouraged me and said: "Good catch, very good!" I felt that when I joined the new army in Shanxi, I only did a little work, and I really didn't have much experience to talk about. However, Comrade Zhou Enlai asked me about my work in detail, and gave me great encouragement and kind guidance.His care and help to a cadre moved me very much and I will never forget it. After liberation, due to work, I got in touch with Comrade Zhou Enlai more and more, and I felt more and more that he was best at carrying out Chairman Mao's instructions and embodying Mao Zedong Thought at work.He has the great courage and boldness of a proletarian revolutionist. In the socialist revolution and construction, he stands tall and sees far. At critical moments, he can put forward policy opinions and specific measures, and solve problems boldly and realistically.

After entering the city in 1949, under the leadership of Comrade Chen Yun, I did some specific work in the Central Finance Committee, and often followed Comrade Chen Yun to report to Premier Zhou.Premier Zhou is very concerned about financial work.At every stage, at every critical moment, he gave us instructions and supported our opinions. In 1950, after the Third Plenary Session of the Seventh Central Committee, a three-year recovery period began.Because after a long war, just liberated, prices are very chaotic.At that time, Comrade Chen Yun did a lot of investigation and research work, and correctly put forward the principles and policies of stabilizing prices, which was strongly supported by Premier Zhou.This guideline and policy played a decisive role in the three-year recovery.

In 1953, after the central organization work conference, under the proposal of Chairman Mao, Premier Zhou and Comrade Deng Xiaoping, I was assigned to take charge of industry, transportation and transportation work.At this time, I was still working under the leadership of Premier Zhou and Comrade Chen Yun.Starting from this year, Comrade Chen Yun grasped the first five-year plan, especially the 156 key projects aided by the Soviet Union to our country.At that time, Comrade Chen Yun put forward a very good opinion that the 156 projects should be clarified one by one and reported to the central government one by one. I also participated in this report.At that time, both Premier Zhou and Comrade Chen Yun pointed out that we should earnestly learn from the advanced experience of the Soviet Union. However, the projects aided by the Soviet Union must be adapted to the actual situation in our country, and the suggestions made by Soviet experts must also be realistic. According to the specific situation in our country, use it if it can be used, and put it aside if it cannot be used. We will talk about it later, and never copy it.

In 1956, Chairman Mao listened to the work reports of 34 departments including industry, agriculture, transportation, commerce, and finance within a few months.Chairman Mao noticed some problems in socialist construction and socialist transformation from the report, and wrote a comprehensive article "On the Ten Major Relationships".At that time, I led the heads of various departments of industry and transportation to report to Chairman Mao.Premier Zhou is very concerned about this report.He is very busy with work and cannot come to listen to the report, but he always finds time to call me to his office and ask about our report in detail: "What instructions did the chairman give when you reported?" During this period, Premier Zhou also profoundly summed up the situation of my country's economic development, and proposed that the construction industry should be "multiple, fast and good".One late night, the Prime Minister took me to report to Chairman Mao.After the report, Chairman Mao said: "Many, fast, good, good mention", instructing me and organizing the heads of various departments of industry and transportation to go to various places to convey it immediately.During the discussion later, Comrade Li Fuchun added the word "province" and reported it to the chairman. The chairman said: "Yes, I agree." It has developed into a general line of "go all out, strive for the top, and build socialism with more, faster, better and more economical resources". How can our economy recover during the three difficult years from 1959 to 1961?At that time, Comrade Chen Yun advocated that the basic construction front was stretched too long, and that it should be retreated appropriately, and the retreat should be suitable for the current situation of our country's financial and material resources.The Prime Minister also fully supported Comrade Chen Yun's opinion, and pointed out that the excessive peasants who were absorbed into the cities to engage in industry at that time should be returned to the countryside and the agricultural front should be strengthened. In 1961, the central government held a working conference and put forward the eight-character policy of "adjustment, consolidation, enrichment and improvement".The Prime Minister instructed us to fill in the gaps and make up for Jackie Chan in order to recuperate so that we can fight again.Since then, we have entered a three-year recovery period from 1961 to 1963, and our national economy has been adjusted according to the eight-character policy and recovered quickly.

After the "Cultural Revolution" began, on "August 18th", I went to Tiananmen for the last time.I saw Premier Zhou on the Tiananmen Gate Tower. He was also very heavy at that time. He held my hand tightly and said earnestly: "Yibo, we must stand the test!..." Over the years, these words have made me feel Always keep it in mind. In August 1966, those who stole the leadership of the "Central Cultural Revolution" concocted the so-called "Sixty-One Case", setting off a dark wave of "finding traitors".Dear Premier Zhou stepped forward, insisted on principles, and resolutely resisted their perverse actions.When they ordered a group of people to fight us everywhere, I happened to fall and hurt myself. My secretary wrote me a sick note and sent it to Premier Zhou. It's actually trying to protect me.At the end of the same year, someone in Xi'an wanted to arrest Comrade Liu Lantao again. The Northwest Bureau asked Premier Zhou's office for instructions, and received a phone call saying: The Premier is drafting a reply and will send it to Chairman Mao after reading it.That night, I got a call back from the Prime Minister: The central government knew about Comrade Liu Lantao's release from prison.When Comrade Song Renqiong, the first secretary of the Northeast Bureau, asked Premier Zhou for instructions over the phone about the fact that Comrade Zhao Lin, the acting first secretary of the Jilin Provincial Party Committee, was arrested as a traitor, the Premier personally gave the same clear answer.Premier Zhou is a thorough historical materialist. He has always respected the truth of history, is open and aboveboard, and deals with all issues in a down-to-earth manner.

During the "Cultural Revolution", when Lin Biao and the "Gang of Four" brutally persecuted veteran party cadres, Premier Zhou cared for them meticulously and tried every means to protect them.During my "custodial" period, due to long-term torture, my body was very weak.At this time, Premier Zhou instructed to send me to the hospital for treatment and protection so that I could gradually recover.Without the care of Premier Zhou, I might have been persecuted to death by Lin Biao and the "Gang of Four". How could I have the opportunity to continue working for the party and the people today!However, Premier Zhou bid farewell to us forever because of hard work and the persecution of Lin Biao and the "Gang of Four"!When Premier Zhou passed away, I was unable to see him again. For me, this was a lifelong regret and the greatest pain! Comrade Zhou Enlai has always been strict with himself and lenient with others.As soon as they entered the city after liberation, some departments asked to build buildings and museums, but Premier Zhou firmly disapproved.He once told us that even Zaifeng, the last regent of the Qing Dynasty, had his office only in the Donghua Hall and the Xihua Hall, with only four or five senior officials, and his yamen had no more than a dozen people in total.Our Communist Party serves the people. As long as I am prime minister for one day, I will not build the building of the Government Affairs Council.His house in Zhongnanhai was never allowed to be repaired.Once, when he went abroad, some people felt that the toilet in his residence was inconvenient, so they renovated it.After he returned home, he made severe criticism on this matter. Those who have worked with Premier Zhou will receive the Premier's care and help anytime and anywhere.Premier Zhou is thoughtful and meticulous in his work, full of energy, and often takes the trouble to inspire you and help you study problems, clarify the situation, and solve problems.I am good at talking long, and I often call at night to report the situation to the Prime Minister, sometimes as long as one or two hours. No? Has the research been clear?" The Prime Minister often reminded me with such words, which saved me from making many mistakes. Comrade Zhou Enlai is very concerned about the learning and growth of cadres.My lover, Comrade Hu Ming, worked alongside Comrade Zhou Enlai and Comrade Deng Yingchao when he was in Yan'an.They are very concerned about Hu Ming's study.After arriving in Beijing, Premier Zhou often said to me: "You have to help her study hard." Once, Hu Ming was transferred from the Machinery Bureau of the Ministry of Construction Industry to the Second Ministry of Light Industry as the Director of the Arts and Crafts Bureau. Minister, ask for my opinion, and neither Comrade Hu Ming nor I agree.This incident was reported to Premier Zhou. When he and Sister Deng saw me and talked about it, they both said that it was very good for you to handle it this way.He also specifically told us that after we enter the city, we must study hard and do our work hard, not to be promoted. Comrade Hu Ming is still very young, so we need to exercise more.