Chapter 16 A glorious chapter of 15 utter devotion

This year marks the 90th anniversary of the birth of Comrade Zhou Enlai.Comrade Zhou Enlai dedicated his life to the liberation of the Chinese people and the cause of socialist construction.In the various revolutionary activities of his life, the outstanding achievements in developing the people's democratic united front are undoubtedly one of the most glorious chapters in his revolutionary achievements. As we commemorate the immortal achievements of this great proletarian revolutionary, we must not forget the great efforts he made to care for and protect democrats during the fighting years from 1946 to 1948.

After the victory of the Anti-Japanese War, the Kuomintang authorities had to invite Chairman Mao Zedong to Chongqing to negotiate and sign the "Double Ten Agreement" due to the situation at home and abroad. In January 1946, the Political Consultative Conference was held again, and the "Agreement on Armistice" and the "Resolution of the Political Consultative Conference" were reached, which brought a glimmer of hope to the peaceful founding of the country.However, the Kuomintang reactionaries were unwilling to give up their dictatorship, and these agreements were continually broken. In May 1946, the Kuomintang government returned its capital to Nanjing. In order to continue to negotiate with the Kuomintang in Nanjing, and at the same time to continue to unite the various democratic parties and patriots in the country, consolidate and develop the people's democratic united front, and lead the struggle of the underground party in the Kuomintang ruled area, in 1946 On May 3, Comrade Zhou Enlai led the CCP delegation from Chongqing to Nanjing and stationed in Meiyuan New Village. It was called the CCP delegation to the outside world and the "Nanjing Bureau" to the inside.Under the leadership of the "Nanjing Bureau", the "Shanghai Working Committee of the Communist Party of China" was established in Shanghai. The "Nanjing Bureau" is composed of 7 members of the CCP delegation, Zhou Enlai, Dong Biwu, Ye Jianying, Wu Yuzhang, Lu Dingyi, Deng Yingchao, and Li Weihan. Comrade Zhou Enlai serves as secretary and secretary of the Foreign Affairs Working Committee, Dong Lao assists in overall work, and foreign affairs work is assisted by Comrade Liao Chengzhi . The "Shanghai Working Committee" is composed of Hua Gang, Liu Shaowen, Zhang Hanfu, Pan Zinian, Liu Ningyi, Xia Yan, Xu Dixin, Chen Jiakang, Qiao Guanhua, Gong Peng, etc.The secretary is Hua Gang, the deputy secretaries are Zhang Hanfu and Liu Shaowen; Hu Sheng and Xiao Xianfa are alternate members, and Xiao is also the secretary general.At that time, Comrade Qian Zhiguang served as the director of the general office of the Nanjing CCP delegation, the deputy secretary of the Finance and Economics Committee of the "Nanjing Bureau", and concurrently served as the director of the Beijing Office of the Eighteenth Group Army.In September 1946, I went to Shanghai to take over Xiao Xianfa's work.

During this period, the political center had been transferred to Nanjing, but Shanghai was the largest city in China, and many political dignitaries and democrats lived in Shanghai or commuted between Beijing and Shanghai.We set up an office in Shanghai, which is more conducive to carrying out united front work and mass work.At that time, the Kuomintang did everything possible to prevent us from setting up an office in Huzhou.We had to spend more than 10 gold bars to buy a three-story garden house at No. 107 Sinan Road, and carry out activities in the name of "Zhou Mansion".Soon, No. 117 was built nearby as an office building.The Kuomintang agents also immediately set up a secret surveillance base at No. 98 nearby (formerly Shanghai Women and Children's Hospital).This is the "Zhou Mansion", which was famous at home and abroad at that time, and it was actually the Shanghai office of the Chinese Communist Party delegation.Comrade Zhou Enlai often travels between Beijing and Shanghai.Here, he had many contacts with people from all walks of life and Chinese and foreign journalists, expounded our party's policy, united all forces that could be united, and fought tit-for-tat against the Kuomintang reactionaries' conspiracy of false peace talks and real civil war.

The summer of 1946 was a period of extremely low political pressure in our country.Under the guise of Marshall's mediation, the reactionary Kuomintang authorities, on the one hand, cast a smokescreen for peace, and on the other hand, launched large-scale military attacks on several major fronts, resulting in a stalemate in the peace negotiations.At the same time, they stepped up their crackdown on the pro-democracy movement.In the two months of June and July, there were two appalling and bloody incidents against democrats. On June 23, more than 50,000 people in Shanghai held a massive mass rally to fight for peace and oppose civil war. On behalf of the "Peace Petition Group" composed of Chen Zhenzhong and Chen Lifu, he went to Nanjing to petition.When the delegates arrived at Xiaguan Station in Nanjing, they were immediately besieged and beaten by Kuomintang agents, causing the "Xiaguan Massacre" that shocked China and the world.After the tragedy happened, Comrade Zhou Enlai got the news and immediately negotiated with the relevant parties of the Kuomintang and Marshall, asking them to take immediate measures to stop the atrocities; and at 2 o'clock in the middle of the night, he and Comrade Deng Yingchao went to the hospital with clothes and food to express condolences.Zhou Enlai held Ma Xulun's hand and said: "Your blood will not be shed in vain!" Ma Xulun replied: "China's hope can only be pinned on you." Further cruel persecution of democrats was about to be carried out. Immediately on June 25, a telegram was sent to the Party Central Committee and forwarded to the comrades in charge of the Sichuan Provincial Committee. The task was mentioned in front of the party organizations in the Kuomintang-controlled areas.

In mid-July, Kuomintang agents assassinated Li Gongpu and Wen Yiduo, well-known patriots and members of the Central Standing Committee of the Democratic League, in Kunming.White terror enveloped the entire Kuomintang-ruled area. On July 17, in addition to a serious protest jointly signed by members of the CCP delegation to the Kuomintang representatives and Chiang Kai-shek, demanding that the murderers be punished, the families of the deceased be compensated, all secret agencies be abolished, and all political prisoners be released, Comrade Zhou Enlai held a meeting in Meiyuan New Village that afternoon. At the press conference, a solemn statement was issued against civil war and political assassination, and it was proposed that the safety of all democratic parties and all democrats must be guaranteed. On July 18, Comrade Zhou Enlai went to Shanghai and held a press conference with more than 100 people from home and abroad at his residence on Sinan Road. From the assassination of Li and Wen, this series of events was planned, and the seriousness of the problem was no less than that of civil war.This is a blow to the unarmed democrats, industrialists, journalists and writers in the rear.He said: On the blacklist of Kuomintang secret agents, there are many democrats who are ready to arrest, kidnap and assassinate, not to mention us Communists.He shouted loudly: Now is not the time before the Anti-Japanese War. We need to complain and complain. I hope that reporters will use their pens and mouths to complain and stop this despicable and shameless atrocities.Comrade Zhou Enlai's forceful exposure forced the reactionary Kuomintang authorities to curb their plot to persecute democrats for the time being.

After the Li and Wen incidents, Mr. Tao Xingzhi, a famous educator in my country, passed away on July 25.To avoid persecution by the Kuomintang reactionaries, he hid in a friend's house in Shanghai.Due to overwork and excessive stimulation, he died of a sudden cerebral hemorrhage.When Comrades Zhou Enlai and Deng Yingchao arrived after hearing the news, Mr. Tao had stopped breathing, but the handshake was still warm, and he shed tears in grief.That night, Comrade Enlai sent a telegram to the Party Central Committee, "Being More Careful of Progressive Friends", proposing that "in the future, we must be responsible for protecting the safety and health of progressive friends."He instructed Pan Hannian and Wu Yunfu to take care of their progressive friends politically and help them financially.

As for economic assistance to democrats, Comrade Zhou Enlai has always paid great attention to this matter.When we were in Chongqing, we were ordered to do it all the time.After I set up offices in Nanjing and Shanghai, I paid more attention because of the large fluctuations in prices.At that time, our own staff, at most, reached a few hundred people, and the agency had to spend; to provide funds for the underground party; and to help democrats financially, so we needed to raise a lot of money.Comrade Zhou Enlai was worried about our sources of funds, so soon after he arrived in Nanjing, he instructed to set up a "Financial Committee" in the "Nanjing Bureau", with Dong Lao as the secretary and Qian Zhiguang as the deputy secretary, responsible for fundraising.At that time, the main way to raise funds was to rely on their own business.At this time, the companies we had control included the "Lianhe Company" founded by Yang Lin in Hong Kong at the beginning of the Anti-Japanese War, which was later reorganized and renamed "China Resources Company"; there were also several companies established by Xiao Lin in Chongqing and Shanghai; other companies.These companies operate in a wide range of areas.After we arrived in Beijing and Shanghai, we often shipped sea cucumbers, dried shrimps, silk, famous wine and other products from Yantai to Shanghai for sale.Since they are engaged in these operations, they are relatively secure in terms of funding sources.

From the above facts, we can see the revolutionary friendship that Comrade Zhou Enlai cared for the democrats.He not only gave the democrats firm support and solidarity politically, but also cared about their lives and health at all times.These subtleties just show the magnanimity of this great revolutionary. In August 1946, because Marshall and Stuart refused to reopen the meeting of the military triumvirate and insisted on convening a five-member team meeting to discuss government organization without guaranteeing an armistice, the negotiations in Nanjing reached a stalemate. On the evening of September 16, Comrade Zhou Enlai, Zhang Wenjin, Fan Changjiang and others left Nanjing and arrived in Shanghai, saying that he would temporarily withdraw from the Kuomintang-Communist negotiations, and that he would not return to Nanjing unless he agreed to reopen the military trio meeting.He made a statement to a reporter from the Associated Press, pointing out that the U.S. policy toward China had caused the civil war in China to spread throughout the country. "China is now facing the greatest crisis of civil war in history." From then on, Comrade Zhou Enlai lived in Shanghai for more than a month.

During the period when Comrade Zhou Enlai was in Shanghai, on the one hand, he exposed all kinds of deceitful means played by the United States and Chiang Kai-shek in the negotiations, and insisted on striving for the possibility of continuing the peace talks under the condition of safeguarding the resolutions of the CPPCC and the armistice agreement; on the other hand, he also Foreseeing that the negotiations between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party would eventually break down, they actively made arrangements and preparations for transfer and evacuation. In order to prepare for the retreat and gradually shift the focus of public activities to Hong Kong, Comrade Zhou Enlai asked Qian Zhiguang to go to Shanghai from Ningxia, and at the same time called comrades from the Hong Kong branch to come to Shanghai to accept the task.

At the end of September, Qian Zhiguang lived in the Shanghai office in the name of a special commissioner of the CCP delegation, and was mainly responsible for internal work and financial work. At the beginning of October, Comrade Zhou Enlai said to Qian Zhiguang: The current situation is not good. If cadres want to leave and democrats want to transfer, is there enough funds?It is necessary to raise some extra funds for use when retreating.According to his instructions, Qian Zhiguang, in the name of the Finance and Economics Committee of the "Nanjing Bureau", brought Lai Zulie from the Beiping Military Adjustment Department, Liu Shu from Nanjing, and Yang Lin from Hong Kong to Shanghai for a meeting to discuss.Lai Zulie said that the Military Adjustment Department itself has money, and the funds for the retreat are not a problem, so it is determined that the retreat of the northern cadres will be handled by the Northern Military Adjustment Department; we mainly raise funds for Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong and other places in case of urgent needs.So it was decided to send Comrade Liu Shu to Jiaodong to sell this batch of supplies to Shanghai.Comrade Zhou Enlai agreed and asked me to write a letter to Lin Hao, secretary of the Jiaodong District Party Committee, who signed it himself.Liu Shu and Shen Qizhen rented a cargo ship from a foreign shipping company and traveled from Shanghai to Laiyang via Qingdao.Because the goods were too late to gather at the moment, Jiaodong had to try to bring out some gold.Due to the accumulation of our business operations over the years, plus the money from the liberated areas, not only did we guarantee the transfer and evacuation costs, but in the end we also had a surplus of more than 3,000 taels of gold.

At the same time, after receiving the call, the Hong Kong branch sent Lianlian and Yang Lin to Shanghai on the same boat and stayed in the Shanghai office for more than 10 days.Coherently reported the situation of the Dongjiang column to Comrade Zhou Enlai.Comrade Zhou Enlai said to Lianlian: Chiang Kai-shek has torn off the mask of peace talks. The current situation is tense, and we are ready to withdraw. Once we leave, a large number of democrats will not be able to stay in Shanghai and Nanjing.Some democrats, cultural and artistic figures, and some cadres will be transferred to Hong Kong and other places. Hong Kong must be ready to accept this task and make arrangements.Among these people, those who can teach, those who can run newspapers, and those who can do other things, help them find new social occupations. For the democratic party members and progressive friends who have fled to Hong Kong, you must keep in touch with them. Contacts are taken care of properly.When Comrade Zhou Enlai met with Shen Junru and Guo Moruo at the office, he specially introduced them to Lianlian so that he could receive them when he went to Hong Kong in the future. At that time, there were three methods of transfer and evacuation: one was to use the aircraft of the Military Adjustment Department to send some cadres to the Northeast, Yan'an and other liberated areas.Both Qi Yanming and Fan Changjiang returned to Yan'an by plane on October 16, accompanied by some staff members of the "Xinhua Daily" office and more than 30 family members.The second is to take a ship carrying relief supplies.At that time, the Liberated Area Relief Committee ("Xie Zong") had an office in Shanghai, headed by Wu Yunfu, who transported relief materials to the liberated areas, mainly from Shanghai to Shijiusuo, Yantai and other coastal ports in the liberated areas.According to the recollection of Comrade Zhu Youxue of the Yantai Office of the "General Solution", he traveled to and from Shanghai and Yantai several times, and brought a total of three to four hundred people into the liberated areas.Most of those evacuated through this route were cadres who broke out from the Central Plains Military Region, and there were also cadres who were rescued and released from prison by the CCP delegation.The third way to evacuate is to go secretly, which mainly refers to Hong Kong, Southeast Asia and other places.In addition, anyone who can find a hiding place can also go home or find friends, such as Comrade Hu Nan, who returned to her home in Chongqing (later, before the liberation of the whole country, she was killed by the reactionary government in Zhazidong); , You can find your own social relations and occupations, and hide them. As early as May 1946, Liu Shaowen, Wu Kejian, Xu Guangxiao, etc. went underground and then went to Hong Kong.Negotiator Lu Dingyi returned to Yan'an with Comrade Zhou Enlai to report on June 7, and never came out again. "Shanghai Working Committee" Xiao Xianfa also went underground in September, arrived in Hong Kong at the end of the year, and served as the deputy director of the Hong Kong branch of Xinhua News Agency. At the beginning of October, Comrade Zhou Enlai instructed Zhang Hanfu, deputy secretary of the "Shanghai Working Committee", to take Fan Jianya to Hong Kong to prepare for the publication of the Hong Kong edition of the "Mass" magazine. "Mass" magazine is a weekly magazine, which is actually the speaking organ of the CCP delegation. In September, it was raided by Kuomintang agents, so it was decided to go to Hong Kong to create a Hong Kong version as soon as possible.Zhang Hanfu and Fan Jianya originally planned to go to Hong Kong by plane. After Comrade Zhou Enlai found out, he criticized them, saying that the Kuomintang secret agents would probably kidnap you at the airport, and they must act secretly and go out on a foreign ship.After research, Zhang Hanfu disguised himself as a member of the financial industry, and Fan Jianya disguised himself as Zhang's secretary to handle official business in Hong Kong. In the middle of the night, he hired a small boat and boarded a British merchant ship moored on the Huangpu River to Hong Kong.In Hong Kong, Comrade Rao Zhangfeng from the "Hong Kong Branch" assisted in the preparation. In January 1947, the Hong Kong edition of "Mass" magazine was officially published. Soon, Comrade Zhou Enlai sent Qiao Guanhua and Gong Peng to Hong Kong to establish the semi-monthly "China Today" (English).He also founded Lili Printing Company and New Democracy Publishing House.The publications in Hong Kong at that time were all led by Comrade Liao Chengzhi. Then, Comrade Zhou Enlai sent Xia Yan to Singapore to learn about the situation of cultural figures scattered in various parts of Nanyang at that time, and conveyed to overseas Chinese leaders the party's principles and policies after the second KMT-CPC split.Later, Xu Dixin, Fang Zhuofen, Liu Ningyi and others also left Shanghai for Hong Kong. Because the number of cadres going to Hong Kong increased, the "Hong Kong Working Committee" was established later, with Zhang Hanfu as the secretary, Lian Guan as the deputy secretary and in charge of overseas Chinese united front work, Feng Naichao and Xia Yan in charge of culture, Xu Dixin in charge of the economy, Gong Peng in charge of foreign affairs, and Qiao Guanhua in charge. Director of Hong Kong Xinhua Branch. Comrade Zhou Enlai sent some party comrades in the press and cultural circles to Hong Kong. At the same time, he also arranged for the transfer of non-Party progressive journalists who had attracted the attention of the Kuomintang.For example, Comrade Lu Zhi, a reporter from the "Lianhe Evening News", was appointed by Comrade Fan Changjiang before returning to Yan'an in mid-October.Asking Lu Zhi to evacuate is actually a kind of exhortation to those who are close to our party in the press, asking them to be vigilant and pay attention to their own safety. While transferring to Hong Kong, in order to ensure that once the CCP delegation is forced to withdraw to Yan'an, the "Nanjing Bureau" can continue to maintain contact with the underground party organizations in its area. Comrade Ying also secretly transferred from Nanjing Meiyuan New Village to Shanghai. After Comrade Zhou Enlai temporarily withdrew from the peace talks in mid-September and lived in Shanghai, he spent most of his time working as a democrat.In addition to meeting many visiting representatives in the office, he also often met with progressive friends at the homes of Shen Junru, Guo Moruo, Huang Yanpei, and Zhang Bojun.Sometimes, he also went to the homes of other party leaders and exchanged views with them repeatedly.By this time the situation had become increasingly serious. At the end of September, the Kuomintang troops invaded Zhangjiakou. On October 11, when the Kuomintang troops occupied Zhangjiakou, Chiang Kai-shek brazenly ordered the convening of the "National Congress" on November 12. The peace negotiations were actually on the verge of a constitutional breakdown.The focus of the struggle at this time was: Chiang Kai-shek attempted to force our side to make concessions through military high-handed means, and more importantly, to win over people from a third party to join the "National Congress" to "legalize" his dictatorship.However, our party has repeatedly pointed out that only by maintaining the armistice agreement and convening the National Assembly on the basis of the resolutions of the CPPCC to organize a coalition government can China truly achieve peace, democracy, and unity. resist.At this time, many people on the third side still have illusions about peace.Among them, the situation is more complicated. For example, the Youth Party hopes to reach an agreement in the peace talks, so that they can join the government and obtain official positions; We worry.In this regard, Comrade Zhou Enlai has always discussed with them patiently, explaining our party's peaceful desire and our firm position in safeguarding the resolutions of the CPPCC, exposing the true intentions of the Kuomintang reactionaries in various means, and pointing out that if the reactionaries dare to launch a full-scale civil war, they will surely destroy themselves , expressing the people's belief in victory.At the same time, Comrade Zhou Enlai also advised many democrats and progressive friends to prepare for his departure when the situation deteriorated.Comrade Zhou Enlai's work during this period played a very important role in strengthening the lineup of the democratic front. In mid-October, in order to deceive public opinion, Chiang Kai-shek sent Sun Ke, Wu Tiecheng, Shao Lizi, Lei Zhen, etc. to Shanghai successively to invite Comrade Zhou Enlai to return to Nanjing for negotiations.Shen Junru, Zhang Bojun, Luo Longji, Huang Yanpei, Zhang Junmai, Guo Moruo, Zuo Shunsheng, Chen Qitian, and Qian Xinzhi, representatives of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference in Shanghai at that time, gathered at the Shanghai Bank of Communications for several days and decided to visit Sun Ke and Zhou Enlai separately. Peace.At this time, although we knew that the negotiations would not yield any results, we agreed to reopen the negotiations because of the mediation of the third party.Comrade Zhou Enlai returned to Ningxia together with people from the third party on October 21. Before Comrade Zhou Enlai left Shanghai, he invited Guo Moruo, Xu Guangping, Liu Yazi, Ma Xulun, Ma Yinchu, etc. to the Shanghai office for talks, and told them that the CCP delegation would withdraw from Yan'an, and asked them to make preparations for transfer if necessary, and keep the same relationship with their original contacts. close relationship.At the same time, he also invited well-known actors Zhou Xinfang, Bai Yang, Danny, playwrights, actors Yu Ling, Huang Zuolin, etc. to talk to them about the development of the situation, pointing out that we must win and the Kuomintang must fail to encourage their confidence.Comrade Zhou Enlai also instructed Yu Ling and Liu Housheng to ask underground party organizations to help artists in the opera circle ideologically and artistically. Comrade Zhou Enlai returned to Nanjing and agreed to negotiate. The third aspect is welcome.However, because the Kuomintang insisted that the political issues should be resolved according to their intentions, the military required us to recognize the fait accompli of the places illegally occupied by the Kuomintang troops after the ceasefire order.They had no sincerity in negotiating and negotiating, and brazenly held the "National Congress" on November 15, and finally closed the door to peace talks. This made many friends on the third side give up their illusions about peace talks, and finally recognized the reality of the reactionaries face. On November 16, Comrade Zhou Enlai held the last press conference in Nanjing, pointing out that the "National Congress" organized by the Kuomintang authorities violated the will of the whole country and attempted to "legalize" dictatorship, civil war, and betrayal of the country. Fight for peace and democracy.It was also announced that the CCP delegation would return to Yan'an within a few days, and that the Beijing and Shanghai offices would remain, presided over by Dong Biwu and Qian Zhiguang. On the 17th, the Democratic League also publicly announced its refusal to participate in the "National Congress".In this regard, Comrade Zhou Enlai spoke highly of it, saying: "If the Democratic League does not participate, the National University will stink. In the third aspect, most of them dare to oppose Jiang's 'National University' and follow our path. The results of the 8-year war of resistance and 1-year negotiation." Comrade Zhou Enlai returned to Yan'an with 13 people including Deng Yingchao and Li Weihan on November 19. Comrade Zhou Enlai sent a letter to Guo Moruo and his wife on the eve of his return to Yan, saying: "Brother Mo has worked hard and gained a lot after returning to Shanghai. The youth party mixed in and out, and the old and the old wavered. They are all concerned, but the nature is slightly different. Therefore, I have reservations about the old man. After the turmoil, the Democratic League has stabilized its lineup, but there are still many problems. Brother Shangwang will encourage him from the sidelines. The democratic struggle is difficult and tortuous. Those who are in the middle will shake to the end. We will also Fight to the end....The CPPCC lineup has been disbanded. After the meeting, we have to look at the front line. At least half a year, as long as a year, we will definitely know....Brother will return on the 19th, and look east at the Shanghai Bin. The letter not only reviewed the experience of more than half a year of negotiations, and correctly estimated the situation in the third aspect; it also made a profound explanation of the development of the situation and our party's policy of continuing to unite democrats.The farewell to Mr. Guo expressed in the letter is not only to entrust Mr. Guo to continue to do the work of stabilizing the Democratic Front, but also to express his farewell and expectation to the progressive friends who stayed in the Kuomintang-controlled area and continued to struggle for democracy. After Comrade Zhou Enlai returned to Yan'an, the offices in Nanjing and Shanghai were renamed Liaison Offices.The two offices continued to maintain close contacts with democrats. On November 30, the Shanghai Liaison Office hosted a banquet to celebrate the 60th birthday of Commander-in-Chief Zhu De, and more than 50 democrats attended the celebration. On December 18, Mr. Zhang Lan, chairman of the Democratic League, arrived in Shanghai. The next day, Huagang, Qian Zhiguang, Chen Jiakang and others hosted a welcome banquet and celebrated Shen Junru's 73rd birthday. On February 28, 1947, the Kuomintang Garrison Headquarters in Chongqing, Nanjing, and Shanghai successively notified my three offices, ordering the withdrawal of personnel to Yan'an before March 5.At this time, Comrade Zhou Enlai called Dong Lao, Qian Zhiguang, Wang Bingnan, Tong Xiaopeng from Yan'an, and told Hong Kong Fang Fang, Lin Ping, Zhang Hanfu and other comrades about the work and struggles that our party offices in Beijing, Shanghai and Chongqing will be withdrawn from. strategy, with specific instructions.In response to Chiang Kai-shek's order to expel the guests by "not protecting safety" by the local authorities, in order to force the Kuomintang authorities to bear the responsibility for the final rupture, Comrade Zhou Enlai called Chiang Kai-shek to question and protest, and asked Chiang to notify Dong Biwu, the representative of the Chinese Communist Party in Beijing, with an official letter , and the retreat period needs to be extended until the end of March.At the same time, he also gave instructions on how to hide and disperse the retreat. In the telegram, Qian Zhiguang and I were asked to go to Hong Kong as soon as possible.Qian Zhiguang and I had already prepared to go to Hong Kong, but due to the strict surveillance of the Kuomintang agents, we were unable to make the trip.According to Comrade Zhou Enlai's instructions, Comrade Ren Bingnan explained the process with the US side and negotiated for the aircraft needed for the retreat.So, we left Shanghai for Nanjing on March 5th. On March 7th, a total of 74 people from the two offices in Beijing and Shanghai were sent by the US to send us back to Yan'an by 4 planes.After we left Shanghai, some responsible cadres such as Liu Xiao and Liu Changsheng remained in Shanghai to continue the underground struggle. Hu Sheng, an alternate member of the "Shanghai Working Committee" and head of the cultural group, and Comrade Wu Quanheng, a member of the women's group of the "Working Committee", went to Hong Kong secretly on March 19. Zhu Yujin, the acting leader of the Youth Group of the "Working Committee", left the office on February 27 and went underground, and arrived in Hong Kong in April of the following year.At this time, only Wu Yunfu and Lin Zhong remained in Shanghai in the name of the head of the Shanghai Office of the Liberated Area Relief Committee. During the negotiations in Beijing and Shanghai in 1946, Comrade Zhou Enlai spent a lot of effort to protect and unite democrats, and developed and strengthened the democratic camp. Especially before the negotiations broke down, he evacuated and concealed the party organization in advance, and transferred the venue of our party's public activities to Hong Kong. As well as the transfer of some progressive friends, etc., careful deployment and arrangements have been made, and the work base has gradually expanded in Hong Kong, which provides a guarantee for the safe transfer of a large number of democrats who cannot persist in the struggle in the Kuomintang ruled areas in the future. . In October 1947, the Kuomintang declared the Democratic League an illegal organization and intensified its persecution. Many well-known democrats moved to Hong Kong one after another.In this way, personnel preparations have been made for the convening of the new CPPCC in the future. On the second day after we retreated to Yan'an, Qian Zhiguang went to report to Comrades Zhou Enlai and Ren Bishi (at that time we were engaged in economic work and were led by Comrade Ren Bishi).Before the end of the report, Comrade Zhou Enlai said to Qian Zhiguang: When you were in Shanghai, I telegraphed twice to ask you and Liu Ang to go to Hong Kong, but it didn't work out.Now Beijing and Shanghai have withdrawn our places for public activities, and the place where we can do public activities has been transferred to Hong Kong. Many of our cadres have been there one after another, and some democratic progressives have been going there one after another. They want to live and have activities there.Zhiguang, you need to take some people to the coastal ports in the liberated area as soon as possible, and find a way to send people out to get in touch with them.After Qian Zhiguang accepted this task, he thought twice and thought that "General Manager Xie" still had an organization in Shanghai, and there would be ships to deliver relief supplies to Yantai and other places, so he decided to go to Yantai first.So Qian organized Liu Ang, Liu Shu, Lu Ying, Li Zechun, Wang Huasheng, Che Aimu, Cai Lianfang, etc. into a small team, and marched with the brigade of the Central City Ministry of Industry. On March 11, we set off from Yan'an, and there were some changes in the middle. Qian Zhiguang went to Yantai after several meetings, and I followed Comrade Dong Biwu to Xibaipo. Qian Zhiguang and others stayed in Yantai for several months. During this period, comrades Zhu Youxue and Zhu Hua escorted the relief supplies to Yantai successively, and learned a lot about the outside situation from them. In July 1947, Qian discussed with Liu Shu and sent people to Hong Kong to have a look.Due to the blockade of the Kuomintang navy at sea, Liu Shu and Lu Ying were asked to take a 70-ton fishing boat belonging to the Jiaodong District Party Committee from Shidao along the coastline to Macao to Hong Kong, and found Yang Lin of the "Lianhe Company". Sent back a message that it arrived safely.At that time, the Kuomintang army was attacking Yantai, and the local comrades in charge told Qian to move them as soon as possible.Qian Zhiguang sent a telegram to Comrade Zhou Enlai at the East China Bureau, reported the situation, and proposed to transfer to Dalian.Immediately received Zhou Telegram reply consent.Therefore, in September, Qian et al. moved to Dalian before Yantai fell. After arriving in Dalian, Qian Zhiguang immediately sent Wang Huasheng to Rajin in North Korea, and asked Wang Huasheng to take a Soviet cargo ship to break the route to Hong Kong.After some time, after receiving a telegram from Wang Huasheng that he had arrived in Hong Kong safely, Qian Zhiguang immediately called Comrade Zhou Enlai to report that the waterway to Hong Kong had been opened.At that time, Dalian was an area under the military control of the Soviet Army. The "China Trade Corporation" organized by Qian Zhiguang in Dalian was not open to the public, but operated as an organization affiliated to the Central Secretariat. During the period when Qian Zhiguang and others were in Dalian, the trade between Dalian and Hong Kong gradually opened up, and local specialties were shipped out, and the materials and equipment needed for the liberated areas were brought back to meet the needs of all aspects. In May 1948, Comrade Zhou Enlai sent several consecutive telegrams to send money, mainly ordering money to go to Hong Kong.Once a long telegram came, asking him not only to engage in economic work, but also saying that some worker representatives in Hong Kong were going to enter the Liberated Areas to hold workers' congresses, and asked him to try to send them in.There were also several cadre incidents that he had to deal with after arriving in Hong Kong.At this time, Qian Zhiguang's organization in Dalian only had a dozen or so people. He felt that there was not enough manpower, so he called Zhou Jia to send someone. Comrade Zhou Enlai arrived in Xibaipo at the end of May 1948.One day, someone sent someone to talk to me, and asked me to go to Dalian immediately to work for Qian Zhiguang, so that the money could go to Hong Kong.He also said, I have already called Qian Zhiguang separately, and I will call again when there are some things to do in the future. If the staff is insufficient, I can transfer some cadres nearby to make up for it.Comrades such as Ding Ling, Zhang Qinqiu, Li Landing, and Wu Qing were accompanying me. After meeting with Comrades Cai Chang and Ou Mengjue in Northern Manchuria, they will go to Hungary to attend the Second International Democratic Women's Congress.We crossed the sea to Lidao and headed north via Yidu, Shandong (the location of the East China Bureau). When we crossed the Kuomintang’s sea blockade, we suddenly encountered a Kuomintang patrol boat. At this time, although the People's Liberation Army had won successive military victories, the only sea channel outside the Liberated Area was Dalian, the only port.We rely on the port of Dalian to maintain economic, trade and personnel exchanges with Hong Kong. In the spring of 1948, great changes have taken place in the national situation. Our army has been victorious in various battlefields, and the Kuomintang rule has come to an end.In the slogan issued by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on the "May 1st" Day, it called on the working people of the whole country to unite and unite the national intellectuals, liberal bourgeoisie, democratic parties, social sages and other patriotic elements to consolidate and expand the opposition to imperialism and feudalism. , the united front against bureaucratic capitalism, and strive to overthrow Chiang Kai-shek and establish a new China.At the same time, we call on all democratic parties, people's organizations and social elites to quickly hold a new political consultation meeting and establish a democratic coalition government.The call of the Party Central Committee immediately received warm responses and approval from all quarters. Since the Kuomintang reactionary authorities declared the Democratic League an illegal organization in 1947 and stepped up persecution, many democrats have left the Kuomintang ruled area.At that time, the leaders of the democratic parties in Hong Kong included Li Jishen, He Xiangning, Shen Junru, Zhang Bojun, Ma Xulun, Wang Shaojiao, Chen Qiyou, Peng Zemin, Li Zhangda, Cai Tingkai, Tan Pingshan, and Guo Moruo, a non-party democrat.They jointly called Chairman Mao Zedong on May 5, and warmly responded to the call of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China.They also issued a telegram at the same time, calling on overseas Chinese at home and abroad to "work together to complete the great cause." In early August, Chairman Mao Zedong replied to the democrats in Hong Kong, expressing his admiration for their approval of holding a new Political Consultative Conference and their enthusiasm for its realization.The reply call hopes that the democrats will give their opinions on the timing, location, convener, scope of participation, and issues to be discussed, etc., for discussion.From then on, preparing for the holding of a new Political Consultative Conference has become a major political task of our party. As for how to safely bring democrats in Hong Kong to the Liberated Areas and prepare for the convening of a new CPPCC, Comrade Zhou Enlai once thought of opening a route via Europe to the Soviet Union and then to Harbin, but failed. In the early autumn of 1948, Pan Hannian was told to try to negotiate with the Hong Kong side.Pan talked with Comrade Sa Kongyao, the representative of the Democratic Party in Hong Kong, and asked Sa Kong to contact the Hong Kong side first, saying that several leaders of the Democratic Party would enter the Liberated Area via Europe.So Sakong approached D.T. Sloss, the president of the University of Hong Kong, who was designated by the Hong Kong authorities as a contact with the CCP and the democratic parties.Sa told Xerox that the main leaders of the democratic parties, Li Jishen and Shen Junru, were going from Hong Kong to London to transfer to the Northeast Liberated Area via the Soviet Union.Shi said that the two of you leaders are going to leave. This is to ask for instructions and to report to the Governor of Hong Kong.After some time, Shi replied: The governor of Hong Kong said that he can't make the decision on this matter. If he wants to ask London for instructions, it will take a long time to reply.Since their replies were protracted and possibly perfunctory, Comrade Zhou Enlai decided not to take this route, but to use the waterway from Dalian to Hong Kong to complete this important and confidential task.Later, Xerox transferred to London in December of that year, saying that he would not be issued a passport, but he could be given a document to prove his identity, which could be protected when he left London.In fact, at this time, we had already started the pick-up work, and Mr. Shen had already arrived in the liberated area. In early August Qian Zhiguang received a telegram from Comrade Zhou Enlai asking him to go to Hong Kong as soon as possible.At that time, not long after I arrived in Dalian, I set off from Dalian after handing over the money. I met with Comrade Zhu Lizhi, the head of my office in North Korea, via Pyongyang, and went through the charter procedures with the Soviet office, and then took the rented boat in Rajin. Su Lun "Poltava" departed for Hong Kong.According to Comrade Zhou Enlai's instructions, Qian Zhiguang used the name of a special commissioner of the Liberated Area Relief Federation in order to conduct public activities in Hong Kong.Comrades Zhu Hua, Xu Deming, and translator Chen Xinghua accompanied Qian.After arriving in Hong Kong, Qian Zhiguang got in touch with Fang Fang and Comrade Pan Hannian of the Hong Kong branch.At this time, they also received instructions from the central government to transport democrats to the north to participate in the new CPPCC meeting. They discussed together and made a division of labor. Comrade Zhou Enlai decided to use the sea passage between Dalian and Hong Kong. However, considering the complicated situation in Hong Kong and the fact that sea navigation was very risky due to the activities of the Kuomintang navy, especially passing through the Taiwan Strait, he repeatedly instructed the transfer of democrats Be absolutely confidential and ensure safety.At this time, there were many democrats in Hong Kong.根据周恩来同志指示的精神，钱之光与方方、潘汉年等经过仔细研究，为了不引人注目，决定分批秘密接送；由同民主人士保持联系的党组织如香港分局、香港工委还有其他方面的同志分别联络，每一批安排哪些人走，什么时候开船，要根据民主人士准备的情况、货物装运、香港的政治气候以及联系工作情况等因素来决定。为保证旅途安全，商定每次都有负责的同志陪同，并派出熟悉旅途情况的同志随船护送。在“华润公司”工作的杨琳、袁超俊、刘恕和在“中华贸易总公司”工作的祝华、王华生、徐德明等，都参加了这方面的工作。 根据当时条件和联络情况，八月下旬首批安排护送沈钧儒、谭平山、蔡廷锴、章伯钧等民主人士和其他同志十几人北上，由章汉夫陪同，祝华、徐德明护送。由于这一批有知名度很高的重要人物，为了严格保密，特别是要防止香港密探的跟踪，对于上船前要经过的路线、从哪条路走、什么人去接、遇到情况如何应付，都作了周密的考虑和安排。在准备工作完成以后，钱之光立即向中央作了报告，周恩来同志同意了行动计划，并强调指出，这是第一批，出发后有什么情况要随时报告。沈老一行离港启程后，我在大连与香港始终保持密切联系，船行8天，当我知道轮船已顺利到达罗津后，立即电告香港。这一批民主人士的到达，中央派李富春同志专程迎接转往哈尔滨。 在第一批民主人土安全到达后，由我在大连租了苏联货轮，装上解放区出口的物资和一些黄金到达香港。当时主要任务虽是接送民主人士，但仍需以经济工作作为掩护。10月中旬，大连出发的这条船到香港时，因与另一艘船相撞，需要检修，一时不能使用，而香港方面已经安排了第二批民主人士北上的行期，因此只有另外租用挪威的船只运送。这次北上的民主人士有郭沫若、马叙伦、许广平母子、陈其尤、沙千里、翦伯赞、宦乡、曹孟君、韩炼成、冯裕芳等知名人士，由连贯同志陪同，胡绳同志同行，王华生随船护送。这艘船行驶到大连与丹东之间的大东沟后，因大连当时是苏联军港，普通船只不让靠岸，不得不在大东沟抛锚，改乘小船登岸。这一批党内人士较多。郭老等民主人土由东北局前来迎接的负责同志陪同转赴哈尔滨，多数党内同志由我们接来大连。连贯同志在我们公司住了10多天，接到周恩来同志的电示，要他和韩炼成（原任国民党四十六军军长）秘密进入山东解放区。 第三批北上的民主人士最多，加上我们党内的同志有30多人。这一批北上的有李济深、茅盾夫妇、朱蕴山、章乃器、彭泽民、邓初民、洪深、施复亮、梅龚彬、孙起孟、吴茂苏、李民欣等著名人士。李济深先生当时是很有影响的人物，我们与他有密切联系，美国方面和香港当局也同他接触频繁，国民党有些政治势力还想竭力争取他，如白崇禧就亲笔写信派一桂系大员赶到香港邀他到武汉“主持大计”，实际想拉拢他，打他的旗号同我们“划江而治”。对此，党中央十分关心，周恩来同志频繁来电，指示也更加具体周密。 因为第二批北上的船只未能在大连登岸，这一次周恩来同志特地事先打电报给在大连的冯铉同志（冯当时负责情报工作）和我，指示说：这一批民主人士北上，要与苏联驻大连的有关部门交涉，租用他们的轮船，一定要在大连港靠岸；要安排最好的旅馆，民主党派负责人要住单间，确保安全；要举行欢迎宴会（并具体指定了座位席次）；还指示说北方天气寒冷，要为他们准备好皮大衣、皮帽子、皮靴等御寒衣物。并请大连市委协助做好接待工作。我们都一一按指示作了准备。 周恩来同志在给大连电示的同时，也给香港钱之光处发了电报，指示说已经走了两批人员，很可能引起外界注意，这次行动要更加谨慎。钱之光同志等按照指示，经过仔细研究，确定把第三批民主人士离港的时间，安排在圣诞节第二天的深夜。因为人们都在欢度圣诞节，注意力分散，这是行动的有利时机。由于有过去两次秘密护送的经验，这一次更加慎重。民主人士离港时，有的是从家中转到朋友家以后再上船，有的则先在旅馆开个房间，停留一些时候再离开，他们都不随身携带衣物，因此一点看不出有要出门的迹象。 李济深先生等一行于12月26日登船离港，由李嘉仁陪同，龚饮冰、卢绪章等随行，徐德明随船护送，到1949年1月7日上午才到达大连。中央派李富春、张闻天同志专程从哈尔滨到大连迎接。当时参加国际工运会议回到哈尔滨的朱学范先生也赶到大连来迎接。迎接的还有大连市委的欧阳钦、韩光、李一氓等同志。这一批民主人士下榻在大连最高级的大和旅馆（现大连宾馆）。当天中午，在关东酒楼以丰盛的宴席举行了欢迎会。 我们按周恩来同志的指示，事先设法买了御寒的皮货，他们一到，我们的同志就送去獭皮帽、皮靴、貉绒大衣。他们收到这些物品，十分感动，有的人要付款。我们解释说：解放区实行供给制，衣帽鞋都是送的，这是周恩来同志指示我们办的。他们连声说：恩来先生想得真周到，吃穿住行都给我们安排这样好，真是太感谢了。这批民主人士在大连逗留期间，游览了市区，参观了工厂，然后乘专列经沈阳前往哈尔滨。龚饮冰、卢绪章等同志在我们那里住了一段时间，经周恩来同志电示，他们乘火车去天津、石家庄。卢绪章以后到上海参加接管。 第四批民主人士是1949年3月14日从香港出发的。这时北平、天津已经解放。这一批北上的有黄炎培先生夫妇、盛丕华先生和他的儿子盛康年，还有她维钧、俞澄寰先生等。他们由刘恕护送在天津登岸。3月25日到达北平。董必武、李维汉、齐燕铭等前往迎接。 新政协的筹备会议原定在哈尔滨召开，由于形势发展之快，超出人们的预料，1949年6月，就改在北平召开筹备会。9月份召开了中国人民政治协商会议的正式会议，通过了《共同纲领》，选举产生了国家领导人，从此，新中国犹如初升的太阳，在东方升起。 1949年4月底，我们应召回到北平。5月初，周恩来同志约我们去汇报这一阶段的工作。他高兴地说：你们做了很多工作，接送民主人士和开展对外经济贸易，都是做得好的。其实这些工作，都是在周恩来同志亲自部署指挥下进行和完成的。 从1946年国民党反动派加紧发动内战、镇压民主运动，民主人士遭受迫害，在党组织协助下相继转移，到1948年秋我们取得全国胜利前夕，又把大批民主人士接回解放区筹备新政协，这一段历史，充分表现了我们党与各民主党派是肝胆相照、荣辱与共的。大批民主人士和我们党一起为中国的和平、民主、统一而坚持不懈的并肩战斗，这是我们党统一战线政策的伟大胜利。这里面，周恩来同志卓越的组织领导是具有重大作用的。它和周恩来同志的其他业绩一样，将在我国革命史册上永放光芒。