Chapter 60 Fifty-Nine inherits the legacy and moves forward forever

Just now, you all attended Comrade Zhou Enlai's memorial service. I'm here to meet you and have a few words. Enlai passed away, you are all sad, and I am also sad.But neither sorrow nor tears can bring the dead back to life. Chairman Mao put it very well in this article.He said that people are always going to die, but the meaning of death is different.A person who dies for the benefit of the people is a worthy death. Comrade Enlai is exactly such a person.He is a servant of the people.His life's pursuit and life's struggle are all for the benefit of the people and for the lofty goal of realizing the lofty ideal of communism.Some of you here are members of the Communist Party, some are members of the Communist Youth League, and some are not members of the Communist Youth League, but are all revolutionary comrades. You must respond to the call of the Party Central Committee, turn grief into strength, inherit Enlai’s behest, and strive to do our respective jobs well. , and strive to build our country into a powerful modern socialist country.

Those present here today include medical staff and nurses who treated Enlai. These comrades are politically reliable, and their medical technology is top-notch in our country.They received the greatest trust and entrustment from the Party Central Committee, and performed meticulous and multi-faceted treatment and care for Enlai's illness.Their revolutionary spirit and work attitude are very touching. Enlai expressed his heartfelt thanks to them many times before his death. Here, on behalf of everyone, I would also like to express my deep gratitude to these doctors and the staff who participated in the nursing work.

Cancer finally took Enlai's life. I am a member of the Communist Party, and I use the tenacity of the proletariat to restrain the pain in my heart to a high degree. When I am sick, I also use a happy spirit and kindness to fight against the disease together.When he knew that his illness could not be saved, he repeatedly told me not to keep his ashes after death. This was agreed upon by Enlai and I more than ten years ago.In terms of burial after death in our country, from ancient times to the founding of the People's Republic of China, it has always been buried in the ground. In the 1950s, under the initiative of the Party Central Committee and Chairman Mao, many senior cadres signed and decided to implement cremation after death. This is an important reform of the thousands of years old custom in our country.

In 1958, Enlai first leveled the graves of his dead father, my own dead mother, and some dead comrades from the Chongqing office, and buried them deeply.Enlai also entrusted the tombs of several generations of his relatives in Huai'an to be flattened and buried deeply, and the land was handed over to the public for use.Not long after the central government made the decision to implement cremation after death, the two of us agreed and promised each other to scatter our ashes in the great rivers and mountains of the motherland, in the water and in the soil. From burial to cremation, from keeping ashes to not keeping ashes, this is a major change in ideology and an important reform to change customs.He himself once said: Why do people keep ashes after death?Sprinkle it on the ground to make fertilizer, and sprinkle it in the water to feed fish.He also advocated that an autopsy should be performed after death.When he was seriously ill and hospitalized, he specifically explained to the medical staff: There is no good way to treat cancer now. Once I die, you should conduct a thorough autopsy and study, and make a little contribution to the development of medicine in the country. is very happy.

Enlai had no worries about his personal death, but was full of enthusiasm and expectation for the scientific development and future of the motherland.Emotionally, you are sad. Although Enlai passed away, he still left us spiritual wealth. When he was dying, what he thought about was how to serve the people after death.You must support Enlai's action.His last wish came true.I have fulfilled his wish. Regarding his funeral, Enlai once told me that the funeral should be simple, and the specifications should not exceed those of anyone in the central government. I have already reported this matter to the Party Central Committee.

The central government gave him a high honor.He also told me that you must not specialize.Personally, I am firmly committed to it. Regarding the funeral, I strictly follow the first article of the three major disciplines and the eight points of attention. All actions are subject to command, and I have not made a personal request. Everything is decided by the funeral committee.Enlai's body was cremated under the protection of the Party Branch of Xihua Hall, and his urn was placed in the place of condolence, because he is a member of the Party Branch of Xihua Hall. Put it in the branch to do it, and the comrades in the branch will undertake it.

I think this is in line with his wish during his lifetime. Enlai was a leader of the party and the country during his lifetime, but he always strictly demanded himself as an ordinary Communist.He sees himself as a party member, a servant of the people. In decades of revolutionary career, Enlai has consistently abided by this most important rule of the Communists.He always maintains the closest connection with the masses and never engages in specialization.Although he has made many contributions to the party and the people in his life, he never takes credit for himself, but often reviews himself.The greater his contribution, the more open-minded he is; the higher his status, the more he feels the heavy responsibility on his shoulders, he is conscientious, cautious and fearful.Especially after our party became the ruling party, he paid attention to this issue all the time, was strict with himself, and put our party style in a very important strategic position.As his relatives, what reason is there to put myself in a special position?We must remember that we should not think that we are special on the journey of revolution, do not boast, do not brag, we must be modest and prudent, and we must learn more from the old revolutionary predecessors.

Comrade Enlai bid farewell to us forever.You have to be strong and don't be too sad. We must inherit his behest, and for the cause of the party and the people, we will always move forward on the new revolutionary road!